Hedera - Rooting large wooded cuttings?

[KateM]

Anybody has experience with rooting large woody hedera cuttings?
I think it's Boston ivy hedera Hibernia by leaf shape. I know they can be bonsai'd...
Saw a bulldozed tree covered in ivy and had to get me some.
I am guessing that those clinging rootlets can convert to real roots...
I got one of the stems still growing in the ground and some stem cuttings with interesting branching..

 

[KateM]

Leaves

 

[KateM]

This one with a bit of root went into the ground, the rest in a bucket with water for now.

 

[RJG2]

No experience, but I'd tent/bag the ones in water to slow the leaves from desiccating.

 

[Shibui]

Ilex I am familiar with are like weeds. Harder to stop roots than to start them. I'd say you have a very good chance of all these producing roots.
I would prefer to start with sections that had more taper or bends in the trunks but I guess you can always trunk chop after these root and grow a bit.

 

[KateM]

Thank you Shbui. I would like more taper too...
I was a collection of opportunity.
The ivy was growing up the tree laying on its side and the taper was very gradual over long distance...
Would be interesting to get it established and chopped...

 

[PonderingSage:]

I’m going to trying the same thing with overgrown English Ivy might try a few different things just to experiment, but I’ll probably put most of them in 100% pumice.

 

[KateM]

I’m going to trying the same thing with overgrown English Ivy might try a few different things just to experiment, but I’ll probably put most of them in 100% pumice.

Would be nice to compare notes.

 

[PonderingSage:]

Totally! Spring is slow to start, so I might be a while but I will update.

 

[Shibui]

Thank you Shbui. I would like more taper too...

Here's an obvious cut that will give both bend and taper in the new trunk.

Try not to think of those side shoots as branches. They are opportunities to cut to create bends and taper. The cutting to the right has 2 opportunities to do similar.

 

[KateM]

Here's an obvious cut that will give both bend and taper in the new trunk.
View attachment 477692
Try not to think of those side shoots as branches. They are opportunities to cut to create bends and taper. The cutting to the right has 2 opportunities to do similar.

Yes, definitely. Thank you.

 

[KateM]

None of those made it.
Trying again.

 

[bwaynef]

None of those made it.
Trying again.

I have a very well-behaved Ivy growing up one of my trees that I've been tempted to airlayer. I'd love to dig up the vine from the ground, but it enters the ground RIGHT at the roots of the tree trunk so I wouldn't be able to get around it. I figure the next best option is an airlayer. I just haven't bothered to do it yet.

 

[KateM]

I have a very well-behaved Ivy growing up one of my trees that I've been tempted to airlayer. I'd love to dig up the vine from the ground, but it enters the ground RIGHT at the roots of the tree trunk so I wouldn't be able to get around it. I figure the next best option is an airlayer. I just haven't bothered to do it yet.

Yeah, the ones I am courting are all like that, too.
Right at the roots of the trees they are climbing and firmly attached to the trunks by their advetitious roots.

 

[Deleted member 65481]

Hi KateM,

Sorry for joining the conversation a bit late! I wanted to share my experience (so far) with propagating hardwood cuttings from my crabapple tree.

Back in early April, I attended a propagation presentation by Mark Moreland (there are a few posts about him around the forum). Inspired by that, on April 16 I took several cuttings from my tree—some fully hardwood, others semi-hardwood. The smallest was about ¾”, and the largest close to 2” in diameter.

I placed them in a transparent plastic box filled with moist, sterile coconut coir, after dipping each in rooting hormone. I misted everything with water and set the box on a north-facing windowsill here in England.



By May 2, all but two of the cuttings had pushed out several well-formed leaves, and I could see the beginnings of root development. At that point, I transferred them into individual pond pots filled with bonsai soil and placed them in a larger box outside, where they get morning sun.



I kept humidity high by misting frequently and opening the box for 1–2 hours each day for ventilation. Just this week, I removed the cuttings from the box completely, as I noticed some of the more cautious roots were reaching the edges of the pond pots.



From what I gathered during Mark’s presentation, hardwood cuttings have enough stored energy and nutrients to push out new leaves, but since they don’t yet have functioning roots to take up water, it’s crucial to maintain very high humidity (over 90%) during the early stages to prevent dehydration.

So far, this method seems to be working well—and I’ve just started trying the same process with black locust cuttings

 

[KateM]

Hi KateM,

Sorry for joining the conversation a bit late! I wanted to share my experience (so far) with propagating hardwood cuttings from my crabapple tree.

Back in early April, I attended a propagation presentation by Mark Moreland (there are a few posts about him around the forum). Inspired by that, on April 16 I took several cuttings from my tree—some fully hardwood, others semi-hardwood. The smallest was about ¾”, and the largest close to 2” in diameter.

I placed them in a transparent plastic box filled with moist, sterile coconut coir, after dipping each in rooting hormone. I misted everything with water and set the box on a north-facing windowsill here in England.

View attachment 600221

By May 2, all but two of the cuttings had pushed out several well-formed leaves, and I could see the beginnings of root development. At that point, I transferred them into individual pond pots filled with bonsai soil and placed them in a larger box outside, where they get morning sun.

View attachment 600222

I kept humidity high by misting frequently and opening the box for 1–2 hours each day for ventilation. Just this week, I removed the cuttings from the box completely, as I noticed some of the more cautious roots were reaching the edges of the pond pots.

View attachment 600223

From what I gathered during Mark’s presentation, hardwood cuttings have enough stored energy and nutrients to push out new leaves, but since they don’t yet have functioning roots to take up water, it’s crucial to maintain very high humidity (over 90%) during the early stages to prevent dehydration.

So far, this method seems to be working well—and I’ve just started trying the same process with black locust cuttings

View attachment 600224

Nice.
There is only such trouble I am willing to go through with these. My main hope that the adventitious roots will convert to groud roots...
Good like with yours. I would like to see them at the end of summer.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

Why don’t you air layer them? I would think they would root in no time.

 

[ponderingsage]

None of those made it.
Trying again.
View attachment 600177View attachment 600178View attachment 600179

Same, none of mine made it which was surprising as they are so invasive.
This time l will try to better manage the humidity…also mine were thick between 2 - 4 inches in diameter.

 

[KateM]

Why don’t you air layer them? I would think they would root in no time.

I don't have them where I can easily do that...

 

[KateM]

Same, none of mine made it which was surprising as they are so invasive.
This time l will try to better manage the humidity…also mine were thick between 2 - 4 inches in diameter.

Right. I have no trouble with pencil thin ones.
These are 2" and a bit less.