Stimulating dormant buds

[MichaelS]

This year, in a effort to get some dormant buds stirring on a Prunus mume, I had a go at applying some keiki paste to the points where the flowers were attached in the hope of getting any buds that might be there to move. The results are interesting! No buds appeared (so far) in those places (probably no buds there) but lower down on the stem, buds were stimulated and are now expanding. In my experience many of these buds would normally not grow or do so with great difficulty. Keiki paste is normally used for Phalaenopsis orchids to stimulate new plants to grow on old flower stems. It's basically cytokinin in a lanolin paste.
I think next time I will try to apply it directly to the cut. You need exposed tissue for it to be properly absorbed. There was a little of this freshly exposed tissue where I broke off the faded flowers.

 

[M. Frary]

Very interesting.
I wonder if it would work on conifers.

 

[just.wing.it]

Whaaaat.....manic bud goop!
Uuuummmmm.....yes please!

 

[Starfox]

OK, this is interesting.

Would this be the same thing?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/CF-Keiki-P...F8&qid=1505468915&sr=1-1&keywords=keiki+paste

 

[just.wing.it]

OK, this is interesting.

Would this be the same thing?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/CF-Keiki-P...F8&qid=1505468915&sr=1-1&keywords=keiki+paste

Hahahaha! Budilizer! That's hilarious!
I gotta get me some.

 

[my nellie]

... ...I think next time I will try to apply it directly to the cut. You need exposed tissue for it to be properly absorbed.

There are times that making a small nick over a dormant/adventitious bud will trigger it to appear and grow.
Need to experiment with species and see how this works with what.

 

[0soyoung]

Very interesting.
I wonder if it would work on conifers.

Pines, yes.

 

[M. Frary]

Pines, yes.

How did you know those were the exact trees I was thinking of?

 

[0soyoung]

How did you know those were the exact trees I was thinking of?

Oh. I thought you were a juniper guy.

 

[M. Frary]

Oh. I thought you were a juniper guy.

I've changed my compass recently. All I look for anymore are pines. I do have some junipers too don't get me wrong but the pines are sucking me in.

 

[0soyoung]

I've changed my compass recently. All I look for anymore are pines. I do have some junipers too don't get me wrong but the pines are sucking me in.

Pining for pines

 

[Paradox]

Inquiring minds wanna know....


What the hell is keiki paste???

 

[M. Frary]

Inquiring minds wanna know....


What the hell is keiki paste???

I'll bet Oso knows what it's in it.

 

[just.wing.it]

Inquiring minds, pining for pines...

 

[garywood]

Not sure about that one but Benzylaminopurine is the usual suspect ;-) BAP

 

[0soyoung]

Not sure about that one but Benzylaminopurine is the usual suspect ;-) BAP

I would bet the same, except current lingo is Benzyl Adenine = BA.

 

[MichaelS]

I don't know if it would work well on resinous species because it might have problems mixing with the sap?? Worth a try I guess.
I would be very careful about buying anything with Chinese writing on it. Apparently there are lots of imitation products floating around that don't work well - if at all. I get mine from Flora Labs here but I don't know if they send overseas. They do have an Ebay store.
http://floralaboratories.com.au/wordpress/

 

[MichaelS]

There are times that making a small nick over a dormant/adventitious bud will trigger it to appear and grow.
Need to experiment with species and see how this works with what.

Yep. If you can't expose the bud or you can't see it (very common) maybe scraping down to the cambium just above or below it or both? Or cut close to where you suspect there is a bud and apply to the cut.

 

[my nellie]

... ...maybe scraping down to the cambium just above or below it or both?

Your question had me making some search and here is what I have learned about the science behind this :

By making the cut/notch over the bud (or over where you suppose the bud to be) you force the tree to interrupt/block the downward flow of growth-regulating compounds/plant hormone from shoots above which keep the side buds dormant below. If less of these compounds reach the bud, it can break dormancy and grow into a shoot/branch.

By notching below the dormant bud we force it to develop into a fruiting bud because we interrupt the downward flow of carbohydrates.
The extra food (carbohydrates) then collects around the bud and stimulates it to become a flower bud.

The technique has been going on for centuries in Europe for all intensive espaliered culture of fruiting trees.

 

[Tieball]

Your question had me making some search and here is what I have learned about the science behind this :

By making the cut/notch over the bud (or over where you suppose the bud to be) you force the tree to interrupt/block the downward flow of growth-regulating compounds/plant hormone from shoots above which keep the side buds dormant below. If less of these compounds reach the bud, it can break dormancy and grow into a shoot/branch.

By notching below the dormant bud we force it to develop into a fruiting bud because we interrupt the downward flow of carbohydrates.
The extra food (carbohydrates) then collects around the bud and stimulates it to become a flower bud.

The technique has been going on for centuries in Europe for all intensive espaliered culture of fruiting trees.

Hmmmm.....interesting. I did not know about this technique...the centuries have not found me until just now. Mighty fine find!