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themidnightgarden

Dummies Guide to Redwood Cuttings (please help :) )

TheMidnightGarden
11 years ago

I am very new to all of this, and want to try to root some redwood cuttings. Can someone please help?

I am still VERY new to all of this, and I dont even know what half of the stuff even means yet LOL - so someone with a ton of patience, who would be willing to give some VERY simple step by step instructions would be a blessing!

My very first question (just to show how bad I am at this stuff)......If I manage to get a cutting to grow, will it grow into a real tree, or will it just sprout some needles/branches?

Comments (3)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    11 years ago

    once a green piece ... gets roots ... by my definition ... all the parts are there.. and it will be a tree ... what more would you want/need???

    i would enjoy specific questions.. but i have no interest in typing out a masters thesis on propagation of trees ... Dirr has done that.. and google is a wonderful resource..

    but if you want words upon which to search.. i will bop in every now and then and try to lead you down the road ...

    the first most important thing.. is to learn what age of cutting will root easier ... there is a window of opportunity as to such ... younger stuff rotting.. older stuff dying ...

    then you would need to target knowledge about pots.. media.. heat.. humidity.. light ... lol.. nothing to it ...

    whatever you do.. have fun learning.. and good luck

    ken

    ps: google: PROPAGATION TREES DIRR ...

  • kayjones
    11 years ago

    Perhaps this will guide you:


    Redwood trees are both the tallest and oldest trees on earth.
    While once a genus with a number of species, Sequoia now only contains two, S. sempervirens and S. giganteum. The former, also known as the coast redwood, is the one most commonly seen along the northern California coast and into Oregon.

    The coast redwood produces small cones that tightly encase the tree's tiny seeds. While the germination rate of viable seeds is high, few of the seeds in a given cone are viable an the trusty float test to determine seed viability doesn't work with coast redwood seeds, since many of them are filled with tannin. Propagation may also be done vegetatively, from cuttings.

    Choosing Propagation Material

    A general rule of thumb when choosing cones from a redwood tree is to pick from the oldest tree in a grove. Older trees, the tallest, typically produce more viable seeds than younger trees. However when choosing a tree for cuttings, juvenile trees are more appropriate. Terminal or lateral branches or shoots work best. A lateral branch is one that grows from a side node on a branch whereas the terminal cutting is taken from the tip of the branch.

    Timing

    When the redwood's cones turn a greenish-yellow it is time to collect them. This usually occurs in late September into October. The cones need to dry before you can get the seeds out. At 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the redwood's cones should open within 10 days to two weeks.

    Alternatively, the ideal time to take redwood tree cuttings is March. It�s important to keep the cutting moist and cool until you plant it, to avoid callusing.

    Planting

    Redwood tree seeds require light to germinate, so it's important not to bury them too deeply. A one-eighth-inch covering of sand helps keep them moist and allows light to penetrate.

    Cuttings should be dipped in a rooting hormone powder before being stuck into a mixture containing equal parts of moist peat moss and perlite.

    Propagation Period

    Moisture is the most important commodity to provide both redwood seeds and cuttings during
    the propagation process. Potted seeds can be placed in plastic bags to help hold moisture around
    the germinating seed.

    Cuttings need almost constant misting, a reason many novice propagators don't attempt this method. Slipping the potted cutting into a plastic bag cuts down the need for regular misting, but it will take longer for the cutting to root.

    Redwood seeds require light, so placing them under artificial lights or on a sunny windowsill should fulfill this requirement.

    They also need alternating temperatures, and this can be provided with a heat mat, set to 68 degrees Fahrenheit at night and 86 F in the daytime.

  • spartacus83
    10 years ago

    Great thread, I've been thinking about trying to grow some Coast Redwoods from cuttings. There is a lot of info out there about how to do this but what I'm having a lot of trouble finding is pictures or video on how and where to cut the growth from the tree. I mean I can kind of visualize but I'd love to be able to find a visual aid to help me!