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Grape Cuttings Have Leaves but no Roots!

oneacre
12 years ago

A friend recently gave me cuttings from 11 different varieties of grapes. He had taken the cuttings awhile back and said they should be rooting by now. I saw that most of them are starting to make leaves, so I decided to transplant them today. When I took them out of the containers, I was surprised to find that they didn't have any roots! Is it likely that they will still be able to make roots, or is this a lost cause?

Thank you!

Comments (8)

  • Charlie
    12 years ago

    If the cuttings were dormant when taken, rooting can be difficult. If the cuttings were placed in water to force the new growth and have not yet rooted, there is one method that may work. When the new growth is about 3-6 inches, clip the excess hard wood above and below the growth leaving about an inch or so of hard wood. Place the cutting in a rooting mixture and keek it damp, in partial sunlight/shade area. Root warming also might help. I am doing this with hardy kiwis with about a 50% success rate.

  • yukkuri_kame
    12 years ago

    Yeah, may take a little more time. My red flame cuttings this year are well on the way to leafed-out but have only tiny stubs of roots so far.

    Most of them I just stuck in a nursery pot full of peat moss. Some I stuck in pots that contain dirt which is mostly clay and sand.

    Almost 100% success with over 20 cuttings. One of the easiest things I have ever propagated.

  • dethcheez
    11 years ago

    No help with grape cuttings since I've never tried rooting any
    But I see the same thing a lot with vine cuttings
    They'll sprout new leaves & start growing
    But no roots when you go to transplant them

    Suggestion that might help
    Start them in plastic cups & transplant them when you can see the roots against the sides on the cup
    Or
    Use something like rockwool or peat pots & pot/plant them when you see roots starting to grow through

    Good Luck

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    11 years ago

    And you are POSITIVE that you planted them right side up? Very easy to get grape cuttings turned the wrong way when taking a bunch of cuttings.

  • TheGardenerGuy978
    11 years ago

    You really need to describe the exact method you used to propagate your grape vine cuttings before any realistic comments can be made.
    What propagation media did you use?
    Did you use any rooting hormone?
    If so, was it a power, liquid or jell?
    Where they placed in a controlled temperature and humidity environment?
    How long did you wait before you check for roots?
    What amount of light were they given?

    Hans P. Gruetzenbach
    'The Gardener Guy'
    From GrapeVinesAndMore.com

  • oneacre
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Hi Everyone,
    Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments. It's been a couple months now since I posted, so I wanted to let you know how it went. Basically, I have had about a 30% success rate with the grape cuttings. I think more of them would have survived except that a couple got cut down by "helpful" friends who were doing some weed-wacking. Also, we had a long spell of hot weather (95 degrees +) before I had set up the irrigation system, and I did not have time to hand water them as much as needed. So, given those factors, I think 30% success is not too bad.

    Next time around I would definitely wait longer to transplant them, knowing that leaves are not necessarily an indication of roots. I also really like the suggestion of planting cuttings in clear containers, so I can see what's going on with the roots.

    In answer to "Rhizo" and "Gardener Guy," the cuttings were a gift, so I do not know the details of how they were originally planted.

  • Paul Booth
    2 years ago

    Did you ever get an answer? I gave the same problem !