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Question About Burrito Method

I wrapped some cuttings using the Burrito Method on January 30. I checked them today - they are callused but no roots or any sign of such. All but one of the cuttings are still green - the other partly so, but turning a sort of dark brown. Am I wanting too much too soon, or are they progressing as they should? When should I pot up the cuttings?

Thanks!

Judith

Comment (1)

  • roseseek
    12 years ago

    Hi Judith, they sound precisely as they should. Not all form actual roots in the wraps, though many do. As long as they are well callused, go ahead and plant them. I pot them as deeply in the cups as possible so much of the actual cane is kept damp, dark and cool which seems to stimulate them to root more successfully. Once the cup bottoms appear relatively filled with roots, I raise them higher in the pots, putting more soil under them and removing that higher up the canes so they are exposed to the light. Any green tissue will produce chlorophyll and feed them. It appears to help stimulate them into forming more roots and pushing leaves and wood faster.

    I've noticed from the four batches of wraps I've done since Christmas Eve that the most successful material is the thickest the variety produces you have available. I deliberately processed cuttings of varying thicknesses to see which appeared most successful. So far, even though they callused quickly, the thinnest wood of all types have failed while the thickest material of all the varieties is pushing roots out the drain holes.

    I also began experimenting with a few other types of plants in the wraps. Lilac callused two-thirds successfully. Four of six cuttings callused and are growing after one month of being potted. None of the Caesalpinia cuttings callused or rooted, though they remained greenish but turned a bit bronzy in the wrap. They didn't rot nor dry out. I potted them to see if they would root. We'll see. Myrtus communis compacta, Dwarf Myrtle, works well in the wraps.

    Annie Laurie McDowell worked 100% as did an old Arena Sweet Afton and Perdita. Morey's Pink was another 100% take from the wraps and after a month of potted up. Buck's Maytime has been a near total bust. The thickest pieces of Pink Petticoat are rooting like mad, but the thinner cuttings have failed. Gardens of the World succeeded nearly 100% with those of nearly the thickness of my thumb pushing roots and new growth very quickly. It's as if the thicker wood was at the right stage of food storage and dormancy to perform perfectly with the method.

    I received cuttings from a friend in Texas two weeks ago, which I unwrapped this afternoon. Of course, the one I most wanted, failed completely, but one of the three cuttings had already begun to turn dark in transit. The other two began turning black in the wrap. Those of her four new HT seedlings callused 100%. Velvet Fragrance, which I wrapped at the same time, callused 100% and has begun pushing new buds.

    It's going to vary a lot from batch to batch, type to type and location to location, but it seems as long as they callus well and can be kept cool, damp and dark enough while they form roots, it works for a wide variety of roses. Congratulations! Kim

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