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The First TIme Ever I Saw...

14 years ago

To make this interesting, it happens to be the top node of a four node unknown purple cutting. The bottom three quarters of this cutting isn't doing anything. No barking, no primordia, nothing.

I am thinking of cutting it to make a single node and then planting it horizontally such that the root and the bud (covered with soil) are parallel to the soil line.

Thoughts. FYI. I did clean the mold.

Next are my first ever very vigorous roots (from Nonnie's Purple. Thanks Mimi!). To this point, it has been a "mashup" of ideas & best practices: Primodia grew while using the baggie method and the media is 1:1:1 Turface MVP: Perlite:ProMixBX.

JD

front view

front view (0 degrees)

right side view (turned 90 degrees)

back view (turned 180 degrees)

left side view (turned 270 degrees)

top view

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Comments (5)

danab_z9_la
14 years ago
Be careful......rootin' twigs is addicting. I predict lots of fig trees in your future.

Dan
satellitehead
14 years ago
Nice monster roots! I like to see you achieved them without the use of UPM, same as my experience.

Overall, that looks like a nice blend you've got there. After reading up, it seems like Pro-mix BX is the same basic blend as both Fafard 3B and Fertilome UPM, all perfectly capable of helping create and support nice, thick roots.

Question: Have you stopped using Sphagnum Moss in your mixes, and if yes, is there a reason why?

Personally, I found it to be cumbersome to use, and it held far too much moisture, while not truly fending off mold well at all (at least for me). I've repotted a lot of my early Turface/SM cuttings we talked about in 3B/Perlite (upwards of 40/60 - 30/70) blend and they're doing a lot better now. I haven't been measuring, I just mix it to the point that the perlite is nicely "dusted" with 3B mix and there is hardly any leftover sediment (all chunks), simlar to the way your Turface/Perlite looks in the picture above.

For me, too much fine sediment in mix seemed to hinder root growth more than it helps, the soil would clump and hold moisture, prevent airflow, and generally impeded progress.
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jimmieldavis
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks. Pro-Mix, 3B and UPM are similar. Pro-Mix BX also states mycorrhiza fungi as an ingredient.

Answer: I stopped Sphagnum because I notice that those cupped with sphagnum + perlite or Turface had an issue. I noted the problem for each one (six total) but nothing conclusive or significant, e.g., I could easily say it was an inferior cutting. However, ProMix:Turface:Perlite has performed well for me.

JD

Here is a link that might be useful: Mycorrhiza Fungi
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14 years ago
Hmmm ... mycorrhiza tablets are one of those things that everyone seems to recommend as a solve-all when planting new trees in the ground. In fact, I just purchased a Stella and Montmorency cherry for the yard, and the paperwork the nursery sent mentioned (yet again) these tablets. Supposed to out significantly with feeder roots. I would've never thought about using it, or the benefits of having it in a rooting mix.
wildforager
14 years ago
I bought some mycorrhiza powder on ebay not long ago. My partner and I have other cultures going (Sourdough, keffir, piima) and I plan on feeding the mycorrhizal culture too. Should be easy to breed my own. If its fungal like yeast it likes sugar. If its bacterial.... it likes sugar. Easy.

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