I have never attempted this Large cuttings take a long time to root, from what I have heard. Some on here have tried it, I believe. I hope they would comment. If it were mine, I would remove all that spindly top growth. If it were mine also I would divide into separate trunks...I prefer one main trunk, but that is a personal choice. Hope Josh will give his ideas here.

Christopher

Oh my goodness!!! That is HUGE! I have never attempted to root a cutting that large. I imagine you would need to get some root growth hormone for one that big. Good luck man! I can't wait to see the progress!

I, personally, would be nervous to make any more cuts! I would want it to root and get al healthy and happy - then cut it up! sounds evil when I say it out loud! But I would want it to recover from this before inflicting more damage.

I don't think rooting hormone is a plus. What Rob said...and if kept warmer, it will grow better.

It can be done. I bought a 40 year old trunk from Ebay. When I received it, there was some rot on the bottom of the trunk. I cut everything away that was rotted, and gave it a heavy coating of cinnamon. Then I let it lay across a tub with some cactus mix in it. It was not touching the mix. And I left it in my garage like that from May until August. In August I noticed some new shoots and there were some small roots around the base if it. I then potted it up in some very fast draining potting mix, and propped it up with 3 rows of 3 bricks around the rim of the clay pot it was in. I left it outside facing east, until October and chance of frost. My husband very carefully carried it into the house to a south facing window. That was 2 years ago. It is coming along nicely.

Make a nice clean cut at the bottom and dust with powdered sulphur. Some use cinnamon but you'll want some sort of anti-fungal. You can cut off as much as you like, just dust the cuts with sulphur. Keep it dry and it will root. I've rooted bigger. The biggest problem with big cuttings is rot.

If the cutting has calloused, I wouldn't cut it again.

Great advice from everyone!

I rooted a large cutting like this once. Mine, too, had a bit of rot that had to be cut away. I dusted the cut end with cinnamon, and then potted straight into a dry gritty mix that was heavy on the perlite. I propped up the leaning side with a stone, and waited to water until I saw signs of new growth.

Once it was rooted, I started to shape it.

Then I froze the top off accidentally....

Josh

Val, that thing is a beast!

Rina - Why is rooting hormone not a plus? It protects from fungus, rot, etc.

I don't think you need to brush any off.

Josh

Joe, I think I was thinking about fertilizer when I posted!!! (I posted on another thread about not fertilizing 'sick' plant just before reading this thread).
So I meant to suggest to dust with cinnamon - as was suggested by someone else.
Rina

Josh, I just love your cat! And the fact that your jade cutting is larger than she is :)

-Erica

:-) Cinder...she's a sweet cat, and very interested in all my gardening projects.
She loves hanging out in the yard.

Josh

Joe, the ceramic pot in the pictures I posted is about 3-gallons or so. At least 12-inches across. And, yes, I'd spread the mix out to dry.

Josh

Sure, give me a moment...I'll go measure.

Josh

Joe, that pot is exactly 12 inches wide by 12 inches tall. If I remember, the pot was about half-full of mix, so figure 6 - 8 inches of mix-depth.

Josh

I put about an inch of dry mix in the bottom, and then set the cutting on that, and filled in around it.

Josh