Root cutting with root growth hormone alternatives?
miscel
6 years ago
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miscel
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoRelated Discussions
forcing new growth with rooting hormone.
Comments (18)normal buds might sit for a month before growing. or more. since citrus grows in flushes you might need to wait for the next one before these buds will grow. depends on growing conditions, e.g. mine start another flush approx in 6-8 weeks. also i would pinch off the tips with like an inch of top stem on all branches - i actually pinch more, may be half the new growth, to shape the tree. but i am not concerned with fruit at this stage. but a couple of new leaves will do. this will encourage all side buds to grow, including the new ones. normally with good water/fertilizer there are water sprouts from the main trunk occurring anyway even without pinching. mine produces a fair amount of those since i prune for shape often. i don't remove them, i push them gently to desired angle when they are very young and bendable. and then hook them up with wire clips in position, then prune/branch. i have some dormant buds that developed on 1yr seedling avocado on main trunk very low (3-4 inches) - but they just sit there doing nothing for 4 months. you can also trim off that top growth that is bending sideways. i ordered keikigrow too. and sprayed all my trunks with kelp solution as for reg foliar feed AND watered it in too. seems kelp has a lot of grow factors too....See MoreWillow as a root growth hormone?
Comments (9)catman, willow water has been known for a long time as something to use when rooting cuttings from various plants and shrubs. But when talking about using it for tomatoes I can't see how it would help. Tomato seeds germinate, seedlings are raised, transplanted and put out into the garden or a container. Root development is just fine as long as you transplant the seedlings at the 1-2 true leaf stage b'c doing it then shocks the root system and allows for greater vegetative growth , initially, at the expense of root growth, in order to get as much foliage as possible b'c it's the photosynthesis that supplies the whole plant with energy to grow. If you were to take cuttings from mature tomato plants you still wouldn't need to use willow water b'c tomatoes are somewhat unique in forming roots from any stem that's buried in soil or artificial mix. Which gets to your system of trenching plants, which many do, and many have to do if their plants get too tall, LOL, b'c new roots will automatically form all along the buried stem creating an extensive root system for the plant. So I can't see watering inground plants with willow water to "help the stems root faster", I think you really perhaps meant to increase root growth, b'c it happens naturally with tomatoes. For rooting cuttings from stuff like geraniums, and lilac cuttings, and on and on, it may well be helpful b/c they don't form roots along stems as do tomatoes. Hope that helps. Carolyn...See MoreGrowth hormone vs. root stimulator
Comments (2)In all my many years of growing tomato transplants I can honestly say that I have never needed or used any kind of growth hormone and/or root stimulator. On some flowers and soft wood cuttings, yes. But never on tomato plants. And if any other regulars here are using them, they aren't saying anything about it in public discussions here. ;) Your plants look fine now but I fear they are going to be awfully large come plant out day in your zone which is what - at least 6 weeks away? So slowing down growth would be a better goal than stimulating more growth, right? Good luck. Dave...See MoreRooting Hormone to improve root growth in vegetable starts?
Comments (5)Phosphorus and potassium are both very helpful for roots (both according to what I've read and what I've experienced with potassium—and according to what I've read with phosphorus, but I imagine it's true). Too much nitrogen can be bad for roots, as can too much water, too little ventilation, diseased soil, etc. When I started plants indoors, I used to give them potassium sulfate, and they would get awesome roots pretty fast. I also did this for cuttings rooted in soil, and for transplants, and it was helpful. I didn't experiment with phosphorus much until I stopped starting seeds indoors. I'm not saying that potassium and phosphorus do what hormone rooting powder is supposed to do, but at least potassium is still helpful for cuttings rooted in soil (it helps them to absorb more water and be less prone to shock—and at least by the time they do root, it helps the roots). I found it to be extremely helpful (both for seedlings and cuttings, but avoid soils with big chunks of partially composted wood chips). I took loads of cuttings in early 2015 with a very high success rate (e.g. tomatoes, watermelon, muskmelons, cucumbers, peppers, tomatillos, etc.) If you give cuttings bright light too soon after you take the cutting, it can stunt and/or wither and/or kill them. Give them at least a day or two of dimmer light. I did pretty large cuttings every time, though (between 3 and 16 inches). Maybe the reason people tend to use younger shoots is to avoid the light issue—but you can definitely take longer cuttings involving older growth. I'd usually take maybe an 8-inch tomato branch, put it in a cup with Nature's Brand seedling mix (with basalt rockdust and some kind of maybe natural 10-10-10 fertilizer added—it was a safe kind for seed-starting and taking cuttings), plant the stem near to the bottom of a 20oz foam cup, and water with water that has a good dose of potassium sulfate in it. Then I'd keep it out of bright light for a couple days, and then put it in bright fluorescent light, or a south window. They generally took a few days (~4 to 8) to root and start growing (for tomatoes; some other things took longer). You don't need hormone rooting powder for the plants I rooted (although you might for some species). If you believe in rooting things in water, it takes some faith to try rooting in soil, but it really is easier (especially in the long run). It's way faster, too. You can have a nice plant in no-time. Just be careful about damping off—you really need to avoid that (it afflicts both cuttings and seedlings). Fresh soil, clean containers, plenty of light (especially 2700k fluorescent light, for some unknown reason, and brighter south window sunlight), ventilation, and a high soil line can help to avoid damping off disease. I'd do a few things differently if I were to take cuttings now (I'd probably experiment with using wood ash instead of basalt rockdust and potassium sulfate, and I'd do some judicious pruning of the old leaves before transplanting the rooted cuttings to the garden; I wouldn't add 10-10-10 fertilizer, because I think it caused more mold or something, although the plants did enjoy it). I would add a small fan to my growing area, and maybe use heat mats where helpful (while keeping the air cooler than I had it). I'd probably give more attention to fewer plants, instead of packing loads of them in close proximity. I'd probably use smaller foam cups (and not start my plants so early). The wood ash could help pests/diseases not be as much of a problem. I used the same soil and amendments for seedlings as I did for cuttings....See More
Nicholas K
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoWillow water helps plants root because willow naturally roots very easily.
This was trimmed a few weeks ago.
Willow trimmings in willow water for a few weeks. Next, I put them in a pot and kept the cuttings moist for weeks (Watering once daily and/or misting them a few times a day)
New growth on nearly every one.
Willow water is a naturally occurring organic rooting hormone made by extracting the active element that causes willow to root easily into the water. Water your plants with this to increase likelihood of rooting. Refrigerate if you aren't going to use immediately. It isn't a fail safe 100% method for rooting difficult cuttings, but it can increase the odds and it doesn't have to rely on man made chemical to do so. I have not used this method for citrus cuttings, but I personally think it will help.
I put cuttings in a zip up bag with a very small amount of willow water (too much will cause rot). I hang the bag up in a window that gets some sun, changing the water every week or so. When the cuttings either have white spots/roots or the bottom of the bark is swelling, I plant them in a pot buds facing up.
I have tons of willows in my area if you need some materials, message me!
miscel thanked Nicholas Kmiscel
6 years ago
jinnylea
6 years ago
Like Vladimir, I have rooted cuttings successfully in water. Here is a recent rootstock cutting that I just transplanted in a soil- less mix. It took close to two months to develop roots.
I have also used cinnamon and honey as a rooting hormone to root two other rootstock cuttings this past winter and it took almost three months to see any new growth. Unfortunately, I had the cuttings in the basement and forgot to water them after I took my pots of citrus outside when spring arrived and we got busy with all the animals being born on the farm.. My fault..
miscel thanked jinnylea
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Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A