I'm not familiar with metasequoia propagation, but softwood cuttings in general are a pain.

What I'm used to is mist propagation systems having an "electronic leaf" that drops down and shuts the mist off once it has gotten laden with the same amount of mist that would dampen cuttings adequately. After it dries to the point where re-wetting becomes desirable it lifts up enough for the mist to come back on.

This is perfect because it allows for variations in temperature etc. affecting how often the cuttings need to be sprayed.

If you have anymore trouble and start talking to it the correct phrase to use when initiating your remarks is "Listen, Mister!"

Electronic Leaf

http://www.bing.com/search?q=electronic+leaf

I don't find softwood cuttings to be a problem. It took me a bit of tweaking but I finally settled into a system. I like the idea of that electronic leaf, though. At this point I think I'm set in my ways. Temperature and ambient humidity sure do have an effect.

it would depend on the structure in which you build the system.. and how that retains humidity ... dont you think?

you dont mention such at all ....

ken

Yeah the humidity while the cuttings root is about the most important thing; too much and they rot, too little and they dry out. I've grown some shrubs from cuttings that have taken up to a year to root (they callus almost immediately but then one has to be very patient...) and I could hardly leave town because I couldn't be sure that anyone tending them would keep the humidity correct. Almost worse than having a dog!

I could hardly leave town because I couldn't be sure that anyone tending them would keep the humidity correct.

==>>> ahhh.. the lament of a hardcore gardener .. lol ...

back in the day .. when we were DINKS ...... i played with hosta during winter under lights ... couldnt plan a mid winter trip for lack of a watering system ... back then.. my parents drew the line at dog sitting ...they werent going to spend 3 hours hand watering solo cups of hosta ...

and then i couldnt go in spring.. because it was planting time .. nor in the heat of summer for lack of a watering system ... and who in the heck wants to travel in fall .. which is glorious in MI .... peeps come here .. lol ...

so we decided to have kids.. didnt have money to travel.. put up with each other for 20 years ... and then divorced.. and i never really traveled ....

the circle of life .... what was the question .. lol ...

ken

DINK: dual income no kids ....

Yeah, my systems work pretty well now as they have evolved over time, but SO complicated to explain to anyone else. I finally put timers on all of my hose bibs. Too many times I've been in San Francisco for the day, frantically calling my husband and all of my neighbors, trying to reach someone who could go and turn the water off!

DINK, thats a good term.

Thanks for the tips. My addition to my cheap misting system was to put the whole thing in a plastic tub and drill a couple holes in the mister's 1 quart tank so I could fill the whole tub up with water. This gives it maybe 10x the water capacity.

How long are the cuttings and, do you have to cut at a part that is still green? Or does it just have to be this year's growth. What medium do you stick them in? Where do you store them, what temp. Sorry for the questions, but I was going to make a thread about how to root some ogon dawn redwood cuttings myself...

I also use heat mats because our nighttime temps are so low, even in summer.

Jalcon, I'll let you know if this works!

I took this year's growth.

Used peat and perlite at close to a 50/50 mix

Have stuck them under a deck in two different pots

....I used two different types of rooting hormone

um, applied a fungicide.

What else....

I have a mister spraying on them, 4 sec bursts every 3 minutes.

I think the 4th of July is the ideal time for softwood cuttings.

Hardwood cuttings can be taken about Christmas here. About 1 in 6 of those off regular Metasequoia take for me. All I use there is a 2footish cutting, rooting hormone and a pot in the shade. I am 0 for 6 on Ogon.

Thanks..How long are your softwood cuttings? What's your success rate on them?

jal.. he said ... I took this year's growth... thats how long they are ...

you can tell by the bark.. the difference between this years growth and last years ..

ken

Ken is right. This year's growth or at least that which has not hardened off yet. Maybe 8 inches on average? I was expecting longer to be honest.