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New growth from an unrooted cutting
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2022 7:11 pm
by ianstrutt
Hi all, I’ve had this maihueniopsis cutting for the last year or more and it has stubbornly refused to root at all in that time. It had even been moved on to my lost causes/dead shelf. I had a quick look at it today and it’s producing new growth!
What’s my best bet here for producing a happier, rooted plant?
Re: New growth from an unrooted cutting
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2022 9:36 pm
by RAYWOODBRIDGE
Always half bury a segment, the bottom areoles will send roots down and the top areoles will sprout out new segments.
Thats why it is always better with a 2 segment cutting, one roots down while the other takes care of the energy needs.
Just put the end opposite the shoot into the compost a little and it will be fine.
Re: New growth from an unrooted cutting
Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:28 pm
by ianstrutt
RAYWOODBRIDGE wrote: ↑Sun Jun 26, 2022 9:36 pm
Always half bury a segment, the bottom areoles will send roots down and the top areoles will sprout out new segments.
Thats why it is always better with a 2 segment cutting, one roots down while the other takes care of the energy needs.
Just put the end opposite the shoot into the compost a little and it will be fine.
This does make it look like I've just chucked it on top of some potting mix doesn't it? I promise it was half buried until very recently!
I'll repot it properly and forget about it until next year - who knows what will happen?
Re: New growth from an unrooted cutting
Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 3:18 pm
by Tony R
Single segments are fine too in many cases - it just takes time. Often, all the energy goes into producing just one strong taproot, as Ray says, and then the following spring new growth erupts.
This started out as one tiny segment almost buried about 18 months ago:
Re: New growth from an unrooted cutting
Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2022 11:13 pm
by RAYWOODBRIDGE
That bottom segment has turned into a tuber Tony.
I remember when I started taking cuttings being told always plant them deep, it will always need roots to survive.