Hydroponics and cuttings

[Dean Lofthouse]

Apart from the obvious "softwood" cuttings these are used for nowadays, has anyone tried them with hardwood cuttings or do you think it would work

 

[woodland]

It would work but its a relatively expensive method of production normally reserved for plants that root within 2-4 weeks rather than 6 months +

[Dean Lofthouse]

I,m trying to speed up my yew cutting cultivation.

 

Even if it increased my success rate it would pay off, plus I could visibly see what had taken and what hadn't. The trouble with yew is it can be weeks before you know for definately they haven't taken

[woodland]

I,m trying to speed up my yew cutting cultivation.

 

Even if it increased my success rate it would pay off, plus I could visibly see what had taken and what hadn't. The trouble with yew is it can be weeks before you know for definately they haven't taken

 

Hi Dean is it a particular Yew that your trying to cultivate?

[Dean Lofthouse]

Yes just bacatta, I took some Irish yew cuttings not so long ago and just stuck the in the ground between hawthorn hedging and they took no worries.

 

Bacatta seem to be a bit harder to cultivate but I,m trying to find a way to speed the process up, some I have this year I,m going to keep under a low powered lamp on 12 on 12 off and keep them growing through winter.

 

It's mainly for my own use at the moment, I need a 1000 or so and want to bring them on as much as possible. If the system works and its cost effective, I,ll then start growing to sell

[woodyguy]

One thing which roots almost anything is florist's oasis. This is a block of green granular material. you cut it into 1inch square but 6 inch deep pieces. You stick the cutting in rooting hormone, then push into the oasis and keep in a shallow tray of water. If you are working indoor under lights etc then this isn't expensive and massively increases your survival chance. Once the roots grow out the sides, you put up the whole thing.

Just a thought and what I did when I wanted a few hundred box plants.

[woodland]

Yes just bacatta, I took some Irish yew cuttings not so long ago and just stuck the in the ground between hawthorn hedging and they took no worries.

 

Bacatta seem to be a bit harder to cultivate but I,m trying to find a way to speed the process up, some I have this year I,m going to keep under a low powered lamp on 12 on 12 off and keep them growing through winter.

 

It's mainly for my own use at the moment, I need a 1000 or so and want to bring them on as much as possible. If the system works and its cost effective, I,ll then start growing to sell

 

Thats a nice few plants, I know from a commercial point of view almost all bacatta is grown from seed, the only trouble you run into is that the seed needs to be sourced from stock, thats as far away from fastigiata as possible or you'l end up with quite a few mongrels but you can normally tell within the first growing season whether they are true baccatta or a cross.

 

Have fun, my Dad used to own a nursery ill dig out his notes when I get a chance and see when and how he took them.

 

The other probably more obvious point is to make sure you take the cuttings from young vigorous growing plants so a young hedge or something similar.

 

[Gnome]

I would recommend rockwool if you are going down the soil less route. Not as messy as oasis foam IMO.

[Goaty]

You can buy propriety cell trays with individual oasis type cells. If you dont find any Dean I will get the brand later in week when Im at nursery. I think its quikpot. holes are premade in the cells.

[Peter]

I can see the look on the drug squads faces after a 5 am raid on your house, when all they find is a state of the art hydroponic system complete with lighting rig, and 12,000 yew plants.......