Maria Elena,

A friend cuts off tap roots of young seedling when transplanting and has some truly remarkable 'obesum' plants from it.

They cut off the main tap root, but there needs to be feeder roots above where you cut tap root.

If you are cutting the root off with no feeder roots left to feed the plant, you will be basically doing as the Thai and others do to get their centipede roots.

There's are done when at the 4-6 true leaf stage.

Rick

Hello Maria.... Thanks for the post... Am too worried what to do with the roots of what I bought today. Hopefully all Senior members with more experience will guide us both.

Lal

Here are the seedlings:

GS2 - GS7: Germ May 2-12, 2016

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RG1 - RG4: Germ Mar 16-17, 2016

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ND1 - ND3: Germ Feb 20-23, 2016

GS1: Germ Apr 5, 2016

Thanks so much!

Maria Elena,

I could see doing it with the GS 2-7 May 2-12, by cutting the main tap root off. Leaving all of the fine roots remaining. The others have much too large haddock roots beginning and this would mean doing a complete cut off of base and trying to get it to root all around the caudex.

I have 3 going right now that I cut off the bottom completely. Stuck on discs and am hoping that they will produce fine roots, giving me the centipede roots. They are starting to leaf out now. Hopes.

My friend did they tap root cutting on some, as I had mentioned and her obesum's from doing this have the most unique and wonderful large bases on them. Going to try it w some of my grow-out seedlings.

Rick

Rick,

I will not be cutting the roots off any of the plants with multiple main roots. In the GS group only 2 have a single main root. In the RG group only 1 has a single main root. In the ND group all 3 have a single main root. It's these 6 that I would like to prune the roots on, except ND1, on which I pruned the crown two months ago ... It's doing well and I don't want to stress it.

Q. On the ND plants the main root hit bottom and bent, the tip growing sideways. Is there a way to straighten these (putting lots of soil space beneath it)? I want to straighten the least bent one, ND1 (w/pruned crown). I want to cut the roots on ND2 & ND3. Where do I cut? Where it bends or half way between that & the soil line? Want multiple roots.

These are uprooted until tomorrow night, when I make a decision. Those I cut will remain bare root for a week before repotting.

Thanks,

Maria Elena

Maria Elena,

I marked where I would cut the two off.

With the ND's roots. They are fairly thick and you will need to air dry for longer to heal.

If the roots where soft/pliable enough you could use a bamboo skewer and tie it down along the side of the caudex and straighten slightly this way and plant.

Unless I was cutting the whole root section off, I would not cut the others at all.

Rick

OK, Rick. Thank you so much for all your input. You seem dead set against cutting into the fat part, huh. I know the risks ... mainly rot if improperly done. The seedlings are 10 & 12" tall and the roots are 1.5-2.25" wide. I just really dislike the single main roots. I'll give them three more months to perhaps bloom & see if they turn into something more interesting. Thanks again.

Hi, Lal -

Please post a bare root photo of your plant. I would live to see it.

Maria Elena

OK, Rick, I went ahead and cut the single root off GS3 & GS5. After they dry, I'll dust with cinnamon, and leave unpotted until next Tuesday night.

Will dust cut ends with rooting hormone before repotting. How long do I keep in filtered sunlight? These have always been in direct sunlight. Also, when do I resume fertilizing?

I am still mulling over cutting the single root off ND3 & RG4.

- Maria Elena

I agree 100% with Rick here, and the cuts look perfect.

I always just put them straight back into the sun again Maria.

Another thing: people say not to ever plant adenium deeper. I go against that 'rule' when needed, too.

(I don't wait to repot them either, and I've never lost one that way)

Thanks, Jerry! Are you saying you wouldn't cut the 4-6 month olds either?

Really, you've cut the root and repotted right away? I do that with C&S & just keep on the dry side until I see evidence of new growth. Since adeniums fall into this category, I can see that working. To be safe, I'll wait a couple of days ... I am a bit nervous about letting them dry out so young.

When do I resume fertilizing?

I personally resume with the weakly weekly feedings immediately.

No, I believe the older ones would need too much of a wide cut, and you would get a different look that isn't really good for obesum.

And I don't blame you for waiting. It probably reduces rot somewhat, I just believe healthy plants will pull through it regardless. (and I'm probably a little crazy, too)

They look wonderful and if they where in full sun, maybe just give them a filtered sunlight situation for a few days.

would not need to use rooting hormone unless you want roots forming at cut edge. If there are enough fine feeder roots off of circumference of caudex, they will become your main roots in time.

As Jerry mentions about resuming fertilizing weakly would be fine.

Rick

Thank you for holding my hand through this, Rick and Jerry. These seedlings have not even dropped or had one leaf turn yellow. They're doing beautifully. Thanks again.

Maria Elena. You are doing fine with your seedlings. You can do it with younger seedlings too

Thank you, Stuart. I repot at 1, 3, & 6 months. There's not much of a root system at 1 month..These were 3 months.

I would really like to understand why removing the single root on older seedlings (4+ months) "would give a form not good for A. Obesum."

The best explanation that I can give is that you can get two basic types of roots.

One is when the tap root is cut on a young ~2 month old plant: the result is often 3-6 roots of similar size growing into a larger complex - which in my eyes looks best for an Obesum.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/4078842/repotting-some-plants-dont-look-pagan?n=8

Second is when the entire bottom of the plant is cut off. This is most often done on larger plants because there are no roots remaining. The plant will grow new roots in a perimeter around bottom of the old caudex. Photo originally posted by Rick.

This type of root training is often used for arabicum.

I do not it would matter what species or hybrid you cut of tap root. It will depend one what you are wanting as a mature plant.

I mentioned a friend that had cut the main tap root off of seedlings and the outcome was quite wonderful. They would not be called centipede roots, but nice thick roots growing from the outer most of the caudex. Giving a wide frame.

I will ask my friend if she minds me posting a few of her photo's.

Rick

Jerry, that first picture is what I want on these two I just cut ... multiple thick, bold roots. I like the look of walking legs or just multiple fat roots.

What I really don't understand is why is it not a good idea to cut the older 6 month olds the same way I cut the 3 month olds. What will be the result? Can anyone show me?

I hate that they have one single root. I know they'll eventually grow others that'll snake around it. I just don't find this look attractive at all. Thank God they're under soil and I don't have to look at them.

At this point, I'm going to do as suggested and leave them another three months. After they bloom, if I don't like what I see, I am cutting that caudex in half or just giving them away.

Centipede roots I am familiar with but can't imagine them on anything other than an arabicum, where they look 'balanced.' I believe the one pictured is JP's ... Really nice. I just germinated some seedlimgs and they're already branching.

Update on my GS3 and GS5, root pruned at age 3 mos on Aug 30, 2016:

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The bases are smoothe and flat. That little dark spot in the center of the GS3 base is just discoloration, not rot. It is very firm.

I think these centipede roots are not too shabby for a first try. I didn't do anything special, no disks glued to the bottom, no special treatment.

Maria Elena

I also cut the root off these on 10/23/16 at age 3 months.

These are from the same seed pod. The one on the left (EV4) developed many roots across its entire base. The one on the right (EV6) has an open flat base but has developed such thick hard tight roots that they may have to be disqualified as centipede for their immediate inability to spread. When I repotted, I placed a stone in the center. We'll see how that develops.

Maria Elena

These are stunted (due to low Jan / Feb 68-70ºF temps) KO arabicum seedlings ... Brazilian & Desert Night Fork.

I cut their roots (2 each) at age 1 month. One of each died. I believe root pruning is better suited to seedlings age 3+ months and it's always good practice to leave some surface roots on the pruned seedling.

Maria Elena

These are the 6 plants potted up:

How many do you have total now Maria?

Rob

Yum ... Banana / melon parfait, Rob!

How many altogether or from my recent germination?

- One 3 y/o from cutting & 2 of its cuttings ... Gave away 3

- Eight 1 year olds

- 64 seedlings ages 4-8 months

- Gave away ~50 seedlings & lots of seeds last year

- Just planted ~120 KO + other seeds, roughly half of which have germinated so far.

This is pure, unadulterated, take no prisoners addiction.

Maria, very nice! They have all grown nice root systems. Especially gs3 and gs5, so chubby with octopus roots :)

Are those called centipede roots or octopus roots? Or both, depending on which region of the planet you're standing?

I also have some elephant roots "cooking" on a few cuttings. Nothing yet, but the cuttings are miraculously still alive after over a month in a plastic bag without added water! I'll share those under a new thread.

Centipede.

And a yup on the addiction! LOL

Rob

Maria, gs3 and gs5 remind me of octopus tentacles lol. So lets see what the elephant roots look like :)

Maria Elena. Very good.

I have a few baobab style obesums.

Are those rooted cuttings; or what?

Rob

Hi Stuart, nice tower form, how long did it take to reach this size of baobab shape?

Four in the first pic are not cuttings

Tan808. 1.5 year

Very nice, Stuart.