A question about propagation

6 months ago

Last year I left my young cuttings outside, tucked up against the house through winter. I live about an hour SE from Seattle 8b in the foothills, I guess you could say. This is my first year with an unheated greenhouse and it’s already full of possible babies.

Usually I just leave everything alone until spring but this year since I have more ”storage” space I have way more babies and more have definitely taken.

My question is that some have root coming out of the bottom already. I’m worried about freeze damage to those baby roots. They are in small containers and if the weather was warmer I would for sure pot them up to 1 gallon. Should I pot them up now? And then should I leave them under an eave against the house or in the unheated greenhouse?

Thank you!

Featured Answer

erasmus_gw

6 months ago

I'm in zone 7a, NC. I propagate a lot of roses and some other plants and overwinter them out in the open with no greenhouse. So I can't advise you on the greenhouse. Your zone is a little warmer than mine. I think planting them in gallon pots is a bit more protective than leaving them in small pots. I have potted up a number of them this fall for extra protection and so they won't dry out as fast. I don't put them under the eaves of my house because I want them to be rained on. But I do put many near the house as I think it radiates some warmth and blocks the wind. I think they're better off, a little warmer, on the ground rather than up on tables or on concrete.

That said , I grow a lot of them in small pots as well, and in fact continue to take cuttings and pot up new ones all winter when the weather is nice enough to work outside. Some root better in winter. My little plants have been through some hard freezes lately. I watered them well before the freezes and afterwards. If it gets into the low teens or single digits I move them all under my house for warmth for as short a time as possible. It's cold but not freezing under my house. I've been doing this about 23 years...I think when I've lost a number of plants in winter it was when I had them on tables. Drying out was probably the main problem.

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Comments (7)

erasmus_gw
6 months ago
Since you have a greenhouse I'd sure try it out. You could put some in it and leave some out and compare results. You'd just have to keep an eye on them to be sure they don't dry out.
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judijunebugarizonazn8
6 months ago
I have a green house that is largely unheated. I do use heat lamps some, especially near plants that need it and on the coldest nights. My young rooted cuttings do well in there and I am definitely inclined to pot them up into larger pots to allow them to develop a larger root system during the winter. Some of mine are on tables, some on the ground. Good to hear from you, Linda, that you continue to root cuttings during the winter. I’m still rooting more cuttings this fall/ early winter and was hoping I wasn’t crazy for doing so. I’ve not had the best success rooting in the heat of summer and seem to do better in the cooler months.
oursteelers 8B PNW
Original Author
6 months ago
So you don’t think it’s too late in the year to be potting them up?
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erasmus_gw
6 months ago
I pot them up all winter. I'd keep an eye on soil moisture to avoid too much or too little.

I would not feed them in winter although I do use Miracle Grow Moisture Control potting soil with the food in it but have not had a problem with it. Someone who grows on a larger scale than I do might be able to advise you better...this is just my two cents.

When it warms up I like to grow mine on tables so I can keep a better eye on them but I move them to the ground when it gets cold.

Judi, I do think hot weather can be stressful for an unrooted cutting. I used to grow them all without a misting system but my husband built me a simple misting system attached to arched pvc pipe stuck into cinder blocks . I don't have a fancy timer...I think the fancy ones can be fine tuned better. Mine comes on every hour for two or three minutes. That helps especially when it's really hot. Malcolm Manners has a misting area in full sun and I think his root very fast. He's in FL.
judijunebugarizonazn8
6 months ago
I’ve been thinking of setting up a simple misting system as well, Linda. Hopefully I find time to put my thoughts into action soon. I feel it would greatly improve my rooting ability.
Sheila z8a Rogue Valley OR
6 months ago
I don't think it is too late to pot up.