Typically, the cuttings I do will root in 3-5 weeks depending on the species. This particular plant seemed to root extremely fast, even faster than Pee Gee Hydrangea which has up to this point been the quickest cuttings to root. I don’t have a specific number of days on the PG, but it was only 3 weeks or so.

This plant, which is a fairly common perennial, was an experiment to see if cuttings of perennials could be rooted using a misting system. The answer is a resounding yes!

So what is this plant and how fast did it root? Good question.

The perennial I am talking about is commonly called Pink Turtle Heads (botanical name: Chelone lyonii).
I took the cuttings of this plant the same day I wrote this article about how I collect my cuttings for rooting under my misting system.

Here is a series of photos showing the tag I made when I stuck the cuttings as well as one of the cutting I removed from the rooting media that clearly show the formation of roots. Pay close attention to the date on the tag: June 29th. Today is July 13th, just 14 days from when the cutting was stuck! The cutting is not ready to be potted in my opinion, but because I just installed a drip system to keep my potted plants watered, I would give it a try. The cutting will definitely not survive in full sun with the number and size of the leaves as well as the small root system, but I would feel comfortable placing it in a shady area for awhile.

What is the quickest you have gotten a cutting to root? Did you beat me?

The tag I wrote when I stuck the cuttings (6/29/11)

Cuttings being rooted under the misting system. The large cutting in front is a Pink Turtle Head.

Cutting showing the formation of roots

Be sure to leave a comment and tell me what kind of success you have had!

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Misting systems are great for rooting cuttings. They make quick work out of the process of the cutting forming roots to become a real plant. I use a few methods to root cuttings but my misting system is by far my favorite. Of course, you need cutting to place under the mist, and that is where the work begins.

Gathering cuttings can be a tedious job, you take a pair of pruners, select a branch or shoot, cut it just above a leaf or pair of leaves, trim the cutting just below a leaf node, dip the stem in rooting hormone, then place the cutting in rooting media and under the misting system. Each step takes time so how can you save some time? Easy, during the gathering of the cuttings.

As the photo below shows, my Pink Weigela has a ton of new growth and looks a bit disheveled. This new growth is what needs to be cut and rooted but I really don’t have the time (or patience) to clip each shoot individually, so I grab my trusty hedge shears and go to town!

This next picture shows the shrub trimmed to a more pleasing shape. During the pruning I clipped of a ton of new growth, growth that will be used as cutting material.

How much rooted cutting material? Well take a look at the pile of cuttings I got from just one shrub. All I need to do is clean them up and prepare them to be stuck.

So don’t be afraid of pruning your shrubs with hedge clippers. Just think of all the cuttings you will end up with.

Oh, as an added bonus, your shrubs will look much better too.

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So what is the secret to plant propagation and rooting softwood cuttings?

No secret really, just the right conditions for the type of plant you are trying to reproduce. Although what I am about to describe works for most plants, there are some that almost refuse to root as softwood cuttings. Purple-leaf Sandcherry immediately comes to mind. Sandcherry cuttings will almost always rot and die if you try to root them as softwood cuttings, so propagating them as hardwood cuttings with bottom heat may result in better rooting percentages. Discovering the proper conditions is one of the biggest challenges in plant propagation.

What is the right condition for rooting softwood cuttings?

Adequate sunlight, temperature, and humidity are three of the biggest factors that affect the rooting of a softwood cutting. Let’s touch on each just a bit.

Sunlight requirements while propagating plants

Plants require sunlight to produce energy. Along with the energy production, the sunlight does another vital role: to help the roots supply moisture to the plant and to draw moisture up into the stem. It does this by evaporating the moisture from the surface of the leaf, which causes a low pressure on the surface. This low pressure helps draw moisture up into the plants stem and up to the leaves.

Because a softwood cutting does not have roots, this process can be vital to the cuttings survival. This can be accomplished in many ways, but the two most common are using a misting system or a humidity chamber. An intermittent misting system provides moisture at a predetermined interval which keeps the leaves moist. A humidity chamber does the same thing, but the method of retaining the moisture differs. A humidity chamber retains moisture because it keeps it from evaporating because the cuttings are enclosed in a clear or opaque chamber.

Temperature requirements while propagating plants

Temperature is one of those factors while propagating plants that is often overlooked. The top of the cutting, including the leaves, should be kept cool, while the bottom of the stem should be kept warm. One way to keep the tops cool is to spray them with mist from a misting system. Another is to use shade cloth to reduce the sun’s intensity, however, you need to be careful not to reduce the amount of sunlight too much. Remember, the cuttings still need sunlight to help with the process of drawing moisture up into the cutting. The sunlight is also needed to help warm the rooting media to keep the bottom of the cutting warm.

Humidity requirements while propagating plants

Keeping the cuttings hydrated is essential to successfully root softwood cuttings. The moisture that is deposited on the cuttings leaves and rooting medium allows the cutting to live without roots. The moisture is drawn up into the cutting through the stem where it supplies the plant with moisture. Too much water in the rooting medium can cause the stems to rot and a misting system is a great way to control the amount of moisture in the rooting medium.

Another thing the moisture that is deposited on a cutting does is to keep the cutting cool. Plants go through a process called transpiration. This transpiration process is quite similar to our perspiring because it allows the plant to release water through its leaves which cools the plant off. This transpiration process is what actually draws the water up the cuttings stem and incorrect amount of water on and around the cutting can greatly affect the process.

Discovering the right conditions to get softwood cuttings to root is half the fun. Go ahead, give it a try today!

For even more great tips on rooting cuttings, visit Freeplants. Be sure to sign up for their awesome newsletter!

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Timers for a misting system

For instance, selecting a misting timer like the mechanical (Intermatic) ones commonly used is a basic mistake people make. Why is choosing Intermatic timers a mistake? Simple, a misting system that uses mechanical timers such as the Intermatic are immediately locked into using one setting for every cutting being rooted.  Regardless of the moisture requirements of the particular softwood cuttings, every cutting receives the same duration and frequency of mist because the timer can control only one misting solenoid at a time. Some cuttings can handle a fair amount of moisture, but softwood cuttings such as Barberry and others require much less and will usually rot and die when given too much.

Also, when and if (take it from me, it is ALWAYS when) you want to increase the size of your misting beds, you either have to use the existing Intermatic timers to supply the same amount of mist or buy new timers and solenoids to create a new zone which can then be programmed to supply a different amount of mist. Even so, every cutting within that zone gets exactly the same amount of mist.

The cost of the mechanical timers is quite high, making expansion a costly endeavor. The 24 hour timer is usually quite reasonable, but the interval timer that controls the duration of the mist typically costs well over $100 each! I wouldn’t want to buy too many of those.

See, choosing the correct parts for a misting system can be quite a feat and I just briefly mentioned the timers needed for the misting system. I didn’t even begin to talk about misting nozzles. That can be another confusing area when building a misting system.

So what is the answer when needing parts for building a misting system?

Buy one that is already built! MIST Misting System carries a few different types of systems, two with electric timers and two with battery timers. The systems have been sold throughout the US and Canada and have proven to be extremely reliable and easy to use.

Visit MIST Misting System today and stop worrying about choosing the correct parts for your misting system.

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Here is a short list of the parts needed to build a mist system for propagating plants. Depending on the complexity of your system, you may need parts not listed.

• A timer that can mist for seconds at a time. Most timers purchased at big box stores or local plumbing outlets are not adequate for misting because they cannot be programmed to mist in seconds.
• A fast closing solenoid. Slow closing solenoids cannot be used in a mist system because it affects the accuracy of the timer.
• Main water piping. This can be PVC or black irrigation pipe. Main water piping should be at least 1/2 inch in diameter but 3/4 inch is better.
• Various fittings. The required fitting to adapts from your water supply to your misting system will be needed as well as any tees, 90′s or others to adapt your misting nozzles.
• Misting nozzles. the misting nozzles you choose will determine if you need any special adapters for your water piping. Some use a flexible tube that simply get inserted into a hole drilled into the pipe. Be sure to decide which nozzle you will use before starting assembly of the water piping.
• Wire. Irrigation wire  is used to carry the low voltage electrical signal from the timer to the solenoid. If using two mechanical timers, larger gauge wire will be needed to connect them everything together.
• A water filter. If you have a whole house filter you may not need a second filter, however, if your water is not filtered at all, a filter for just the misting system is a good idea. Small particles can become lodged in the solenoid valve or misting nozzles, rendering them useless.
• A back flow device. Some state or local governments require a backflow preventer to eliminate the likelihood of contaminated water being drawn back into the water supply. A whole house backflow preventer is quite costly but there are devices available that are installed between an outside spigot and the hose.

Now that you know what parts are needed, why don’t you visit the MIST Misting System website and check out the pre-assembled misting systems right now! All the parts used are propagator proven so you can stop worrying whether you are purchasing the right ones or not.

If you need just a misting timer, solenoid, or misting nozzles for a misting system, contact me .

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Here are a few items you should always have on hand in case something goes wrong:

• misting solenoid
• wire connectors
• length of wire
• filter cartridge
• plumbing fittings
• batteries
• hose washers

Having these items on hand is cheap insurance if you need them in a hurry. Always remember to replace them if you need to “borrow” a piece for another project. You haven’t saved any time if the part you need is being used somewhere else.

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Download it by using this link: Salt injury to ornamental shrubs and groundcovers

For more info on plants and plant propagation, I suggest:

Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses
Hartmann and Kester’s Plant Propagation: Principles and Practices (7th Edition)
American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation: The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of Practical Techniques

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How to Protect Plants from Cold Weather, Frosts: Ways to Keep a …

This method is often utilized by farmers, who can protect fruits and vegetables by covering them with a layer of ice! Covering Plants During a Freeze, Mini-Greenhouses and Cold Frames. For small or young plants, gardeners can … If a plant must be kept indoors for an extended period of time, bitter apple spray can be applied to the leaves to prevent pets from eating the leaves. To learn more about what plants are toxic for dogs and cats, read Toxic Plants and Pets. …

Living Our Dream: Freezing in Florida

The landscape nurseries, like the one in the photo below, also spray plants with water during a freeze. This photo was taken a little later in the morning after things began to thaw, but ice still clings to the fence and grass in the foreground. … We have friends from up north stopping by in a few days, so we’ll probably schedule some sightseeing with them. Plus, we have another motor home improvement project in the works, so keep looking for our posts. …

Spraying water on your plants to protect them during cold snaps

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Active plants with adequate moisture content can better resist freeze damage. Plants can also be gently sprayed with mists of water to create an ice blanket, which helps insulate and protect the plant. Applying water just prior to freezing … During a freeze, if the ground is frozen, water may be unavailable to the plants. Plants continue to transpire (lose water from their leaves) and dry out during the day. Watering the soil to thaw the ground can make the water …

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First, log in to your Google account and go to Google News. While on the Google News homepage, look near the top of the page on the right side. Do you see where it says add a section? Go ahead and click that link. You will be brought to a page where you can choose different topics to display on your Google News page. Go ahead and take a look at the different topics you can choose from. Adding a section is a simple click of a button. To take advantage of this feature, you must be logged in to your Google account, so if you add a section and it does not display when you revisit Google news, check to be sure you are logged in.

I recently added a section to Google News called plant propagation that will display news articles on subjects like plant propagation, misting and misting systems, master gardeners, asexual propagation, softwood cuttings, you get the idea. I added the section to my Google News homepage and every time I visit the page I have a section where articles about plant propagation are displayed. Neat huh?

Here is the list of keywords that Google searches for so they can display relevant news stories:

plant propagation, intermittent misting system, plant misting system, plant mist system, rooting cuttings, rooted cuttings, asexual propagation, free plants, hydrangea, garden, master gardener, horticulture, compost, landscape, japanese maple, coldframe, hoophouse, misting timer, misting controller, misting nozzles, rooting hormones, softwood cuttings, hardwood cuttings, plant diseases, planting trees, planting shrubs, grafting, invasive insect, ornamental grass, misting system

Do you have any suggestion for more keywords I should add?

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