Japanese red pine cuttings

[shibui]

My stock of red pines was dwindling and the trees I had at the farm to produce seed died in the last fires so I thought I'd try cuttings this year.
The results:
This pot has a few roots showing out the bottom - looks hopeful.

Red pine cuttings 2011 1 sm.JPG

Red pine cuttings 2011 1 roots sm.JPG

Red pine cuttings 2011 1 % struck sm.JPG

As you can see, 9 with roots, 7 yet to strike.
The cuttings with roots have been rootpruned and potted up. The ones that don't have roots (yet) went back into the cutting mix and back under the mist.

Other pines can also be grown as cuttings. Most plantation radiata is cutting grown from selected parents - thats where I got the inspiration to try other pines as cuttings.
Mugo was my first success. It strikes quite easily and quickly from winter cuttings. JBP can be variable but I have had some reasonably good results in the past. Does anyone else have any experience to add?

[Jow]

Interesting results Neil.

I have seen quite a few white pines that were cutting grown in Japan. I know Zuishio white pines are all grown from cutting or air layer as they do not grow true from seed.

What was your process for getting them to root? What age wood did you select? what medium did you use and what after care did you give? when did you take the cuttings?

It would be a useful technique for those times that seed is scarce.

[Scott Roxburgh]

Nice work Neil!

Im in line for those when you want to sell them!

I can see some nice shohin JRP coming out of these.

I've really gotta make the effort to get down to your place.

[craigw60]

Well done, I would also be very interested in your technique, ie season taken wood used etc
With thanks
Craigw

[daiviet_nguyen]

Hi Neil,

I did try radiata before, the rate of success is about 100.1% Long times ago, I tried some black pines, they sat there the entire winter and spring, then promptly died when summer arrived.

I bought two red pines while in uni (gave up a lot of stuff for these), had not a chance to do anything yet -- they died off two months later.

Thank you for the info Neil

Best regards.

[boom64]

Great work Neil.
Just another little nudge for some information in regards to your successfull technique . I have attempted many,however a very poor record. 2out of 50 over the last two years
Thanks John.

[Akamatsu]

Sibui, this is a fantastic result. I have a few red pines Im working on currently and you have inspired me to try cutting from them too. Other than knowing from your tag, the cutings were taken on the 14.8.10, could you please fill us in with all the jucy info on your technique. Just so we can all avoid too many dissapointing faliures from our blind ally research.

[shibui]

As Akumatsu has picked up these cuttings were taken in August. They are tip cuttings of previous year's shoots. Radiata nurseries maintain stock trees that they trim regularly so there is always young growth to take cuttings from and I just follow that when selecting material from my trees. These cuttings were just the bits I pruned off when shaping the trees. I was told that August is the optimum time for pine cuttings and have not yet tested results for other times of the year.
I use RootexG (gel) or Clonex red to treat most cuttings.
Mix is standard cutting mix 50/50 coir peat/ Perlite.
Cuttings are struck under intermittent mist using a balance arm sensor to provide mist whenever the leaves dry off.

I forgot to add White pine as a species from cuttings, thanks for the reminder Jow. The few times I have tried the cuttings struck readily but the trees do not like my climate or care and just do not grow on and eventually die.
I see cutting grown pines not just a technique for when seed is scarce but more importantly to identify and propagate individuals with better bonsai characterstics. I'd be very interested in getting material from growers who have naturally short needled pines, those that back bud easily, etc.

Good luck everyone.

Neil

[Mojo Moyogi]

I'd be very interested in getting material from growers who have naturally short needled pines, those that back bud easily, etc.

Hi Neil,
I'll bring a couple of Yatsabusa JBPs up next time I come up your way and you are welcome to grab some cuttings off them. The ones I have are on their own roots, grow quite vigorously, develop pleasing flaky bark at a young age and backbud well. Needle length is typically 1/3 to 1/2 that of the species.

Cheers,
Mojo

[Matthew]

I'd be very interested in getting material from growers who have naturally short needled pines, those that back bud easily, etc.

Hi Neil,
I'll bring a couple of Yatsabusa JBPs up next time I come up your way and you are welcome to grab some cuttings off them. The ones I have are on their own roots, grow quite vigorously, develop pleasing flaky bark at a young age and backbud well. Needle length is typically 1/3 to 1/2 that of the species.

Cheers,
Mojo

hurry up and get your butt up this way soon so i can get my sabina back and get to neils b4 everyone knows where he is and all the good stuff is gone

[Akamatsu]

Thanks Shibui for all the infomation. This is really helpfull. I know what I will be doing next August!

[shibui]

Thanks for the offer Mojo. I lost a couple of grafted yatsubusa pines a few years ago so replacement material would be welcome. I have been taking material from a small (black?) pine in the CSU garden for grafting. It looks like yatsubusa but can't be sure. If I'm going to propagate a named variety it is always better to have known provinence to be more certain of having the correct names. In any case you are always welcome here to swap ideas and/or plant material.

Thanks Shibui for all the infomation. This is really helpfull. I know what I will be doing next August!

Always pleased to be of help, Akumatsu. I am hoping that some other growers will push the boundaries of knowledge a bit too - maybe trying pine cuttings at other times of the year? and passing on the info gathered (success and failure)
I have tried cuttings of JBP in spring/summer from soft growth from developing candles - 100% failure to date.