AusBonsai

Help please-----Just wondering the best time to get crabapple cuttings and how and what to do--oh and wisteria cuttings as well

winter is best for wisteria, take cuttings about 6 inches long, do a 2 cm slice on one side at the bottom and use a hardwood rooting hormone (gel or powder) and put in a poly box of medium grade perlite. put box under shade and they will take about 3 months to strike properly. the same should work for crabs but bud or graft them. regards steve

thanks Steve----looks like I missed it this year

Hi Guy, when propagating wisteria be sure to use wood that has flowered or the new plants will take many years to flower.
Craigw

I took a Wisteria cutting a few weeks ago,

so far do good, it's leaves are growing.

Hi Guy,
I have started Crab Apple cuttings in late spring-early summer and have had success, I use a polytunnel and a misting system. Crab Apple leaves on cuttings colapse very quickly if humidity is not retained.

Cheers,
Mojo

If I did attempt striking now would I have to wait for the tree to finish flowering or Just go for it

hi mate

not had much experience with flowering tree propagation but one would think that if you were to take the cuttings to do it before the buds swell to much and put so much energy into the flowering buds, taking them off early while taking your cuttings I would think should help increase strike rate. powder or gel hard wood rooting hormone would be best, dont keep the medium to wet, I have been doing a fair bit of propagation of late and one thing I found with smaller cuttings and a finer particle medium is that it can get way to wet and rot the bark of the cutting off.

good luck mate and keep us posted