arborvitae shrub

[canesisters]

I meet another lady from church to walk before Wed services. We usually walk around the site of the new church building but this past Wed it was sooo wet there that we decided to walk around the school building next door. Anyway - as we rounded the front I noticed some WAY overgrown shrubs (arborvitae, I'm pretty sure) near the front walk. They were completly covering a bird bath and I'm sure that the maint. folks will soon be along to buzz-cut everything there so I broke off a handfull of the tips (6"-8" pieces). I've got them in some water in the kitchen window.
Any hope at all that they'll root???????

 

[thistlebloom]

You can frequently get good sized arborvitae from a Bigbox on sale in the spring for about 10 bucks. Not that you shouldn't attempt a rooting, it's worth the experiment at any rate.

 

[897tgigvib]

The representative from the conifer grower we used to get conifers from when I worked at the greenhouse nursery was very knowledgeable and happy to answer all my questions.

He told me many conifers were started from cuttings, but that they took 6 months to 2 years to take, and it was in highly controlled conditions. Cuttings are bundled and misted, heated and cooled automatically.

Other conifers are started from seeds. Those needed to be clones are from cuttings. Some conifers are grafted such as the dwarf spruces.

It is possible, but be prepared for a very long time to take, and mist them often. They need temperature variations, but I'm not sure what.

Trying to remember the company name, but they were in North idaho. A very good company. The representative often brought sample 3 foot trees in his van of new unusual forms, often the expensive grafted ones! I was amazed what they can do with conifers!

 

[canesisters]

Well guess what???!!!???
I've had that little jar of pinched off tips sitting in the window for a LONG time and as I was watering them (all of the inhabitants of the window) I noticed that the arborvitae has roots.

So now what? My last attempt to take something (rosemary) from rooted-in-water to soil was a complete failure. Anyone have a foolproof plan to get something like this rooted in soil?? I haven't disturbed them but I think that I've got 2 pieces, about 5-6" high, with roots.

 

[897tgigvib]

Oh boy! That was started in February, now August. That's about right for what I was told. He said Spruces take a long time but did not mention Arborvitae specifically. Nice!

About how to pot them, or how many roots, how much root before potting, I don't know.

If nobody knows or no websites have the info, I can try to make some guesses that'd only be as good as anyone elses guess.

 

[thistlebloom]

Good job Cane! My only guess would be to not let them get to many of those water roots. In other words I would try to get them in some kind of soil before long....what kind and when I don't know.

Since you have two you might do each one a bit differently, once you figure out what the best ways for success are.

 

[canesisters]

I've been doing some looking around and all I can find are articles about taking a cutting, using rooting hormone, placing in soil and waiting for it to 'tug back'.
Nothing I've found yet talks about rooting in water and when/how to move to soil.

I'm sort of thinking about something really gradual. Like moving them to a bigger jar and putting a small pot inside. Then adding soil a little bit at a time daily till it goes from loose mud to actual soil. Then breaking the jar off. Crazy???

 

[Smart Red]

I have had good success rooting plants in vermiculite (or perlite). I start in clear containers filled with either product and watch for roots starting. The vermiculite is sterile and allows for the formation of air as well as water roots. When it is time to transplant, I just add the vermiculite attached to the roots into the hole and cover with soil. Pretty easy-peasy.

For now, if I were you, I'd add either material - displacing most of the liquid as it soaks up water - and let it stay for another couple of weeks or so, then move to a pot until for more growth before planting outside.

 

[897tgigvib]

Cane, maybe to do it your way, making a double pot system would work.

Like this: The inner pot might be a regular clay planting pot, smallish, with the hole on the bottom. Set that clay pot into maybe a larger bucket or whatnot of the right size, and it has no drainage hole. Add your STERILE potting mix as you feel right, and it'll be in there sopping wet. After you feel it's settled, begin taking the clay pot out of the larger pot for longer and longer periods of time.

As Thistle says, and I used to do in the greenhouse, vary your propagating methods until you find the best situation or two. Even then, use several of the best ways.

Do watch out for damping off. At the same time, Arborvitae enjoy cool moist air. So careful walking that tightrope. Cleanness.