Learn to Propagate Plants from Cuttings in this classic book from John Mason, Princoipal of Australian Correspondence Schools, Fellow of Parks and Leisure Australia, Fellow Institute of Horticulture, UK
This new book fills a big gap in the gardeners and nurserymans library. Jam packed with detail of how to grow plants more effectively from cuttings; it is an easy to follow and well indexed reference that will be invaluable for both professional and amateur horticulturists.
Contains seven sections:
1. Introduction
2. The Techniques
3. Equipment and Materials
4. Greenhouses and other Structures
5. More Effective Propagating
6. List of Plants and How to Propagate them
7. Directory and Appendix
Extract from the Plant Lists Section of this book:
LACHENALIA (Soldier Boys)
These bulbous plants are summer dormant and hence grow and flower over the cooler seasons.
They are normally propagated by division and replanting the bulb offshoots, or by seed.
L. bulbifera is commercially propagated by leaf cuttings.
Propagation by leaf cuttings is carried out in the growing season. Leaves are removed from the parent plant, using a sharp knife or similar tool, and partially inserted into a sand/peat mixture and kept moist, bulbils will form at the base of the leaf cutting. Larger leaves can be cut into sections. It is important that correct polarity is maintained. It is important to ensure the cuttings have good drainage. Avoid wet summer periods during dormancy. Fusarium and other fungal rots can cause death. Aphids may weaken developing plants – control these as soon as they are noticed.
LABURNUM (Golden Chain Tree)
Can be grown by seed, cuttings or grafting. Semi-hardwood or hardwood cuttings may give up to 100% strike for most species. Hormone treatment is advantageous. L. X watereri is reported to grow far better from juvenile cutting material than older wood.
LAGERSTROEMIA (Crepe Myrtle)
Generally propagated by cuttings to get reliable flower colour and height characteristics. L. indica is the most widely grown. There are numerous named cultivars with distinct flower colours, also dwarf forms.
Grown commercially from softwood, semi-hardwood or hardwood cuttings, and occasionally root cuttings
Hardwood cuttings can be grown in the open ground. The cuttings are taken in about 20cm lengths that are cut from healthy plants after the first winter frost, then stored in the refrigerator (at around 1 or 2 degrees C) until spring growth commences. They are then planted out in raised beds of friable soil. Without hormone – up to 80% strike; with hormone, often better strike rates. In the first spring shoots will generally appear on most cuttings, but rooting may not have occurred on all of the cuttings. Leave at least until the following winter before lifting.
Softwood cuttings…treat with a quick dip of 1000ppm IBA liquid, then place under intermittent mist (e.g. 6 seconds every 6 minutes or 10 seconds every 10 minutes). Common media mixes include peat/perlite or peat/sand.
Short leafy stem or tip cuttings 3 - 5cm long can also be taken in summer and placed under mist, )and with bottom heat (21 – 23 degrees C).
High strike rates have been achieved for L. indica ‘Mathewsii’ using semi-hardwood stem cuttings (not the tip). Each cutting is made 7-10cm long with at least three nodes, and the cuttings wounded 2.5-3cm long in two to three places around the cutting. The cuttings are then dipped in 1000ppm
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