Starting Juniper and cedar from cuttings

[Spike188]

Harry, I know that you have started juniper or cedar cuttings. Is it to early for starting them outside? You have talked of starting trays of them at a time.

Spike

[Eugen]

I tried starting some cedar cuttings last FAll, and they never took on roots. I also don't know if I want that privacy hedge when I'm 90 years old. Would really like a hedge in 2-3 years.

[Harry]

I don't think it's to early. I didn't have a lot of luck with the ones I started last year, but I will try again this year. I did get some to root but only half that I started. I think I'll buy some new rooting hormone for this year and try again.
Keep the Peace
Harry

[Harry]

I came across this today! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x7PfPpzzY0
Keep the Peace
Harry

[Harry]

I believe this one is better. these are the ones that I grow, green giants. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBnIDaV-KhY
Keep the Peace
Harry

[Spike188]

Thanks for the feedback. I will try to get set up next week.

Live and learn

Spike

[Gordy]

I hope it is not too early :63: Cleaning up what the rabbits gnawed off,I may have gone a bit overboard :o

342 large ball's. and 298 Emerald green's.

Parent plants.

That's a chipper shredder under the tarp.

7' to the top of the dog kennel.

Then looking for something in the storage/scrap pile I found a few baby tree's

1.5" to 2" tall.

Dug out and potted while they are still dormant.Found 2 at 14", and a few at 6".

Cheers,
Gordy

[Spike188]

Harry and Gordy, Thanks for the encouragement and advice.

Our neighbor has 2 acres that was treeless 40 years ago and today is covered in a Carolinian forest. There are english walnut, redbud, mulberry (black and white), pines and cedars with blackberry, blueberry, and current bushes mixed in. He will point to early plantings of 5' pines planted along side 12" saplings where 40 years later the saplings are noticeable taller the 5 footers are. He claims that a 12" will pass the larger trees growth within 5 years.


Our property was a gravel harvested site backfilled with sand and has very little topsoil. In 2007 and 2009 we applied 40 yards of compost in the fall of each year. It has been very disheartening to watch a 4 year-old healthy tree die suddenly because grubs eat the roots off. When we purchased the property in 2001 the line of trees along the drive and 4 in the yard were all that existed.

Even with the sand back fill we will encounter a stone occasionally.

We have been planting wild trees harvested locally for a the last 15 years but have had little successes due to grubs and planting methods. Last year we planted 25 pine saplings using the neighbors advice and only had 1 die. It went droopy the day it was planted and never recovered.

The method used was to dig a square hole 18 X 18 X 18". Square is to encourage the roots into penetrating the wall of the excavated area instead becoming ball bound in a circular hole. When back filling the new tree, the top half of the hole is left open to hold 2.5 gallons of water every other day. No fertilizers or stimulants are added. The neighbour believes that a tree will do better if it adjust to its environment from day one.

The end of summer the saplings had a nice green, and so did the yard.

Today the tree is starting to come out of winter dormancy, and so is the yard.

These two pines were about 6" when pulled from a fence line 4 years ago. They are only 2 that survived out of 15 using a plug and play method. I am hoping that following the neighbors advice of watering 2.5 gallons every 2 - 3 days for the first 2 years of summer will give us 25 trees 8' high in 5 years.

Planting for the future,

Spike