I purchased a dozen forsythia branches in the plant section of a local grocery store. They had been placed in a pail of water, and the instructions state that they could be rooted in water. They're about 4 foot tall, have barely any buds on the bottom of the branch, and there's no sign of a root as yet. I wonder if I should cut off a portion of the branch from the bottom so that the water can more easily get to the top of the branch where there are many more buds. If so, can you recommend how much I should cut off? Also, approximately how long before I see a sign of a root?
Thank you so much for considering my question.
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Four foot may be too long for cuttings as it is usually recommended that cuttings be 4-12 inches long according to the type of wood and when you are propagating.
Maybe they meant for you to make several cuttings from each section? Usually they include a sheet of paper showing how to plant the cuttings - that would have been helpful.
I would say to cut your branches into shorter pieces (cut under a node) and trim any leaves from bottom part so nothing but the stem is in water. It is recommended to place stems in water where they are not touching each other.
"For hardwood cuttings, the mature, dormant growth from the previous season is used for propagation. The cutting should be 8 to 12 inches long from a straight stem and the selection should be made with an angled cut at the base.
There should be about three nodes within the section you cut."
As a general rule it is recommend to start cuttings in soil instead of water.
Maybe you would like to start some cuttings in pots as well as water since the plants rooted in water will still have to planted in pots or in the ground.
Check out some suggestions:
sites.google.com/
davesgarden.com/
www.gardeningknowhow.com/
Forsythia is one of the easiest of all shrubs to grow from cuttings but branches of this length should be cut into pieces - cuttings, about 6-8 inches in size. It is strange that it was not written in the instructions. Perhaps you had instructions for rooting the cuttings, not the branches.
In the spring, you can root the cuttings in the ground. For example, dig a groove, sprinkle it with water, wait for the water to soak in, plant the cuttings about 4 inches deep in the ground, and 2-3 inches apart. Water the soil regularly. If there are spring frosts in your area, cover the cuttings during the frost.
No. Just wait until roots form. Dust with rooting hormone and plant.
There are a few important tips when trying to root Forsythia. The timing has to be right. Rooting works best after blooms have fallen off, along with smaller pieces cut .
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