AusBonsai

This year, in a effort to get some dormant buds stirring on a Prunus mume, I had a go at applying some keiki paste to the points where the flowers were attached in the hope of getting any buds that might be there to move. The results are interesting! No buds appeared (so far) in those places (probably no buds there) but lower down on the stem, buds were stimulated and are now expanding. In my experience many of these buds would normally not grow or do so with great difficulty. Keiki paste is normally used for Phalaenopsis orchids to stimulate new plants to grow on old flower stems. It's basically cytokinin in a lanolin paste.
I think next time I will try to apply it directly to the cut. You need exposed tissue for it to be properly absorbed. There was a little of this freshly exposed tissue where I broke off the faded flowers.

Interesting post!
I have never heard of this product (then again, I've never heard of a lot of things!!). Looks to be having some positive effect on your prunus Treeman, what do you think the chances of it doing something similar on pines/junipers (or other more challenging "back budders") would be??

Ryceman3 wrote:Interesting post!
I have never heard of this product (then again, I've never heard of a lot of things!!). Looks to be having some positive effect on your prunus Treeman, what do you think the chances of it doing something similar on pines/junipers (or other more challenging "back budders") would be??

I think you might have trouble with the resinous species because it may not mix with the sap well but I don't really know. It should certainly work with most other things. But most things really don't have trouble budding. I'm going to try it on dwarf cumquat next. Mabye some quince too??

I just noticed that there may be something trying to make it's way through here as well! If it is, I think we have definitive proof!

A query if I can Treeman, no Prunus at my house so forgive me if this sounds stupid.

Why wouldn't those buds have normally extended through Spring? Being at the tip of the branch I would have thought they would have extended without the paste? Or is it a character flaw of the Prunus that buds on lower branches don't extend?

I'm guess you normally only get a few buds but not all?? Thanks for the interesting topic.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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I have noticed that on some plums (also a Prunus of course) back budding is sparce on small branches where the flowers are at the ends. I too have never heard of this product but there is room for thought......
Thanks for the post and info.

Pearcy001 wrote:A query if I can Treeman, no Prunus at my house so forgive me if this sounds stupid.

Why wouldn't those buds have normally extended through Spring? Being at the tip of the branch I would have thought they would have extended without the paste? Or is it a character flaw of the Prunus that buds on lower branches don't extend?

I'm guess you normally only get a few buds but not all?? Thanks for the interesting topic.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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If you look at pic 4 on the first post, you will see 2 buds pushing out of the collar at the base of the shoot. In fact there is also another one starting in the same area. This almost never happens on this Ume or others for that matter. I know the buds are there but they usually don't grow. Normally it would revert back the larger bud that is leafing out further down the stem and that shoot would die back to there. It's the usual way of things with this tree so I think this could a significant breakthrough as long as these smaller buds continue to grow well.

G'day mike how can I source the paste?

Roger

treeman wrote:If you look at pic 4 on the first post, you will see 2 buds pushing out of the collar at the base of the shoot. In fact there is also another one starting in the same area. This almost never happens on this Ume or others for that matter. I know the buds are there but they usually don't grow. Normally it would revert back the larger bud that is leafing out further down the stem and that shoot would die back to there. It's the usual way of things with this tree so I think this could a significant breakthrough as long as these smaller buds continue to grow well.

Thanks for the explanation Mike

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RogerW wrote:G'day mike how can I source the paste?

Roger

Hi Roger. You get it at Flora Laboratories. I think they have an Ebay store as well.

http://floralaboratories.com.au/wordpress/

Hi treeman, what an interesting post. Do you think it might work on a pomegranate , which sometimes don't want to bud on lower branches. Also do you think it might work on natives.
Cheers
Peterb

Thanks Mike

Roger

This is really exciting! Thanks Mike!

peterb wrote:Hi treeman, what an interesting post. Do you think it might work on a pomegranate , which sometimes don't want to bud on lower branches. Also do you think it might work on natives.
Cheers
Peterb

There's no reason I know why it should not work Peter. Just remember that you have to apply it to exposed tissue, preferably to a bud with the protective covering removed (good luck with that!) There must be one or more buds there in the first place or you'll get nothing. If you cannot expose the bud, try to cut just above it and apply the paste to the cut. It doesn't wash off with water/rain. An alternative might be to scrape down to the cambium above and below the bud and putting some paste on that?

Morning Mike, thanks for the reply. To go back to your reply, on natives that don't backbud on old wood, is that because there are no buds further down. Appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience with us beginners Mike
Cheers Peterb