Serisssa Experiment

[Jester]

I have a Serissa that hopefully soon will start to shoot. As you can see in the sketch (Sorry for the poor quality) I have drawn what is a sucker that goes up from the soil, wraps around the branch twice and then heads back down. This is what I will be trying on the next month or so. What I would like to know (since I have never tried it before) is:

As that shoot heads back down towards the soil with the aid of wire, as it starts to lignify just before hitting the soil bed, if I give it a diaganol slice, will the shoot/branch take root back into the soil and stay there. ?? I know to many of you regulars to this forum, this must seem like a stupid question so bear with me.


Cheers guys

[Joel]

Not a stupid question.

Where will the growing point be? Buried in the soil?

There are 2 main transport layers in the stem of a tree. The Phloem transports the sugars (from photosynthesis) all around the tree.The xylem transports water and ions (salts from ferts etc) in ONE direction only; up to the rest of the plant. Since there would be no growing points after where you nick it, (anything under the ground will be more roots which wont sustain anything) all of it will die back. I have not personally tried this, but everything ive read suggests this. The only thing i can think of is let the tip come out of the soil once more somewhere where you want another trunk, but dont bend it back in. I dont know what you wish to achieve as far as styling goes. Hope this helps!

JayC

[stymie]

Aerial roots are not a feature of Serissa and I can see no advantage in the experiment. However, these trials are what brings about more knowledge.

[Jester]

Thanks Joel , Thanks Don, your wise comments have given me a lot more food for thought.


Cheers


John