AusBonsai

I just made an observation last night while taking some elm cuttings that I wanted to ask about. After taking the cuttings I dropped them into a tub of water to keep the cut ends wet while I was getting everything else ready and when I began to plant the cuttings I noticed a gel like substance around the cut site? Almost like the sap from a pine...

I was just curious to know what it was and it's benefits... Do people wipe this off before using hormones or leave it on? I assume it would be like a fig's "milk" at a cut site or something. I wiped a couple and left a couple to see if it made any difference to the strike rate but just curious. Sorry didn't get any pics, maybe next time

Cheers Grant

The best cuttings are root cuttings. They all strike and make great bonsai.

Brian wrote:The best cuttings are root cuttings. They all strike and make great bonsai.

Is that a generalisation or specific to Elms?


Cheers
EZ
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I was referring to Chinese elms. I havent tried other varieties.

Stem cuttings of most elms strike quite well. I don't put cuttings into water so do not have the gel issue but not sure whether it would be an issue or not.

All elms I have tried strike easily from root cuttings - Chinese, Seiju, Hokkaido, English, zelkova all take as root cuttings. A number of other families do too but tridents and pines are among many others that will not take from roots.

Ok, so how do you do the root-cutting/striking?


Cheers
EZ
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Cut roots into pieces. I make most about 5-7 cm long but longer if you have an interesting shaped root that might make a good trunk in future - the piece of root will eventually be the lower trunk of your future tree.
I make most of my root cuttings from roots around pencil thickness but thinner ones can strike and so will thicker pieces though anything thicker than 3 cm does not seem to make very good bonsai.
It is important to know which end is which so keep track of the root orientation while you cut it. Roots will only grow from the distal end (further away from the trunk) and shoots come from the proximal end (top or closest to the trunk)
For bonsai, plant the pieces of root upright (remember, for best results, they need to be up the right way) in propagating mix or even just in potting mix then keep them watered as you would any other plant. I leave 1/2 - 2/3 of the root above the mix but how much sticks up is not so important. Many root cuttings will strike when buried horizontally but putting them vertical seems to give a better shaped tree.

Root cuttings are usually taken in winter when we re ot the trees but I have dug down and cut off pieces of root from garden specimens at other times of the year so any time you can get pieces of root is ok for root cuttings.

Thanx Shibui,
great instructions … Considering my Elm is still a stick in a pot (from the big green shed) I may need to wait before I get a chance to try this, but man, am I looking forward to having a crack at it!!

Is there a list of species that are suitable? In the Wiki maybe?

Plenty of opportunity to get hold of root cuttings other than from your own bonsai -
As mentioned above you can collect roots for cuttings from trees in the ground if you can identify the species you want and can get the roots without harming the tree too much or getting caught
As a club member you can often get hold of root cuttings when your club has a re potting session - just ask the owner for permision.

Here's a link to a thread from some time ago where a number of members contributed species that strike from root cuttings. Feel free to add more if you know of any.
viewtopic.php?f=9&t=6055&p=82091&hilit= ... ngs#p82091