Rooting cuttings

[Chris43]

I put a question in another thread, which I thought might warrant reapperaing. So here goes:

I'd like to know what people do to root their cuttings, whether offsets, chopped up stems, or degrafts. What has worked best for them - i.e. quickest rooting, fewest losses. Is here a "best" time of year? or a best rooting medium? is bottom heat worthwhile? how much moisture or atmosphere?

[Guest]

Hi Chris,

Depends what I am rooting.

For example when I graft I root the tops of the trichocereus by letting them dry and putting them in a small pot of compost just resting on the compost then support with gravel. I put the pots in gravel trays with capiliary matting and wet it once a month or so. I find they root any time in the summer in 4 to 6 weeks. I do other things this way as well which grow well. Tephrocactus and Echinocereus soon root using this method as well.

For degrafting ariocarpus and other difficult ones I do this over the winter under lights, as I have multiple decks of plants and lights they do get bottom heat as well as a by product. These are done as follows, I half fill a pot with normal compost and then add 3mm grit to three quarters of the pot depth and then rest the plant on top and support it with more grit. The pots sit in gravel trays with capilliary matting and I water as required to maintain a slightly damp compost. I do not touch them other than watering for about six months, I find lifting them to check them stops rooting taking place The lights are on 12 hours a day and the tempreture is allowed to to drop in the shed I use to around 15 degrees during the lights off period. The capilliary matting will obviously increase humidity. Last winter I successfully rooted Echinocactus horizonthalonious, Uebelmannia, Discocactus, Copiapoa and Ariocarpus by this method and of about 80 plants only one Ariocarpus trigonus didn't root so I have regrafted that one. I tend to use grafted plants about 5cm diameter although I have rooted larger ones using this method and quite a few at 3cm diameter. Vic was at my place yesterday and I am sure will confirm my Ariocarpus degrafted plants are doing fine.

For mass producing pereskiopsis for seedly grafts I use rooting gel as this is a quick and simple method and I can get 10 or so in a pot, they root in two to three weeks and are then potted on and grown under lights in the winter as I graft using them in february/march.

I do not use rooting hormones or powder as I don't see them as necessary

[Vic]

Hi Bob and Chris,

I certainly will confirm that - and what a superb collection, not just of Ariocarpus but an excellent mixed collection of superb cactus specimens. Some of the plants I'd never seen before apart from in photographs.

If anyone is ever in Bob's area they really must drop in to see his collection!

I took a few photos and with Bob's permission I could post a few later.

[Roy]

I agree with what Bob has said except I sometimes use hormone rooting powder but only because of the strong antifungicide it contains.

[Guest]

Vic,

Feel free to post I have emailed you separately though. Thanks for the compliment and I have always said if anyone wants to visit they just have to email me.
Don't forget though I am sorting out the plants at the moment and everything is not that tidy.

[iann]

One day, Bob, I will come by! I'm not that far away but never quite get round to a lot of things ...