This is part self sufficiency, part being tight and part forgetting to buy some rooting compound when I went to the garden centre!
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| Crack willow |
I'd got back from the garden centre with compost, grit and sharp sand and had plans to do lots of cuttings in the afternoon, then I realised I forgot to buy rooting compound, so I decided to make my own and see if it works.
The idea is simple, willow roots so well because of the indolebutyric acid it contains in its branches, this is a plant hormone that simulate root growth. By steeping branches in water this acid, along with Salicylic acid which cuts down on infection into the cuttings, leaches into the liquid. In doing so you create a liquid that can be used as a rooting hormone.
Well that's the idea at least.
Here's the stages in pictures:
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| Child labour stripping leaves |
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| I got both of them working! |
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| Stripped branches - leaves for compost. |
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| Cut up small |
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| Boiling water added |
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| The liquid 24 hours later, strained and ready for use |
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| Some of the cuttings - now I have to wait. |
To use the liquid I stripped some leaves off each cutting, then cut each to the right length, then left them for ten minutes to soak in the liquid before putting it in a gritty compost mix in my root trainers. After I finished I diluted the remaining liquid and used this to water the cuttings in.
Hopefully the cuttings will root easily and I'll have lots more plants in a few months.
Has anyone else done this and what result have you had?
Thats really interesting Kev, I will be watching to see how you get on if it does the job I will have to give it a try :-)
ReplyDeleteReally I should do a control batch as well to make it scientific!
DeleteIt'll be good to see how this turns out Kev, keep us posted.
ReplyDeleteWill do John!
DeleteYour kids look like they are right out of a Beatrice Potter book. As my Grandma would have said "cute as buttons."
ReplyDeleteMy wife went up North to visit our kids for the summer. She left me with a big box of some kind of plants. They are in little cups, and are "rooting" so she can plant them outside. My solemn task is to water them a bit each day. But they are dying, damn them, and I'm sure she will be thinking I didn't water the wretched weeds when she gets home.
They're as sweet as anything when they want to be but it can all change inthe blink of an eye! To be fair they are good girls and get along well and they like helping me out.
DeleteAs for watering plants, too much will kill them and so will too little! It's tricky to know how much to give if you're not used to watering them, in pots is a lot worse as well. Have the cups got holes in the bottom? If not they might be drowning as the roots are sat in water.
Interesting idea Kev, hope it works for you. How about just putting the whole lot in the blender and using the liquid? (not sure your wife would agree though!)
ReplyDeleteWe don;t have a blender so no chance of that one although I'd imagine it would work the same. It might not be as good as the blended plant would decay and increase the chances of an infection.
Deletethanks for the tip Kev - I have plenty of willow. -- and if I didn't thanks also for the cucamelon seeds -- the plants are thriving.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it! They're a great plant and they've made it into my "grow every year" box! Now I need to start selecting the seeds and watching out for any "sports", I wonder what we could cross them with?
DeletePlease keep us posted on how it works.
ReplyDeleteWill do Gorges. A great method for hard times if it works!
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