A few tips on choosing a cutting for rooting. There is much more to propagation than just getting roots to grow. Conditions in the parent tree and the cutting that is taken from it influence root origin and subsequent plant growth. It's all about energy (carbohydrates). If you start with weak cuttings that contain little energy, problems abound. Always start only with cuttings with good energy reserves. Propagating plants from cuttings is as much an art as science. When to take cuttings is a perpetual challenge to the propagator. This is truly the "art" of plant propagation. Energy levels in plant tissue typically reach a maximum in late summer or early fall, with species that only make one flush of growth the build up of energy proceeds over the entire growing season. With species that make several flushes of growth per year, as citrus does, the build up of energy progresses and gets higher and higher, then drops again with the next flush and so on. This is because the energy was spent in support of the expanding bud and new growth and development of flowers and fruits. Oxygen is necessary for root respiration at all times, but oxygen plays an even more critical role in the initiation of new roots on a cutting. For rooting of cuttings, the drainable pore space in the medium should be 45 to 50 percent. Once the cuttings has rooted drainable pore space in the medium should be about 20 to 25 percent. The dissolved minerals in water used for misting cuttings can have a profound influence on rooting, and subsequent growth. High sodium and high bicarbonate are the most common culprits. The lower he mineral content of the water, the better cuttings root. The objective is to provide a thin film of water over the cuttings and high humidity in order to prevent desiccation of plant tissues that have lost the support of roots, until new roots form. In general, it has been found that there is no ideal rooting medium but several combinations of materials can provide a good, workable medium with a drainable pore space of 40 to 50 percent. Good quality peat and coarse perlite or peat and ground pine bark on a 1:1 or 1:1.5 basis by volume works well in propagating containers approximately 4 inches deep. it is very important that the components of the rooting medium are free of diseases and insect. Vermiculite for propagation is easily broken down and compressed and in general does not drain well. DO NOT cut corners with respect to the rooting medium, as it is false prosperity. Even with what you believe to be good Canadian peat and coarse perlite from a reputable supplier, always look at the material and do not assume. Keep the cutting between 70-F to 100-F. The open wound at the base of the cutting combined with the warm, moist environment is an ideal environment for disease organisms. This can be further complicated when cuttings are STUCK TOO DEEP and the open wound is in the poorly drained area (perched water table) near the bottom of the container. Before taking a cutting be sue the parent plant is thoroughly watered. Using a misting table normally gives a 80 or 90 percent success rate. The commonly called baggie method normally has a 50% success rate.
Millet
