About cuttings in water

Flowers, Trees, Lawns, Infrastructures, Maintenance & anything else!
Post Reply
Freeranger
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3171
Joined: 17 Apr 2012, 10:13

About cuttings in water

Post by Freeranger »

I've taken some cuttings from honeysuckle and a couple of other shrubs, leaving them in a jar of water awaiting rooting to pot on.
A couple have developed white patches around leaf nodes below the water line. One or two patches have developed new leaves, but the others are just making more and bigger, whiter patches and there are bubbles in the water in the jars. I'd assumed these white patches would generate roots, but if it's happening progress is glacial after several weeks now.
Does anyone have any theories about what's actually going on, please?
User avatar
Mo
Legendary Laner
Posts: 15359
Joined: 30 Apr 2007, 09:39
Location: Cheshire (nr Chester)

Re: About cuttings in water

Post by Mo »

I would expect the roots to be at the very bottom. That's what sometimes happens with twigs in water in a vase (or celery)
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
User avatar
lancashire lass
Legendary Laner
Posts: 6520
Joined: 28 Jun 2007, 15:17

Re: About cuttings in water

Post by lancashire lass »

Freeranger wrote: the others are just making more and bigger, whiter patches and there are bubbles in the water in the jars.


sounds like a slime culture growing if there are bubbles forming in the water (does the water have a musty smell?) I could be wrong so leave them a bit longer.

How many cuttings I've tried to start and they end up growing black mould instead. I have a philosophy that if it grows then it's a )c( but if doesn't, it goes on the compost heap never to be done again so perhaps I'm not the person to ask (germinating seeds is my thing) LOL

Have you tried dipping the cuttings in root hormone and putting them into pots of compost/grit (like you see on Gardener's World)?
Gwenoakes
Legendary Laner
Posts: 7325
Joined: 11 Aug 2007, 19:58

Re: About cuttings in water

Post by Gwenoakes »

I have been quite successful with getting cuttings in water to grow, whether outdoor or indoor plants, but have never had white patches or bubbles in the water.
I did everything by the book according to the word of Monty off Gardeners World re hydrangeas. Took the right sort of cuttings, put them in the right potting compost at the right time............they all went down to Australia.
A few weeks ago during a very warm spell I took more hydrangea cuttings even though they had flowers on and they have all rooted, in fact I now have 7 mini hydrangeas.
I do not know what went wrong before, whether it was me, the weather or what, but my advice is opposite to LL's (sorry LL if you read this) and keep trying. If it only takes a few pence and a little time, you havent really lost anything and could gain knowledge, says me. LOL
Freeranger
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3171
Joined: 17 Apr 2012, 10:13

Re: About cuttings in water

Post by Freeranger »

Thanks for the comments.
I don't think the white patches are slimey, LL, but the bubbles could be due to low level algae or biofilm in the water or on other parts of the stems.
I wondered if perhaps there's a different type of cell at the leaf nodes, and maybe they're taking in water. At the bottom of one and from a white patch there was a new leaf trying to grow.
I've had some success with this type of propagation, and the roots grow from the leaf nodes - at the bottom because that's where you cut it, but also higher up sometimes. This tends to happen quite easily with green stems, but these were older and woodier, so maybe I did them at the wrong time of year or something.
I'll leave the a bit longer and see what happens. It's an interesting experiment even if I don't get a new plant from it.
An elderly friend told me that most plants will grow this way, whatever the books say, but she seems more green-fingered than me.
Freeranger
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3171
Joined: 17 Apr 2012, 10:13

Re: About cuttings in water

Post by Freeranger »

Well one of them IS growing roots but from the lower-most leaves just above the water line.

The white patches are getting bigger and sort of 3D but I could do with a microscope to be able to tell any more.
Freeranger
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3171
Joined: 17 Apr 2012, 10:13

Re: About cuttings in water

Post by Freeranger »

Well the white patches are getting bigger, and seemingly trying to grow more leaves from those spots. They also, all of a sudden, started to grow roots and lots of them, up and down the length of the stem that was under water. They've been potted on now, and hope fully will be healthy plants for the spring. A lesson (another one) in patience.
User avatar
Mo
Legendary Laner
Posts: 15359
Joined: 30 Apr 2007, 09:39
Location: Cheshire (nr Chester)

Re: About cuttings in water

Post by Mo »

Well that's a surprise. I think I'd have given up on them by now. Or forgotten to top up the water.
Well done you, and them.
Dance caller. http://mo-dance-caller.blogspot.co.uk/p/what-i-do.html
Sunny Clucker enjoyed Folk music and song in mid-Cheshire
Freeranger
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3171
Joined: 17 Apr 2012, 10:13

Re: About cuttings in water

Post by Freeranger »

Those little plants died away and I threw them out, but suspect they were actually just hibernating over the winter and I should have left them. doh!!
I had some other ones that I took at the same time, which are still in water, still alive and still growing new leaves. The thing is that they've grown leaves below the water line and show no signs of rooting.
How can I turn these into viable plants, please?
User avatar
lancashire lass
Legendary Laner
Posts: 6520
Joined: 28 Jun 2007, 15:17

Re: About cuttings in water

Post by lancashire lass »

Freeranger wrote:The thing is that they've grown leaves below the water line and show no signs of rooting.


maybe leave it a bit longer - it's possible the new growth will prompt root formation soon after
Freeranger
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3171
Joined: 17 Apr 2012, 10:13

Re: About cuttings in water

Post by Freeranger »

Will do. Thanks LL.
Gwenoakes
Legendary Laner
Posts: 7325
Joined: 11 Aug 2007, 19:58

Re: About cuttings in water

Post by Gwenoakes »

I brought inside some cowslips, small daffodils and bluebells to put in water on the kitchen windowsill. Along with these I put some tips of hydrangeas for greenery.
The flowers have since died, but the hydrangeas are still ok so I am going to leave them to see if they will sprout roots again.
I will let you know how they go FR.
Freeranger
Legendary Laner
Posts: 3171
Joined: 17 Apr 2012, 10:13

Re: About cuttings in water

Post by Freeranger »

Thanks, Gwen - I'd be interested to know.
At long last, one single root is showing on one of the stems.
Post Reply