Share The Seeds
Gardening Area => Growing questions and answers => Topic started by: Frog Pajamas on September 12, 2015, 02:03:02 PM
-
It is time to start my indoor space considerations for the year, and my kratom will need some heavy pruning. It's gotten to be about 6-7 feet from the right to left and 3-4 feet wide front to back. It's a big, beautiful beast, and I need some help to know how to bring it down to manageable proportions.
Thinking about taking off the outer most branches on all sides? I've never done a major pruning on anything, so please, share what ya know and don't assume I already know it myself (cause I don't ;D )
Thanks!
-
Trade cuttings ! :D
I have no kratom experience but in general, lasting woody plants are amazingly capable of restoring lost wigs and such, once they get past the stage where major parts turn woody.
-
The cuttings will have a higher rate of survival if you air layer them, will also cause less stress to the plant. The only downside is the time needed. How long before it starts to get cold there?
nobody
-
Uh...tomorrow... :o Realistically, weeks until it will have to be smaller.
-
what exactly is air layering if I may ask?
-
Air layering is wrapping moist soil around the stem of a plant in hopes that it will root without cutting. It is pretty common with khat where people just bend the stem so it goes in the ground and a new root system grows and they just separate it later.
I'm not sure if air layering has better success rate or not (I guess if it fails at least you don't lose the cuttings). In the past when I had a larger plant I had 50-60% strike rate when taking cuttings with at least 2 nodes. The roots grow at the nodes but can also come on the stem. I've read that more nodes results in higher success rate but not sure how true that is.
This is a nice picture on the smallest I've personally had success with... you would remove the bottom two leaves and put in moist soil, perlite or water. Trim the leaves in half to prevent excess water loss in 2+ weeks should start rooting. You don't need rooting hormone but doesn't hurt as long as it doesn't 'cake'.
Not my photo.
As far as how much to trim you can cut back quite a lot and it will bounce back quickly next year. I'd say don't be scared to back too much... as long as there are nodes on the stem it will bud and grow again. Just prevent it from getting excess rain to prevent possible infection.
-
Ok, nice!
Do you have experience with woodier growth? Much of what I'm cutting back will be pretty thick growth, though I could always remove smaller new growth from those to root too.
This plant has always had a strong will to thrive, and I think it will do much better in artificial light if it has half the leaf mass...sort of power saver mode.
-
In addition to the above description: I seem to have better rates with Spaghnum or Glassfiber and shallow incisions in the skin / bark of the wig thats to be rooted.
-
Do you know the strain specifics? I like to clip all suckers and watersprouts, crowded growth, weak or narrow crotches, inward growth. Etc. Do not clip too close and use sharp tools. Pruning is fun and shaping will help the tree in the long run. If you have different genetics than my clone I would love a cutting. Here's the start on my bonsai rosemary. Maybie not the best example. :D
-
Its a Rifat.
I'm getting all excited to prune lol!
-
I personally haven't had experience rooting woody cuttings however I would assume it wouldn't be an issue just take longer to root. I'm not sure maybe someone else with more experience can help. I would use a rooting hormone with woody cuttings and maybe shave some of the stem so roots can sprout easier?
Maybe you can set up an experiment to test it. You could cut back the amount you want and root the new growth like most do. With the older woody stem you remove and save the leaves and try rooting the stem. Remember to leave 2 nodes so it will root on the bottom and bud on the top.
-
Nice thanks. I saw several pics recently of big woody pieces, like inch plus thickness, with no leaves rooted in water, so I think that's a possibility.
I'll probably send unrooted cuttings and let everybody try. It doesn't help my space issue much to start rooting 40 cuttings! :D
-
I have lots of experience rooting hardwood cuttings. Apple, grape, fruit trees mostly. I wouldn't try rooting cutting without leaves. Newer growth always roots faster. Cuttings should be immediately collected into water and kept there for a period before rooting. All my cuttings go immediately into soil mix 1:1:1 permitted soil and vermiculite. Half the cutting below the soil. Cut large leaves in half to harden the cutting. Humidity dome. I send all my plants, and especially cuttings in a inflated zip lock bag with a bit of water. No paper. Damp paper encourages fungi bacteria and molds. Air layering works great for outdoor propagation. Auxin and b vitamins are essential for rooting. An extra dose of root hormone never hurts.
-
I've put a lot of effort into learning how to root kratom this summer. I've done side by side tests comparing several variables. I have a nearly 100% success now, and I'd like to share some of my findings. I think the most important thing is to have healthy, actively plants to cut limbs from. Secondly, you need to create the best environment. I use a large, clear Tupperware box with a heat mat under it. I pour in about 2 gallons of distilled water and submerge a bubble wand connected to an air pump from an aquarium store. Next I have a plastic grate that is about two inches or so above the water level. I take my cuttings and put them in a rockwool cube that has been soaked in distilled water, place them on the plastic grate, cover, and hang a 250CFL 2700K light about 18 inches above. Generally, I'll see some plants develop roots above the rockwool in less than two weeks. Between two and three weeks, they seem well rooted but many don't have exposed roots coming from the rockwool. I haven't tested the effects of pH intentionally, but they do well when the water bath is around 6.6. Temp of 83 degrees works well too. I've had success using dip and grow, honey (somebody said it works), Rootone, and no hormone at all. I've had success with a clean cut as well as with a nicked or otherwise damaged stem. I will say that Green Malay is a little harder to root. I've noticed when I express the liquid from the rockwool form any other strain (BB, PVI, Rifat) that the pH is 6.6, like the water bath. For some reason the GM is consistently higher, around 7.4. I think the real key is healthy growing limbs to cut, fairly aggressive lighting, pH 6.6 or a little lower, temp around 83, a constant flow of fresh air bubbling through water, and cleanliness to keep bugs and mold out. Also, don't think that you can't root smaller cuttings, I've rooted some that were three inches.
-
Thanks, JMZ. You should be able to see a bit more on the site now. :)
-
I would love a cutting when available :D
-
I just wanted to add a few pictures that relate to the OPs question about pruning. I see most people suggest aggressive pruning, and I agree. The first picture is one of my Bumble Bees. I'm going to prune it way back soon to make it easier to handle inside this winter. I'll get 40-50 cuttings as a by product. The second picture is a PVI that got cut back pretty drastically one month ago. It's now small and compact, with a lot of small shoots growing. It gave me a bunch of cuttings, takes up much less space, and will provide a lot more cuttings in the near future. At this point I would say that a fairly drastic pruning is a win-win with kratom.
-
Sorry, the above post is the PVI that was pruned. Here is the long legged Bumble Bee that's going to get cut back. BTW, recycling bins make great containers for larger plants, LOL.
-
Decided that this is the best place to post this info.
I got a 'hardwood' kratom cutting from Frog Pajamas and upon receiving it I trimmed the ends with fresh cuts and treated the entire cutting with rooting powder. I then placed the cutting in a ziplock with Spaghnum covering it completely. After 9 days the root nubs are much larger and protruded then the other thinner cuttings that are in daily changed water.
I am gonna remove from the Spaghnum and plant in moist soil outside.
Not sure if this is a common experience but am quite excited it worked.
-
I've noticed how those white bumps on the stem seem to turn into roots when exposed to the proper environment. It happens even when they aren't covered with rooting medium. At first I was tempted to think that the white stem bumps are necessary for root formation, but that's not the case. Yours will continue to do fine if you keep them warm and humidified.
-
My set up maintains about 83 degrees, and it seems to work well for kratom.