Building the Propagation Environment

1. Building the Propagation Environment LAT 109

2. What does the propagation environmenthave to do? • Depends… on what you’re propagating and where you are. • Hardwood cuttings • Softwood and semi-hardwood cuttings • Seed propagation

3. For semi-hardwood and seed prop • Provide a low-water loss environment • High humidity • Provide protection from the elements • Cover • Provide light (but not too much) • Open, but shade if necessary • Provide a temperature conducive to rooting (germination) • 70 to 75° F

4. Key features • Structure • Cover • Raised bench • Drainage • Intermittent mist • Bottom heat • Light/shade system

5. Structure • Glass house • Hoop house • Cold frame • Outdoor beds • Other?

6. Cover • Clear 6 mil poly is commonly used • Polycarbonate • Glass

7. Raised benches • Provide better drainage and an ergonomic workspace. • Sanitation is easier.

8. Drainage • Ground cloth • Gravel • Permeable pavers • Concrete (with drain tile) • Proper grade • Critical if propagating on the ground!

9. Intermittent mist • Water source • Piping • Nozzles • Mist timer • Day timer • Turn on in the morning, turn off at night • Every 8 minutes for 8 seconds is typical

10. Bottom heat • Electric • Cables • Mats • Thermostat • Water • Goal is ~70°F

11. Light/shade system • Shade cloth • Summer • Reduce UV • Reduce temperature • Sold by % shade • Automated systems • Supplemental light • Induce flush of growth • Tricks the plant into thinking long days (short nights)

12. Light interruption to induce growth Winter = short days and long nights = minimal growth Summer = long days and short nights = growth Light interruption = short nights = growth

13. Avoiding diseases • Major pathogens • Soil born pathogens • Root rots – “damping off” or “foot rot” • Water molds • Pythium (wet & cool) and Phytophthora (wet & cool) • True fungi • Rhizoctonia (wet & warm) and Fusarium (variable)

14. Strategies • Cultural • Disease free plants • Clean tools • Clean facilities • Clean containers • 10% bleach • Sterile media • Work in a separate area from mist bench • Environmental conditions • Monitor daily • Chemical • Fungicide • Soak cuttings prior to sticking • Drench beds after sticking • http://ipm.illinois.edu/diseases/rpds/615.pdf

21. Conifer cutting propagation

22. Easy-ish to propagate conifers • Cupressus • Chamaecyparis • Thuja • Juniperus • Thujopsis • x Cupressocyparisleylandii • Taxus • Cryptomeria • Tsuga • Calocedrus

23. Types of conifer cuttings

24. Our protocol today • 4 to 8 inches long terminal (tip) cuttings with some wood are most often used. However, you can try heel and mallet cuttings as well. • Remove foliage from lower half • Trim foliage (tops) if necessary • Basal wounding can help • Using Wood’s rooting hormone (1.03% IBA), we’ll want to mix up 10 oz of 3000 ppm IBA to be divided among the benches for our 5 second quick dip. How much Wood’s do we add to how much water to get 10 oz of a 3000 ppm IBA solution? • Insert ~ 2 inches into propagation media • e.g. Cupressus, Chamaecyparis, Thuja, Juniperus, Thujopsis, ×Cupressocyparisleylandii, Taxus, Cryptomeria, Tsuga, Calocedrus • Today we’ll use the 6-cell packs for our conifer cuttings. Each student is to stick a minimum of 12 cuttings (2 packs per person) • Remember: 10% bleach to sterilize pots, 1:2 peat:perlite media, LABELS, all cuttings go on the mist bench in the West greenhouse.