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Re: Rooting cuttings out of season?

Denise Tousignant wrote:
> 
> At 20:55 17/03/97 -0800, you wrote:
> >I had to try and root some cuttings from a rare species of conifer
> >this spring when I discovered my only plant broken off at the ground
> >level. This plant,[torreya grandis] althought not a rock garden plant
> >is very rare and slow growing. Imformation is not available in any of my
> >reference books. So I am trying to root about 25 pieces that I could
> >salvage using pumice and mist with about 60 degrees F bottom heat. After
> >almost 3 weeks I pulled up one piece and saw callous but no root. Am I
> >on the right track?
> >                       Robert Aebel Vancouver Wa.
> >
> 
> Dear Robert,
> 
> Torreya is closely related to Taxus (Yew), so my bet would be that
> information about rooting that genus (of which there is plenty) should be
> useful to you also.
> 
> I presume the cuttings you harvested were at a dormant stage, but that you
> are rooting them indoors?  What is important, then, is to provide them with
> adequate heat (which you have done) and light, in order to support their
> growth once their buds burst and their growth resumes.  Usually, you will
> observe that the buds initiate growth even before the roots appear.   The
> fact that T. grandis is so slow-growing makes me think the rooting process
> will take a while.  You seem to be on the right track, just be patient and
> make sure you don't overwater your plants, so that they have plenty of air
> for the new roots and that you don't promote pathogens.  By the way, how
> long are the cuttings you harvested?
> 
> I looked up Torreya in Dirr and Heuser's "The reference manual of woody
> plant propagation" (1987, Varsity Press).  Seed propagation appears to be
> easier than cuttings, but it has been done. They recommend harvesting
> cuttings in late October (i.e. dormant), using IBA as a rooting hormone
> (8000 ppm, which is a rather high concentration).  The rooting took 16
> weeks, so don't worry yet! ;-)  If you didn't use rooting hormone, it might
> even take a bit longer.
> 
> Also, if you are willing to provide your mailing address, I can send you a
> document entitled "Black spruce propagation at the Pepiniere de
> St-Modeste", which we have recently published at our nursery.  It is a
> 35-page technical manual on the propagation system we have to produce black
> spruce cuttings for reforestation.  Granted, the species is different, but
> since the publication is free, so you might still be interested.  Just let
> me know.
> 
> Good luck!
> 
> Denise Tousignant
> 
> ********************************************************
> Denise Tousignant, M.Sc., Conseillere scientifique
> Pepiniere forestiere de St-Modeste,
> 410 rue Principale, St-Modeste, Quebec GOL 3W0 Canada
> tel.: 418-862-5511  FAX: 418-862-0564
> ********************************************************
Hello Denise:
	I have done a few cuttings before and had good luck, but have tried to
follow whatever information I could find. I took cuttings from 2 to 6
inches long and used hormone. I have an electric heating pad in my
greenhouse but I only mist twice a day, before and after work since I do
not have an automatic system. If the cuttings sould take over a year
to root what should I do thru the summer months, just keep them wet and
out of the sun? We have very dry and can become hot in the summer. 
Regards             Robert Aebel
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