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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Apr 1, 2015 10:10:50 GMT -5
Does anyone have a good mixture to use as a rooting hormone for cuttings, especially evergreens? Years ago I recall reading on another gardening forum that someone used B-1, but don't recall any other ingredients. I also have a vague recollection that Epsom salts were used for something, but also don't have good recall on that issue either.
I plan to take large numbers of cuttings from my pyramidal arborvitaes and spreading junipers and direct plant them as borders in some beds I'm reconfiguring for knot gardens. I don't have enough pots (or protection from wandering and energetic squirrels ) to try rooting them that way first. Other than protection to conserve moisture, it would help if I knew of something safe and organic to help these babies along their way to become new plants.
Thanks for any suggestions.
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Post by kimmsr🕊 on Apr 1, 2015 10:47:05 GMT -5
The bark from Willow trees has been used as a rooting medium for years. Put some in some water and let it steep for 24 hours or so and then put what you want to develop roots in that water until roots form. Some people once used Aspirin, back when it was made from willow bark, but today it is synthesized so it may not work.
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Post by desertwoman on Apr 1, 2015 11:03:22 GMT -5
Thanks Kimm! I hadn't heard of willow bark before. That's a great idea.
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Post by gakaren on Apr 1, 2015 11:39:55 GMT -5
I remember my grandmother using willow bark both for pain and for rooting things....just one of those things that I had long ago forgotten.
She learned a lot from native Americans when she was a young girl. She tried to teach me some things before she died, but I was just too young to retain what she was teaching....she died when I was 7 y.o. Every now/then something someone says will jog one of those forgotten memories.
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Post by SpringRain🕊️ on Apr 7, 2015 9:45:16 GMT -5
Kimm, thanks for the advice; I know you'll always provide good scientific help! DW and Karen, I appreciate your comments as well I can learn from both of you!
Karen, I wish I knew some Native Americans with the memories of natural gardening, but I don't but I do find some Native American wisdom in herbal publications. I remember one of the issues of the old, old, OG magazine from 20 or more years ago. The cover was a lovely portrait of a Native American woman, and if I recall, the articles were focused on their wisdom and philosophy of living with nature, as opposed to battling as some folks today do (those people who need to control nature rather than accept and learn to be compatible with it).
Each of you has reminded me that I always should look first to nature for assistance, which is what I will do, in addition to some experiments of my own. I'm going to find some willow trees, or perhaps even buy a small one to keep in a container so its roots don't invade the sewer system, then I'll have my own home grown rooting source. I also plan to take a few cuttings without using willow bark as an additive and see what the difference is in rooting and growth rate.
Just as another test, I'll try some aspirin on a few cuttings to see whether or not the rooting factors are completely eradicated by synthesization.
Again, thanks for helping me with this issue.
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Post by desertwoman on Apr 7, 2015 10:11:54 GMT -5
kimm- does it matter what kind of willow? Aspirin, for instance was from white willow bark. We have a beautiful old willow hanging over our property line that I could harvest from but it is not white willow.
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