As I've suggested in the previous article the way to have a good start is to make cuttings off of some woody shrubs, that are many times readily available around your property, or your neighbors' and your friends properties.
I recommend the woody shrubs for the simple fact that the finished product does not need too much heating, or any heating at all. But while you root the cuttings, they will need a warm and humid environment to grow roots.
As the little branches that you cut off from the mature shrub does not have any roots to feed through, they must feed somehow in order to live and grow roots on their own.
Well, how do they do it? Very simple: they feed through the leaves, and that's why the cuttings will need to be sprinkled with a fine mist of water, and kept in a humid confinement, the greenhouse. They need water, light and heat.
Provided that you have the source to collect the cuttings from, let's start with the number of cuttings you want, and then we proceed to the way you'll make the cuttings.
But first make sure you have your rooting cell trays filled up with fine potting soil, and sprinkle them until the cells are wet all the way down. And then you can start cutting the little branches from the mature shrubs.
Let's assume you want to make cuttings from a winter green Boxwood shrub, or Korean Boxwood, and you want to fill up 10 trays of 72 cells, to obtain about 700 rooted plugs to start your plant operation business to sell plants for a profit. This is going to be a first step to create a steady income.
That's a pretty good start and 10 trays shouldn't take that much room. The next batch of cuttings can be a different kind of shrub, like Compacta holly, Burford holly, Azalea Formosa, Hillari Holly, Crape Myrtles, Weeping Willows, Wigelia, Wisteria, Loropetalum, Blue Pacific juniper, Ajuga, or any other shrubs and trees that could sell well in your area.
The possibilities are too vast to mention them all in this article. But let's now just concentrate on the first batch of boxwood cuttings that you want to start your rooting process with.
To make the cuttings in a proper way, and to obtain the greatest number of rooted plugs, you need a good sharp knife. Do not use any scissors to make cuttings. Use a sharp knife and cut the little branches in a slanted manner at about 45 degrees.
You want to select the tips of the shrub branches that are not too hard nor too soft or too green. Kind of in between. You want to cut them just a little lower from the point where it turned green, in the brown portion of the branch.
In other words they should not be too mature nor too tender green. You will get used to it as you go, and it will produce a greater and faster amount of rooted cuttings.
Once you collected the desired number of cuttings, sit down in the shade, and pinch off the lower leaves at the portion that you'll stick in the dirt, and leave only the upper leaves above the soil. You should also cut off the tips to encourage branching.
Now start sticking the lower part of the cuttings in the soil, and pack gently the dirt around them to eliminate any air pockets and for the steams to contact the soil.
Set them in the shade or your greenhouse and mist the leaves every 1 to 2 hours for several days. Make sure they get enough light and some source of heating to keep them warm.
After several weeks, you will notice the little roots coming out from the bottom of the trays. They are not ready yet! You don't have to water them that often now, but keep them wet, not soggy, and never let them dry out completely.
At this point you can apply some light liquid Miracle growth fertilizer, or some granulated micro-nutrients on top of the soil, and the little plants will turn in a nice vibrant green.
It's a good start! Once they developed a good root ball, they are ready to be stepped up in some 4 to 5 inch plastic round or square containers, and as they grow, when they become a little root bound, you step them up in 1 Gallon containers.
At this point they are ready for sale. In order to stimulate bushing and branching, you'll need to trim the tips off. The more you trim the bushier they get.
Every time you step them up in a larger container, apply some slow release fertilizer, like osmocote or other fertilizers available at your local Garden Centers.
That's how you should do with any other woody shrubs cuttings you want to start growing. It is a lot of fun and at the same time you can create a wonderful source of income.
Another easy to start and grow plant that is in a pretty great demand on the market, is the weeping willow tree. These weeping willows love water, and their majestic weeping branches waving in the wind, are creating an awesome accent in any landscape.
These can be rooted in some one gallon plastic containers filled with sand, and watered well and often. Just stick some short branches or switches in the sand and set them in the shade or greenhouse.
If properly watered they are growing fast, and ready for sale in several months.
As you become better on rooting cuttings, and you enjoy doing it, you can sell them by the trays to the gardening people to grow their own finished products.
In the next article I will offer some suggestions as where to sell your finished plant products.
Until next time, for your success, dare to take action!
Mike Borlovan
No comments:
Post a Comment