🌿 Mallet Cutting Project

r/Bonsai GrampaMoses

An article described a technique to root cuttings from difficult species, like Korean Hornbeams. (general note to avoid ANY motion of the cuttings until more mature).

In my zone, most species spring growth has hardened off, meaning it's time to start propagating with cuttings and air layers. I follow this guide for cuttings and usually do straight cuttings of this year's growth.

This time, I wanted to try making some mallet cuttings, where the cutting includes not only a stem of this year's growth, but a small portion of last year's growth at the base. I've read this helps with species that are difficult to root from cutting (like korean hornbeam).

The above picture shows how to take one small branch from a parent plant to create 6 new cuttings. Remove all leaves except for the smallest leaves at the tip.

16 Korean hornbeam … cuttings were painted with rooting hormone and placed in a 50/50 soil made of DE/pumice.

The tray was placed in a small popup greenhouse with my tropicals. The tray will stay in the greenhouse, misted daily, until fall. In the fall, they should have some leaves and roots growing, but will stay in the greenhouse all winter for extra winter protection. I was told that moving trays full of cuttings (or strong winds) can cause movement of the cutting in the soil, breaking microscopic root hairs, and causing the cuttings to fail. So these trays absolutely will not be touched or moved until the fall.