Taking cuttings of Rhododenron

[Regelian]

I hope to get a bit of help, as I have two cuttings of Rhododendron I hope to root.  On has a wonderfully wooly indumentum, while the other is a typical garden type evergreen.  Any tricks I should know?  How difficult is it?  I know most are grafted or from seed, but i suspect that cuttings should be possible.

Jamie V.

[johnw]

Jamie

Many of the indumented species can be hard to root especially the Taliensias. Usually you can graft them and one of the best understocks is 'Rosa Regen' for the Taliensias.  'Gartendirektor Rieger' may be a suitable substitute.  Maybe Jens can chime in as this is not the best time of year to be grafting and especially rooting but he's a master of the "emergency graft" as well.

Usually if rooting you must rub the indumentum off the stem to be certain the rooting hormone contacts the wound.  Again I defer to Jens.  He has a bit on grating on his Picasa site  http://picasaweb.google.dk/birck.denmark

johnw

[Lesley Cox]

Agree with John about the woolly ones. I've not been successful with any of those. "Ordinary" ones are usually not too difficult but don't expect it to happen overnight. Some (for me anyway) will take 6 months to root. I find them easier and quicker with bottom heat rather than without. To my shame, I haven't tried grafting - anything.

[Regelian]

John,

what a great foto series!  Thanks.  As I don't have access to any understock, I may have to simply try to root these.  Getting more cuttings will not be a problem as I live near a major collection of Rhododendron with some wonderfull, if unidentified, plants.  I wanted to simply give it a try, as I love Rhodis, but they do not really relish my garden.  I thought I may try a few in pots sunk into the ground or make a special bed.  My soil is a neutral to slightly alkaline sandy clay, which many species tolerate.

Lesley,

you should try bud grafting a rose.  I found this extremely easy.  I have my own tree stemed climber, now, with a variety that I wanted cascading down.

Jamie

[birck]

First a little warning from another German.
From Gerd Krüssmann , Director of the Botanical Gardens
in Dortmund-Brunninghausen (photo 1)
I think its well over exaggerated.

I think You have taken the cuttings a little early.
One month later would be better.
And You probably need some bottom heat and so on.

So You have to start up the hard way (easy).
Try to root some Japanese azaleas at first to get the hang of it.
(photo 2) If You have some success - You are hooked!