Propagation class at the nursery today

I'm also posting this in the brug forum...

As part of my Master Gardener class, today we had a "hands on" propagation experience at a popular local nursery that specializes in natives. We were taught that the key with TIP and SOFT WOOD cuttings is to keep them WET until the roots develop. They use a mixture of 50% peat to 50% perlite. The entire trays are submersed in a 10% bleach solution before starting and each cutting is also immersed in a 10% bleach solution prior to dipping in "Dip 'n' Grow", then in the cell. The cuttings are then placed in a bench in a 75 degree GH under a misting system that comes on every 10 minutes until they are rooted! I was so surprised.

Anyway, we each received a 72 cell tray that we could fill with tip cuttings of anything we wanted in the humongous greenhouse. They will keep the trays of cuttings we each planted and let us pick them up in 7-14 days when the roots have formed.

Timing is of the essence. If they are kept wet for too long, they will obviously rot, and if not long enough, they won't make it. They also stated that this is the BEST time of year to start cuttings.

***THIS IS THEIR METHOD FOR ROOTING THE BRUGS THAT THEY SELL***

Thought y'all might find it interesting. I know I sure did. And, I plan to try it when I can find some spare room in my own GH.

Was the peat and perlite also soaked in the 10% bleach?

Yes, I believe so, then allowed to dry, then re-wetted prior to being planted.

WOW! What a great idea to KNOW your using a almost sterile technique to prevent your cuttings from any bacteria of fungi that thrive in such an enviroment. I'm sure its also a means of the GH owners preventing anything from contaminating their GH. Now I know of a new method to help me when I find a plant that tends to have problems rooting. Cover all the bases so to speak.
Thanks, JD

Always happy to share new knowledge to others that might enjoy and/or benefit :)