Autumn Clematis rooting quandary........

I have successfully rooted clematis in water in the past. Upon promising to do the same for trade, I'm UNsuccessful and stumped!! I got roots in spring, and have had cuttings in water & soil for the entire summer with no success. I DO have new growth and vining starting, but NO roots. I just don't get it.........anybody??

MKJ

Anybody? I've got a friend waiting patiently for this stuff to ROOT!!

=) MKJ

There's another thread or two on this....

Can't remember who suggested it, but try layering the clematis into pots of moist potting mix, burying every other node along the vine. When the roots start coming out the bottom of the pot, cut the vine so every pot has a leaf node that's not buried as well as one that is.

I'm trying this same technique with snail vine at the moment (V. caracalla)...

Aha, here's the link.... just a little way down the page...

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/476814/

Hi MKJ...

Don't ya just hate it when things like this happen? I speak from experience.

I referred to my new book, Plant Propagation by the American Horticultural Society. It has absolutely the best information on the subject. First, I strongly suggest that you try to get a look at this book, because it has great photos and will show you exactly what to do.

Second, I will try to give you the info, but am not very good at describing...OK?

Quoting directly from the book:

"Leaf-bud cuttings can be taken from softwood and semi-ripe shoots. They are prepared in the same way, but cuttings of softwood are taken from spring to midsummer and of semi-ripe wood from mid- to late summer. They all root well, but semi-ripe cuttings need less humidity. For large-leaved softwood cuttings, for example in some of the Clematis montana cultivars, reduce the cutting to a single leaf to avoid overcrowding and botrytis. Pot rooted semi-ripe cuttings in spring. C. armandii and its cultivars root well from semi-ripe or hardwood cuttings taken in midwinter 4-6 weeks before new growth starts and inserted in rockwood plugs. Each cutting must have a well-formed bud. Apply hormone rooting compound and keep humid with 54-59 degrees bottom heat. Once rooted, pot and grow on the cuttings in a moist atmosphere."

In the illustration, they show what a "well-formed bud" is. At the point of the stem where the leaf grows outward, you will note little buds just above the leaf's stem. These should be fairly good sized, and clearly identifiable as buds - in fact they should look like they are about to "open" or grow. The cutting is small...taken a couple of inches below the leaf, and cut about 1/4" above the strong buds. Only one set of leaves is left on the cutting, and those are cut back by a third.

Please ask me to clarify what doesn't make sense.

Hope this helps...!

Tracy