Hello everyone, I read that fall is a great time to take juniper cuttings. Is this to mean that they root over winter or do they just sit there until spring? Also, in Vancouver, when would be "fall" as far as junipers are concerned? I understand that as far as trees go, they are late to start in spring and late to stop in fall. Is now the best time to take cuttings or should I wait another month or so? Michael
I have rooted junipers in fairly heavy soil. I don't remember the time of year but it was from a broken branch I picked up in a nursery (with permission!), so timing was sure not perfect. Let's just say I don't think they're fussy. And also, if you have access to stock, why not try a couple of cuttings now, and a couple a month from now? Nothing to lose, really.
Wow! sorry i didn't see that anyone finally responded to my post. I've already taken the cuttings. My mix is equal parts peat/vermiculite/perlite. Worked really well for the cuttings I took in spring. The real questions of the post were weather or not the cuttings will root by late fall, over winter, or do nothing until spring when it warms up and then put out roots.
Cypress family conifers with indeterminate growth such as junipers might make a little top growth even during cool parts of the year. With one series of testing of related Alaska cedar it was found greatest number of "takes" was in April. Typically with conifer cuttings you stick them during a time thought suitable and then wait a bit for results, it could be some months before active top growth makes it clear some of the cuttings are going to amount to something. Groundcover and shrubby types of junipers much more readily rooted than tree-form kinds, which may have to be grafted or grown from seed.
Thanks Ron. All of the cuttings I took are of the lower growing varieties (Sabina, Chinesis, and procumbines nana). Heel cuttings from 2-4" long. I dipped them in #1 hormone because I lost the stronger stuff but I had a number of spring cuttings strike with no hormone at all so I just took lots of cuttings as a safety. One thing I like about fall cuttings is that, given the change in the weather, I'll likely never have to water them. Michael
This was the second summer I had my juniper cuttings in the pot, I must have taken them in early 2006. They showed no top growth until late this summer. I think they are 'Tortulosa.' So you may have to water them for one summer.
The upright Junipers root with more difficulty, cuttings are usually taken in late fall and rooted over the winter in a greenhouse. A temperature of at least 60 degrees F (16C) and high humidity are necessary. A mixture of perlite and peat moss (50/50) is a good medium. Additional light aids in the rooting. Creeping and spreading Juniper varieties, when layered, often root the same season, and nearly all may be propagated from cuttings, through some varieties root better that others. Native kinds can be started from seeds gathered and planted in the fall. Seed germination is spotty, so more should be planted to allow for this, and some varieties may take up to two years to germinate. Stratification is necessary for seeds not planted as soon as they are ripe. - Millet
