"Potting on" hardwood cuttings.

I recently took an assortment of hardwood cuttings from my tree, 11 in fact, and planted them all in a large pot (actually a 5litre water bottle with the top chopped off)
I wasn't sure if any of them would root but either way I didn't expect to see anything difference for months. Yesterday, whilst giving them a drop of water I saw a long white root running along the edge of the see-through pot and as I picked it up to look closer I saw another big one that had found its way out of one of the drainage holes.
I was very surprised they had come so far so quickly; I took the cuttings mid-December.
I believe it is now time to move them into individual pots where they can grow better and I believe it was Kristen who said in another thread that she waits until the roots reach the bottom of a pot before moving them on to bigger pots.

It all seems straight forward to you I'm sure but I'm not sure how to handle the plants with what must be delicate roots at this stage. A few weeks ago I pulled one of the cuttings out to see if it had any roots and it had a root about an inch big, when I looked yesterday it didn't have any; I had obviously damaged it re-planting.]

So how can I move the plants into other pots without breaking off their roots? Should I dig as much of the compost out first or carefully pull them upwards? Is there a trick to it that I've yet to come across?

Many thanks. HBK.

 

Hi HBK
No need to be to hasty with potting ..
Like Kristen says let them get well rooted before potting . I would leave till later spring then when ready give them a watering and allow them to drain so compost is not soaking but moist. With a smaller pot you would turn them upside down with your fingers through the cuttings they should then come out of the pot .they may require a gentle tap .. Not quite so easy with bigger container but can be done . If you only used old water container you could cut it down the sides .Once out just gentle tease plants apart and pot up ..Water well and shade for a few days .

Dave

 

If you took the cuttings in December then I reckon they aren't ready for potting on yet - they will still be fragile.

Actually I'm surprised that hardwood cuttings taken then have rooted well already - what sort of tree was it?

and are the cuttings in leaf? I think I would want them to put on some top growth before potting-on - and if they are deciduous that will mean waiting for the Spring.

(and to save your blushes its "he" rather than "she" )

 

Cutting the pot down the side seems like an excellent solution, thank you.

I'm sorry, I just took a guess with your gender, no offence meant. :gnthb:

I was surprised they'd rooted so quickly too and to answer your question they were taken from a fairly young pear tree. No, no leaves on the cuttings at all, I would assume you're going to recommend I wait until there are some? :D

 

"I would assume you're going to recommend I wait until there are some?"

I reckon that's best (unless folk here have other opinions).

Normally for hardwood cuttings which are planted outdoors (so not really much of a like-for-like example!) the advice is to leave them in-situ until the following Autumn.

I definitely think they should be making new growth under their own steam before you pot them on. If they are in a decent amount of soil (sounds like it if they are in the remains of a 5L Pop bottle) then they won't be about to run out of soil space. Give them a weak liquid feed when they start to come into leaf - they'll use up the nutrients quite quickly. Continue that until you pot them on, then treat them as normal after that (you still need to feed them, but the compost you put them into will have some nutrients that will usually keep them going for the first 4 - 6 weeks).

Nothing strong though, otherwise you will burn the tender new roots. For example, 10% of normal dose, but done at every watering, or every other watering, will be fine, and weak enough not to upset anything (but sufficient to stop them starving!)

 

"I would assume you're going to recommend I wait until there are some?"
I reckon that's best (unless folk here have other opinions).

I would agree with Kristen on repotting ,it will certainly give them time to build up a good root system ..