Deciduous cuttings right now - 1/2 perlite to 1/2 peat moss. A friend of mine uses a tall box and covers the top (humidity is needed) with a large tupperware lid. For that matter, you could use a cargo type tupperware bottom plus top. Also, you want to use wood that is turning from soft to hard - you'll notice there's a little red coloration at this specific point. That's what you want obviously as I speak to myself while I write.

Under a shade tree is perfect. I'm grafting right now and I keep my Maples under a shade tree.

Rooting should occur rather quickly (2 weeks or so).

Some conifers can be rooted at this time of year as well. Thuja especially.

Also and very important, you only want to take your cuttings early in the morning when it's cool outside and only after you've had sufficient rainfall. Taking cuttings during drought is nearly impossible.

Good luck!

Dax

Right now, in the GH, under mist, I have cuttings of Salix Hakuru Nishiki, White Beautyberry, Leptodermis oblonga, Bouvardia longofolia, Odontonema callistachyum, Juanulloa aurantiaca, Breynia disticha 'Roseo-picta', Passiflora edulis 'McCain', Jasminum x stephanense, Jasminum polyanthum, Muntingia calabura, 18 different species of Hoyas, and probably half a dozen other things I can't remember right now. I have in past years also rooted Magnolias, Viburnums, Hibiscus, and many others. This is a great time of year to do it.

Thanks to everyone for the advice!

Vic

I have this Harbor Freight 6x8 and the temps are way above 100 F. No way to root stuff. That's with a shade cloth too.

As to cuttings I should have said earlier that juvenile wood is very important. That's why growers keep stock plants. If a person were to let the plants age significantly, the chances of rooting go down significantly.

greenhouser, here's what Dirr says for (Evergreen) Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora:

"Cutting propagation is the preferred method for this species. The importance of bottom heat, sanitation and the use of fungicides has been stressed. One report mentioned the use of Clorox treated metal flats, for the months of July and August (September) are the optimum for cutting propagation, although reports have noted successful cutting propagation into November. Take terminal cuttings, 4.5 to 8" long, treat with 3000 or 5000 ppm IBA0talc and place under mist with bottom heat (75 to 80 F).........wounding has been re ported to promote rooting and the leaves are not reduced in size. A range of rooting media, including vermiculite, perlite, sand, sand and perlite, have been used. When using the bottom heat (80F) it is important to keep the cuttings well watered. Fungicides such as Captan, have been used as a cutting dip prior to sticking followe dby a fungicide spray every 2 weeks. A soluble fertilizer applicatoin at the time of callus formation and rooting also has been reported to improve subsequent cutting development. Roots are brittle and coarse, and care is necessary to prevent root damage which will retard cutting growth."
(Dirr 'The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation' From Seed to Tissue Culture - Second Edition 2006) - This book is worth its weight in gold.

The same set-up I above described will do just as well. A plain old tupperware bin sealed and under a shade tree. Dappled light to indirect light to full shade/mostly shade is perfect for those without all the nice misters and greenhouses - etc.

Dax

Dax has quoted Dirr, I don't know that you can get much more help than that! Thanks, Dax. I agree, you really have to watch the temps in the little houses. Greenhouser, it cannot hurt to give it a try.

Vic, if by pink smoke bush you are talking about Cotinus coggygria (sp?) I should mention that it is really hard to propagate from cuttings. I have never been able to do it. You might look at layering.

PS: Nice house Dax!

Also, when doing cuttings should I use a little cutting?
Does size matter? (talking about plants! lol)

And, I know people say it can get too hot in a greenhouse to root, but doesn't it also get pretty hot on the plants wrapped in plastic with no air circulation?

Thanks for all the info!
Vic

Thanks a lot Stressbaby. I tell ya, it really is a heck of a house (will be).

Dirr on Cotinus coggygria (that's your pink-blooming commonly sold in nurseries species):

"Rooting cuttings is not difficult but overwintering successfully is another story. Cuttings have been direct stuck in pots, in flats, greenhouse benches and in outdorr ground beds with 80 to 100 percent success. Key to success includes using softwood, actively-growing cuttings in June (preferably), 4 to 6" long, 1000 to 3000 ppm IBA-solution, well drained medium, mist, rooting takes place in 4 to 8 weeks. Early JUne, 'Royal Purple' (Iowa) rooted 86 percent, while late July (Iowa) rooted 33 percent using 1425 ppm IBA plus 1425 ppm NAA and 40 ppm B (H3BO3). Cuttings must be overwinted without disturbance and transplanted in spring. Transplanting immediately after rooting resulted in 70 percent and great losses. One grower overwinters rooted cuttings in 33 to 38F storage. Hormone is definitely needed to to produce vigorous root systems. In one study, 8000 to 10,000 ppm IBA talc proved optimum. 2percent IBA0talc burned the cuttings. Untreated cuttings rooted similarly to 8000 and 10,000 ppm IBA cuttings (80-90 percent) but had only one or two stringy roots. Hardwood cuttings of 'Royal Purple', early December, treated with Jiffy Grow, rooted 100 percent. Successful handling after rooting was problematic. Other instances of hardwood cuttings were reported but success was variable."
(Dirr 'The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation' From Seed to Tissue Culture - Second Edition 2006)

And Vic, get my mind out of the gutter ya fool! lol oops!

Take care,

Dax

Oh, both GHs have fans for HAF and the Rion has one on the floor blowing up - but that one will have to go once the last plant tables are out there. It's in the way and the roof is too low to hang it overhead. I may try a smaller less thick one to get the heat moving........

From last year:

Another:

Cuttings potted up:

I do take requests and love to trade...anybody?

Greenhouser, I can't remember, do you have an exhaust fan? Size an exhaust fan at cfm = double your volume (one air exchange every 30 seconds) and your temps will plummet. Email me, I might be able to help you with the misters.

Dax, I couldn't ever even get the darn Cotinus rooted! Who has 10000 ppm IBA lying around, anyway? ;-)

SB

I buy my rooting products (I use 8000 on everything but again I deal with woody plants only) from OBC Northwest. I use the line of Hormex products. Hormex makes #'s 1,3,8,16,45. #1 = 1000 ppm IBA and so on.

I know that's not what you mean, but that's how I'm able to add to this thread.

Dip n' Grow as a diluted producted is actually better according to my professional sources. Most of these growers use 1 to 10 parts as a dilution rate. I don't know the full strenght of this product, but it probably is quite strong. Plus, I think the powder products aren't as good; Dip n' Grow would be #1 on my list followed by the line of Hormex products.

OBC is a wholesale company, but anyone can purchase from them if they were to meet the company's minimum. A pound of Hormex I checked was about 15 bucks and that alone meets a minimum.

Here's also a link from the Home Page for Hormex which details what each strengh is used on (some) specific plants. I'm sure a person might be able to step outside the lines and (choose) which product based on the current information they supply.

I'm finished trading for the year, but not next! I'll think of you come about this time, next year. June is the month I do all my trading! Things are potted up so they have full-root systems each June in my climate and I do this based upon information a conifer grower has told me about his own operation.

Anybody who wished to discuss grafting ever, just send me an email or post a thread.

Thanks Stressbaby for the offer.

Dax

Stressbaby, Yes, I seen that post. What a rude ------ that person was. I almost didn't post my ? because of that. I wasn't sure if I should post it here or on the plant propagation forum. You guys have helped me a lot. And if a GW user doesn't like the "topic" they don't have to read the thread!
As far as trading, I have some smoke bush cuttings, lol
Please tell me that is not heavenly bamboo. I tried that too and it's not looking very good either.

Vic

For anyone in Zns 5-6, how early can you get use out of a gh if it is not heated?

Vic

Do you have a pond? I have many extra aquatics including 'Helvola' a tiny yellow waterlily.

No, I don't have an exhaust fan but it appears I need one desperately. The frame of a Rion is plastic and we're kind of lost as to how to install it. We would also need to get a vent for near the floor to let the cooler air in and remove the auto-vents or the fan would just suck air from the nearest roof vent, not the floor vent.

Misters: due to the solid limestone between the waterline and GHs, there is no way to get water to it. Because even a few expensive hoses have split on us over the years my husband doesn't want any hoses left with the water pressure turned on. We don't have a well so it's costly when a hose pops. I was hoping the shade cloth would make it cooler and it did, but it still hits 105F when the sun is directly on it. Without the cover it would hit 120F.

I was once there myself!

Gotta run, am going to my new home being built... today's payday.

See ya all,

Dax

You could run a hose to the GH and put the mister valve/timer at the house. Then the hose would not remain pressurized, and you could roll the whole thing up in the fall.

There has to be a way of framing in an exhaust fan. Post some pics and maybe we can work it out.

Thanks for the Hormex info, Dax! Does IBA really come in 45000 ppm?!? Guys, let me tell you, Dax knows his conifers. For most of my cuttings I use off the shelf rooting hormone powder or 250-1000 IBA quickdip. Occasionally on harder to root things I'll go to 5000 IBA quickdip, but eventually as you go up you have to start adding alcohol to the solution.

Vic, do a search for posts by Chris_in_IA and you will probably find your answer regarding when you can open your GH without heat. Or you could email him. He hasn't posted much lately. (Hope I got his user name spelled right...) That is not heavenly bamboo. And I think a GH with a large deciduous tree to the west might be ideal. There are many, many posts regarding foundations, you may want to search. I spray lots of water around my GH and I have good drainage through the floor. I would worry a little bit about the drainage in a GH with a concrete floor, but depending on your needs, it could work.

Buyorsell888, you have mail.

This thread is all over the map, but it's fun.

I cannot seem to access your email through the "my page" link. Try emailing me. I may just have some plants for you.

SB

I think that framing an exhaust fan in heavy plastic would be the same as for aluminum, etc -. I also can't understand why a Rion Greenhouse doesn't have a pre-made kit for assembling such. There has to be one specifically made for that nice of a house.

I'm in the same boat as you. Money walks but I'm not walking. With time, you can save to get what you need. There's no way you should have a greenhouse without exhaust fans and shutters to pull airflow through (and water). I'd guess you'd be losing for the positive approximately 20 degrees of heat with proper air flow. After all, a greenhouse is designed to be used year-round. As per misters should you get that far at some point in time, you'll want to have them set at misting every 30 minutes (for propagation) with such a light misting, that water droplets don't stick on your plant material. And even though 50/50 perlite to peat is a common growing medium, a person should researh what media is best-suited for each plant being propagated.

Another important product I use is called Consan 20 which is a combination fungicide and algaecide. When the top of your potting media contains green junk or your plants show any signs of blighting, this product should be used. My friend uses a wholesale product which is less toxic called Zerotol, but I've only seen it sold wholesale and it's over 100 bucks at a crack. Either of these may be used to in addition, sanitize your greenhouse (clean), as well.

Not much contribution, but I'm too enjoying this conversation so much, I wish to keep it moving along.

Nice folks around here. I'll have to stop in more often.

Take care of yourself!

Dax

Dax

The links to mail through Garden Web aren't working.

My email is my username@comcast.net

My husband is now semi-retired and will retire in less than a year so we have to watch our spending.

Dax, thanks for all the support!
I'm trying grafting now, I cut the top off a small poplar tree and duct taped the cotinus c. to it, and put a garbage bag over it. My neighbors think I'm crazy! LOL

Oh, I did learn one thing on here. DON'T check the little box to have all the posts sent to your email! ooops :)

Vic

I wonder if something like this would work for your fan. You might be able to skip the wall anchor altogether and just screw it in.

Maybe if you measure those openings for us, we can help find a fan.

You would still have to seal a hole one place or another. I think the standard 20" box fan is rated at around 1500 cfm.

OK, I'm taking the cooking spaghetti approach, tossing everything at the fridge to see what sticks. Does anything stick? ;-)

Greetings to Dax...Love the house, man. :)

Just a thought,

Dave
Milwaukee

Things are coming along quite beautifully.

From yesterday, July 7.

Greenhouse to be tucked under this south-facing deck:

Front of home (West Facing) and wrap-around (South Facing):

Living Room Going Up - The home might be finished mid-August or thereabouts (Late August I was told):

Dax

Yes we looked at them. They're quite small, only about 8" in diameter. It's going to take a hole a lot larger than that to cool a 8.6 X 16.6' GH. To be effective the fan would have to be right up to the vent and there's no space to attach a fan, especially a large one. Blowing the heat towards the roof vents, would be similar to what you're describing - doesn't work. I tried that already.

YOU SAID: "You can get a saws all at harbor freight for $20.00 to make the hole, then file it smooth if you need to. And just drill holes in the gh to hold it in."

Our GH is the Rion so the frame isn't level with the polycarb like on a HFGH. The frame for any vent or fan attached to the frame would be set back from the polycarb.

YOU SAID: "Yeah, it may be redneck, lol, but it would be a lot cheaper. You can pick up little box fans at rite aid, cvs, or walmart pretty cheap and they would be light enough to hang from your ceiling."

We already have two small fans hanging from the ceiling that we walk into constantly because the ceiling is so low. But they're for HAF and don't suck in fresh cooler air. They just push the hot air around. I put a 20" box fan just outside the doors blowing in which help a little, but it'll short out if it rains. Actually the safety thing will shut it off. The fan would be ruined. So I can only use it when I'm home. I really need an expensive large exhaust fan and matching vent at the other end. But there are two problems... where and how to install it - and the price.

YOU SAID: "I didn't know what a good deal I got on my vent fan till I tried looking it up on the internet to show you it. There are the little slats on it like you said, but yes, they are over $100.00! eeek! If I weren't using it I would just mail it to you."

Money is becoming an issue now because my husband is semi-retired and will be be fully retired in less than a year. Neither of us have pensions. We had to replace the side deck this spring as it was only meant to be temporary and was there for 10 years. The money always went for something else. You know how that goes. In the past 3 years the fridge died, the microwave died, the washing machine blew it's motor.... on and on it went.

Lynn

I saved the pic to show my husband as he would be the one doing the work.

That box fan comes with shutters. I'm guessing it's the same fan used for attics in homes. Very common.

Framing whether it's level or not is always entirely possible. You need a level, the hardware, caulk; maybe this glazing material Dave suggested, etc - those are good diagrams stressbaby drew up. Just moving air around in a greenhouse with a fan doesn't do very much work. You need to exchange the air (replace it). All this takes is a sturdy frame and you guys will figure a way to achieve this. I had a young kid at Radio Shack hand me something yesterday and said, "you'll figure it out and if you don't you can always call me." You're relying on common sense for the most part. And, saving a buck where possible.

The weight of the fan, the stength of the new frame, that's what you're seeking to accomplish. If you guys are able to tilt the fan a little too in order to aim it toward the floor shutters, that too is a real good idea for sure.

Thanks Dave. We're chillin' here in Rock Island but I'm moving 40 miles south to a little farming community called Aledo in Illinois still.

For those of you that didn't see my previous photo on another thread, this is what I'm adding in addition to the deck which is pretty much a big shade cloth itself. My mom put a window in the basement south wall that can be utilized to exchange cool air from the basement and so I can see in the greenhouse from down there too. The window doesn't take up any greenhouse wall room whereas a sliding glass door would have. I walk outside from a slider door, a little sink will be right in the basement corner (illegally) - as it will drain right outside onto a hillside so I can wash off, and that's about it.

It's gonna be swank!

Later,

Dax

Dave
Milwaukee

But this is one of the reasons I opted for the HFGH. It seemed to be most like standard aluminum greenhouse construction.

Dave
Milwaukee

The best reflective shade cloth is called Temptrol and it reflects 95% of the heat. That is better reflectivity than even radiant barrier paint. In a hot climate, have it with the foil side facing out, and in a cold climate, have it with the foil side facing in to keep the heat in. It's also permaible for air and moisture. Go to the link and they will send you a free sample.