http://www.edibleacres.org
Very simple work flow offered here to take root cuttings of woody perennials (and most likely from a much wider range of plants) and help them begin the process of forming new roots and shoots to grow as copies or clones of the parent plant.
In this video we show Shipmast Black Locust root cuttings being processed and set into decent quality potting media to then be stored at warm (70F, 25C, roughly) conditions for a month or more to stimulate callousing and new roots and shoots to form. This is the primary step to get things going, and will allow for the rootlets to then be planted on to garden context or nursery context early in the growing season. The second step can be seen in the video linked below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5tE-VeeW-k&ab_channel=EdibleAcres – From a year before, but shows how the containers of sprouted root segments look after a few months of warmth. Amazing growth and potential and easy to set out into nursery beds to expand and grow!
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Edible Acres is a full service permaculture nursery located in the Finger Lakes area of NY state. We grow all layers of perennial food forest systems and provide super hardy, edible, useful, medicinal, easy to propagate, perennial plants for sale locally or for shipping around the country…
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We also offer consultation and support in our region or remotely. http://www.edibleacres.org/services
Happy growing!
30 Comments
Black Locust is a favourite tree I plant on the farm, they have so many good uses.
Our locusts send out soo many surface roots, there are miles of propagation material under our feet. We always turned them sideways to get them started, but its interesting to know what the correct orientation is .. if I could ever figure out WHICH tree sent those roots!
Note: The description has more info as well as a link to a video showing how the roots look after a few months and how we plant them out…
Good to know, thanks for sharing 👍 I just stuck a bunch of yew today. Got lots more to do Still.
Holy Cats! That's one big kitty
Does this work with elderberry roots?
It's there an advantage to rooting roots instead of cuttings?
Hi! How moist do you keep the soil when it is by the heat source over the next few months?
Would LOVE to hear more about your propagating methods with elderberry and currants. I've been interested in them recently, especially the native currants around here in the pacific northwest.
I, too, have a nice strain of straight black locust, but I propagate it in a much lazier way.
Every time I cut one down, a ton of them just shoot up from the earth in a 30ft radius from the one I cut.
I expect there will be a ton of little shoots after my new post hole digger shows up and I expand the chicken yard with homegrown locust posts.
Hey, because of this channel, I cut some apple and pear cuttings from my backyard and put them in a tub full of dirt with a heat mat underneath. Checked a few today and ROOTS!! Definitely looking forward to planting them out or gifting them. Do you know if frost is critical for planting them outside?
Thanks for all the info!
Thanks for sharing!
Another helpful thing when cutting your roots is to cut the bottom of cutting at an angle, so that if orientation is lost you'll know the right way by the slight angle of the cut, rather than the straight cut of the top. Haven't tried trees but love taking root cuttings for herbaceous perennials.
Are you growing the black locust for future lumber production?
have y'all experimented with sumac propagation through root cuttings? winged or staghorn?
Thanks for sharing 😊
Thank you for sharing this information with us
Thanks Sean, Sasha and Juan!
Always love your content. I have finally this year started rooting cuttings. So jealous of your wood 🪵 stack in the background. Haha!
Love your channel new subscriber! Also here in new York and would love to get my hands on some of your shipmast locust! Will you have some for sale this spring?
Is there a list somewhere that you would recommend of plants that can reliably be propagated utilizing this method? Love this propagation content as always!
🙌. I was worried about the orientation all day yesterday for no reason
Does this work with thornless honey locust as well? I want to propagate thornless honey locust because of the children in the orchard
I've done this successfully for years now, with elderberry & gooseberry, mostly in late summer/fall. The tip here to add a heat source, "tomato temp," was super helpful for me now, as I plan to prop more of them soon/yet this spring! I'm in Lansing, MI, 5b & I so love the similar work we do!! Thank you so much for sharing.
Very interested in your Shipmast locust cuttings, but your offering page says you’re all sold out! Love the video content, but disappointed with the non-existent offering. Or did I miss something?
Wondering if I should go look for a black locust I can propagate from, even though they aren't native here. Seems like such a crazy tree with a ton of utility just a tad nervous if it will turn invasive.
if you have any extra, would love to add it to me order!
I like seeing Juan as more than a mystery person in the background
When will these be back in stock on the website?
Thank you for producing, sharing and being honest.