Salix (spp.)
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Kasten Dumroese Research Plant Physiologist USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station 1221 S. Main St. Moscow, Idaho 83843 (208) 883-2324 kdumroese@fs.fed.us http://plant-materials.nrcs.usda.gov/copmc/ |
| Family Scientific Name: | Salicaceae | ||
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| Family Common Name: | Willow Family | ||
| Scientific Name: | Salix spp. L. | ||
| Common Name: | Willow | ||
| Species Code: | SALSPP | ||
| Ecotype: | Northern Idaho | ||
| Propagation Goal: | plants | ||
| Propagation Method: | vegetative | ||
| ProductType: | Container (plug) | ||
| Stock Type: | 336 ml (20.5 cu. in) containers | ||
| Time To Grow: | 0 | ||
| Target Specifications: | Height = 41 cm Firm root plug | ||
| Propagule Collection: | We took 150 one-year old rooted cuttings and established a stooling bed at the University of Idaho nursery. After 1 growing season, the bed yielded 4500 microcuttings that rooted at a 99%+ rate. | ||
| Propagule Processing: | Once cut in the field, whips are brought to a storehouse, inspected for disease problems, and cut into 7.5-cm (3-in) lengths with a bandsaw. Material up to 13 mm (0.5 in) diameter may be used if good buds are present. All cut material is placed inside a 1.5 mil plastic bag (64 x 38 x 89 cm [25 x 15 x 35 in]), sealed, and placed into refrigerated storage at 1øC (34øF). | ||
| Pre-Planting Treatments: |
Generally, we strike cuttings in late May to early June. About 3 d before starting, we begin soaking the cuttings in a running tapwater bath, keeping them in the shade. An acceptable cutting must have a healthy-looking bud within the top 2.5 cm (1 in) of the cutting and a second bud somewhere on the cutting. Our experience is that any lower buds generally abort or begin growing and rot away without consequence. |
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| Growing Area Preparation/ Annual Practices for Perennial Crops: |
Cuttings are struck into 336 ml [20.5 cu. in) containers filled with a 1:1 (v:v) Sphagnum peat moss and vermiculite medium . Once struck, the medium is saturated and allowed to drain to field capacity. Containers are placed inside an open-sided, polycarbonate-roofed growing structure. We use traveling boom irrigation. |
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| Establishment Phase: | As soon as leaves begin appearing, we begin fertilizing using Peters Conifer Starter (7N:40P2O5:17K2O; The Scotts Company, Marysville, Ohio) to supply 42 ppm N, and add 1.5 ppm B (Solubor) and 24 ppm MgSO4. Cuttings are fertilized twice per week. | ||
| Length of Establishment Phase: | 2 weeks | ||
| Active Growth Phase: |
After 2 wk, we apply Peters Excel Cal-Mag (15N:5P2O5:15K2O; The Scotts Company, Marysville, Ohio) to supply 114 ppm N twice each week. During the growing season, cuttings are pruned 3 or 4 times, depending on growth and available workers to do the pruning. As soon as shoots reach 20 to 25 cm (8 to 10 in) in height, we prune them back to 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in). We let them grow another 15 cm (6 in) or so, and then remove half of the new growth achieved since the last pruning, repeating this process as needed. In early September, cuttings are pruned the last time to about 41 cm (16 in). |
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| Length of Active Growth Phase: | 4 weeks | ||
| Hardening Phase: | Every other week the cuttings receive 1 dose of Peters Professional Conifer Finisher (4N:25P2O5:35K2O; The Scotts Company, Marysville, Ohio) to supply 24 ppm N. This rotation continues until mid August. Then we alternate Finisher with CAN-17 (liquid calcium ammonium nitrate [17N]) at 77 ppm N for the twice per week fertilization. Because the cuttings are grown in an opensided structure, they receive mostly ambient temperatures-leaves begin turning color and dropping in mid to late October and at that point we stop fertilization. | ||
| Length of Hardening Phase: | 12 weeks | ||
| Harvesting, Storage and Shipping: | In late November after the leaves have dropped, crews extract the rooted cuttings by hand and place 5 inside a 1.8 L, 30 x 60 cm (12 x 24 in) plastic bag. A narrow, self-locking plastic tag printed with species common name is used to seal the bag. Acceptable plants have a firm root system, shoot diameter above the original cutting > 6 mm, and a healthy-looking stem. Because the cuttings have been top-pruned, height is not a factor. Often, cutting shoots extend above the sealed bag. We place 25 bags of seedlings (125 total) inside a stack-and-nest tote box (76 cm long x 51 cm deep x 38 cm wide [30 x 20 x 15 in]). Totes are stacked inside the cooler (1øC [34øF]). | ||
| Length of Storage: | 4 to 5 months | ||
| Other Comments: | Another benefit of using small cuttings is that less stooling bed area is required. By converting to smaller propagules, we were able to drastically reduce the amount of area, labor, and maintenance necessary to produce larger cuttings. | ||
| References: | Dumroese RK, Wenny DL, Morrison SJ. 2003. Propagation protocol for container willows and poplars using mini-cuttings. Native Plants Journal 4: 137-139. | ||
Citation:
Morrison, Susan J.; Wenny, Dave L.; Dumroese, Kasten. 2009. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Salix spp. L. plants 336 ml (20.5 cu. in) containers; USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station Moscow, Idaho. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/07/01). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.
