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Plant Propagation SD1 Learner Instructions

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Semi-hardwood cuttings of Hypericum and Purple Smoke 

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Semi-hardwood cuttings of Hypericum and Purple Smoke 

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Mix of MPC and Perlite (50/50 mix)

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Semi-hardwood clippings cut aprox 6", dipped in root powder and placed in to MPC mix

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Clippings cut approx 6", dipped in Rhizopon AA 0.5% root powder and placed in to MPC mix
Leaves have been clipped to encourage more new growth

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Pots put into tray, watered, labeled (date planted with the name of plants) and p) ced on to the heat bench

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Soil profile Killylastin 5/11/20Large leylandii trees around this site. 25+ yrs30

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Soil profile Killylastin 5/11/20Large leylandii trees around this site. 25+ yrs30

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36inches for a clear soil profile

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Almost 4inches

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Compact looking, moist to touch but crumbles. Lots of roots visable

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More orange colour, indicating an iron content. With no roots visible

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Silty loam with a pH of 5.5 and ec of 182

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Donegal Etb approx 25m altitude. Lots of surface water on the site, this may indicate water logging

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24 inches

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9 inches of top soil and a small layer of OM

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Large parts of orange, lots of iron, visible in the soil. Very wet. With the inspection of the surface it indicates water logging.

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Little to no drainage.

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pH of 5.6 and CE of 324

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1. Remove leftover debris with a dry scrub

2. Clean with soap & rinse with water

3. Sanitization

4. Let them dry

Sanitation is an easy way to prevent seedling blight* and other diseases such as fungus and mold. There are probably many people who believe that these diseases are associated merely with dirty and unsterilized soil. However, lack of cleaning and not disinfecting your equipment can contribute to plant failure. If you leave your trays with residual roots, plants, and medium, it can get stuck in your trays. This leftover dirt can harbor bacteria, and over time that can cause fungus to grow.

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Soaking peas and sunflower microgreen seeds. The seeds were soaked for a few hours before planting to help break the dormancy of them.

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Microgreen sown on 27/10 by hand, used MPC and Perlite (50/50 mix). The trays were stacked with an empty tray with two blocks on top to keep pressure on them so the seed would always be in contact with the soil.
They are on the heat bench in the poly tunnel @ 22 degrees. When the seeds germinate and produce a shoot the trays are unstacked and placed in to a growbag tray with capillary matting, which will fit 4 seed trays. This will ensure the trays are watered from below and reduce any mold pressure. A fan was placed at the heat bench to increase airflow and reduce disease pressure, this prevented excess water on the plants.
If there are some mold spots on the microgreens a diluted H202 solution can be used to control it. Simply mixing  hydrogen peroxide with water at a rate of 1:10.
Hydrogen peroxide is seen as an environmentally safe alternative to chlorine-based bleaches, as it degrades to form oxygen and water and it is generally recognized as safe as an antimicrobial agent by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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The seeds were soaked for a few hours before planting to help break the dormancy of them. Using the soil blocker and the 80% peat compost, already heavily decomposed, it contains humus and wont break down further during the growing process making it very stable. Blocks will stick together and keep their shape. The remainded of the substrate is composed of high quality composted green waste which adds nutrients. (mixed with water to help them hold their shape) to create the soil blocks in which one seed was planted in each. The holes were covered with the remaining compost and water mix, a layer of vermiculite was spread on them and the tray was put on the heat bench. As the root develops the soil block can be potted up in to a single 1ltr pot, this will help the roots develop further before planting out to the beds outside.

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Some seeds, e.g. Agapanthus., have hard seed coats which prevent moisture being absorbed by the seed. All that is needed is for the outer surface to be scratched or abraided to allow water to pass through. This can be achieved by chipping the seed with a sharp knife at a part furthest away from the 'eye', by rubbing lightly with sandpaper. These were placed in a 9cm pot of compost and topped with gravel, watered to field capacity and placed in to the heat propagator @25°.

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Parsnip seed can be stubborn to germinate but using a seed that is 'primed' so the germination process has already been partly started in a controlled environment. This gives the seed the ability to germinate in less than ideal conditions at a higher, faster and more uniform rate. The seed is also graded to a uniform size to make it easier to handle & sow.

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The reasons for pricking out are to eliminate competition between the various seedlings and to space the plants further apart from each other.

Plants crammed together for too long end up tall and drawn as they fight to get to the light. In the process of this struggle, they support themselves on one another. When it comes to prick them out, they have no stability and fall over.
A celled tray filled with compost and used to transplant the

Nicotiana seedlings. These will be potted in to single 1ltr pots as the roots develop.

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Black polyethene was removed from beds.   Checked for any Arthurdendyus triangulatus, when found they were disposed of. The beds were flame weeded and broad forked. A chicken manure fertilizer was added t the beds at 250g pre m² along with a mix of worm cast.
The beds were power harrowed and a mix of "Orla" and "Coleen" were used to fill two beds of each cultivar.

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Fill a 9cm pot with compost, top with gravel and water to field capacity. Carefully place the Primula seed on top of the gravel. Primula seedlings need light and air to germinate. Leave the lot in a shady place outdoors. Inspect regularly and water as necessary. Do not allow the compost to dry out. primrose sprout within three weeks. Most of the species need natural freezing and thawing to get them started so it's important to sow as early as possible.

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Once seeds germinate, they need light, moisture, air, and warmth. To prepare them for their permanent home, the goal over the next few weeks is to establish a strong root system and stocky, leafy top-growth. Gradually move them from the perfect conditions in which they sprouted to the relatively unprotected environment of the garden while providing healthy growing conditions all along. This process is known as hardening off.

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The Laurel hedge was cut back to 1m high and roughly 2ft wide.
The cuttings were taken for propagation.
Using a mix of MPC and Perlite (50/50), 0.8% rooting powder we removed the stem to the last node and the dominate tips to promote new growth

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Remove the stem just above the third set of leaves – the cutting should be around 2”-3” in length. Always cut just below a leaf joint (node) using a very sharp knife (take the cutting under the node as this contains the greatest concentration of hormone).
Using Rhizopon 0.8%, used for softwood cuttings for propagation, dip the base of the cutting in to the powder.
Taking a 1ltr pot filled with compost, place the cutting in to the pot.

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Make cuttings at least 3 inches (7.5 cm.) long and remove the bottommost leaves. (Note: Pinching off the tip of cuttings will also promote bushier plants) As with most cuttings, making an angled cut will allow for better nutrient absorption and make rooting easier. We used Rhizopon AA 0.5%, rooting hormone and then potted into moist potting soil with a perlite mix, 50/50. Placed into a shady but well-lit area, keeping it warm and moist. Hardwood cuttings can be taken in fall and treated the same way. You should begin to notice root development on your butterfly bush cuttings within a few weeks.

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Here is a jamboard as a class we put together induced mutation through exposure to radiation
I picked the Binadeshipat 2, not only are the leaves edible but it is used to make twine.

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As long as the soil is warm and moist, seed can be sown and it will germinate quickly, April - June or September.
Power harrow the beds in advance to allow the soil to settle
Cover over the roughly dug bed with plastic or a double layer of fleece to suppress weeds and, in early spring, to help warm up the soil. When you are ready to sow, uncover the bed. Use a rake to level the surface and create a crumble-like tilth. Then pick off any remaining weeds and debris. Place a cane or stake across the bed and lightly push it into the surface. This will create a straight drill (shallow depression). Draw out drills with a small hoe or the corner of a rake. Add water to the row before sowing.  This is usually better than watering over the top of sown seeds. Thinly scatter the seed into the bottom of the drill. Don’t be over enthusiastic, as plants will need thinning to the spacing recommended on the seed packet. A finger width apart is usually right for small seeds. Use a rake to gently cover the seeds with soil, filling the drill back in again. Before you forget where the row is and what you’ve sown, place a label in the soil at one end. Cover the patch with a single layer of fleece. Use a spade to push the edges of the fleece into the ground to ensure it doesn’t blow away. Remember to water in dry spells

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What You Will Need

Winter weather (all wood should be dormant)

Grafting knife

Rootstock and scion of the same size, a quarter up to a half inch. Scion has at least three healthy buds

String and plastic tape or sealing wax

Making the Whip-And-Tongue Graft

1. Sharpen your knife. It must be as sharp as possible for this graft. If it is dull you will attempt to make the cut by increasing the force you apply, which will increase your risk of slipping. A dull knife is more likely to turn as it passes through the wood, making a wavy cut. Be sure it is sterilized before and after use.

2. In one stroke make a long, smooth cut angling across an internode at the top of the rootstock to create an oval face about one inch long, or longer if your wood is thicker. When doing this, hold the wood tightly in one hand and your knife tucked tight in four fingers of your cutting hand, with that hand’s thumb stuck straight out. The cut is a single, straight pulling motion, pulling sideways across your chest and away from your hand holding the wood. None of your fingers move from the position during the cut, thus keeping your thumb in front of and out of the way of the knife.

3. Make a cut of the same length and angle across the base of the scion.

4. Check that these cuts match. Place these cuts against each other now and see that they line up well, having the same angle and a straight, not wavy, face. When placed against each other, there should not be air gaps or exposed inner wood. If there is a problem, now is the time to try to correct it with recutting.

1. Make the tongues. This is the difficult and dangerous cut. Starting about 1/3 of the way down from the tip of your wood, you must cut into the face. Your cut should be straight, about half the length of the first cut, and parallel to the first cut. Make the same cut in both scion and rootstock. When completed, the two pieces can be fit together in an interlocking manner.

2. Slide the scion and stock together to interlock. The tongues will fit snugly together and the wood’s natural tension should hold the graft tightly, with minimal or no air space between the pieces of wood. If the thicknesses are slightly different do not center the scion. Rather, offset it to make sure one of the two sides line up smoothly.

3. Bind and seal the graft by wrapping it tightly top-to-bottom twine covered with plastic tape or sealing wax.

4. Follow up with general aftercare until the union fully takes.

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Using pallets to keep plants off the ground, this will help in keeping pests like slugs from the plants and also allow more drainage and some air pruning of the roots

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A bed at the back door of the training centre. Before being weeded, after being weeded and finally mulch added.
Taraxicum officinale, Chamaenerion angustifolium and Ranunculus repens were the most common perennial weeds found.

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A selection of crop sown using the 4 way seeder in polytunnel 2 in the training centre.
This allowed us to sow a closer density with up to 12 rows per bed. It should be noted that not all the seeds we used performed well at this density, some done better with less rows.

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Decongestion and weeding a Narcissus and Crocosmia bed

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Decongestion and weeding a Narcissus and Crocosmia bed

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Narcissus and Crocosmia (both unknown cultivar)were forked out and bulb clumps removed from the bed. Removed any perennial weeds, mainly Taraxacum officinale, by hand. Covered the bed with new compost. The following day the bed was flame weeded and covered with cardboard. The entire bed was covered in a wood chip mulch, approx 2 inches thick.

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These tubers were found in the market garden area. Unsure of the cultivar they were potted up in compost in a propagating box within the polytunnel until new growth began.
When the shoots have three to four sets of leaves, they are ready to take cuttings. Use a sharp, sterile craft knife or razor blade to slice off a shoot with a narrow sliver of tuber. Cut above the lowest node or joint to leave a bud on the tuber.
Place the cutting on a clean cutting board and use the sharp knife to remove the lower leaves. Leave the top two leaves intact. Dip the bottom of the cutting a powdered rooting hormone, (Rhizopon Chryzopon Rose 0.1% was used for softwood).
The cuttings were well watered and grit placed on the surface of the pot to retain moisture.
A plastic bag was placed over the top of the pot and held in place with an elastic band, and I used some cut branches from a Crataegus hedge to keep the bag from lying on the plant, to create a mini green house effect and retain moisture. These were then place in a light area but out of full sun.

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Some of our Dahlia cutting have dried out and are not worth saving (top picture), others look healthy so the were watered and the bag placed over them again and put back. They will be checked again on Wednesday.

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Nicotiana placed outside for approx. 4 hrs. a day to harden them off before planting. This gradually exposes the tender plants to the wind, sun, and rain, toughening them up by thickening the cuticle on the leaves so they lose less water when exposed to the elements.

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Lavender soft cuttings used for propagation.
The cuttings were dipped in a, Rhizopon AA 0.5%, rooting powder and potted up using compost in a 1ltr pot. the compost was watered to field capacity and a stick placed in the centre. A plastic bag was placed over the top of the pot to create a greenhouse effect. These were placed at the bottom of the heat bench to keep them out of direct sun but still had loads of natural light, the polytunnel also offered ideal protection from the wind.

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The only variety of comfrey recommended and available for garden fertiliser & livestock feeding use is Bocking 14.
tart by cutting off the leaves leaving a very short stalk, about ½ an inch or 1 cm. At this point the leaves will demand more water than the root can supply and will not feed the root. Removing them allows the root time to recover and develop leaves of a size it can support.

Cut across the plant about 2-3″ or 5 to 7.5 cm from the top. This will give you your crown offsets.
Take the top slice of the plant and split into pieces using your knife. Some pieces around the edge will just break off naturally. Because they already have a growing tip and root, these get away very quickly and put on new leaves.

The term crown just refers to them being from the top of the plant.

The root offsets are just pieces of the root from lower down. These lack the growing tip and take a little longer to get away and put up leaves.
I use 3″ (7.5cm) pots of multi-purpose compost which I keep moist but not water logged. The crown offsets are planted with the leaf tips just above the surface. Root offsets are planted about an inch down. With the root offsets it doesn’t really matter if you get them the right way up, but if in doubt go sideways.

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1. Take a cutting from a branch of the hydrangea shrub about 5-6" long. Most experts say the cutting will work best if taken from a branch that did not flower this year.

2. Remove the lower leaves of the bottom two leaf nodes. The leaf node is where a leaf comes out of the branch. Most roots will form at that point.

3. Cut largest leaves down to about half their size

4. Dip cuttings in rooting hormone (this is entirely optional) and insert into damp vermiculite or sterile medium.

5. Water pot well and allow to drain. Make sure soil is moist but not soggy. Cover cuttings and pot with plastic. Try to keep plastic from touching leaves by adding stakes.

Place cuttings in a bright shady area. NEVER PLACE NEW CUTTINGS IN THE SUN. They will cook in the plastic.

Do not water again until top of soil begins to feel dry. Overwatering will cause cuttings to rot.

Expect cuttings to begin to form roots in 2-3 weeks, depending on temperature (faster in warm weather) and humidity. Some cuttings root in as little as one week. If a tug on the cutting resists the pull, it is rooting.

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We sowed 5 beds of Secale cereale.
- Hand removed any weeds and large stones
- limed the beds using 1.2kg per bed @ 75ft length
- Broad forked the beds for aeration
- Flame weeded the beds at 75° to kill weeds above soil level and open the roots below soil level, all will help form more OM
- Placed new compost on the beds.
- Used the BCS 740 to finely mix the surface compost and lime, this was then rolled to firm the soil.
- Used the Jaga (with A6 wheel) to sow 4 lines per bed.
- Replaced mulch on the walkway between beds.
- Covered the beds with climate netting

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Harvesting snowball turnips , Rapa 'snowball'. Turnips were harvested, put in bunches of 3s. The bed was broad forked, flame weeded, approx 2" of compost with a top layer of chicken manure fertilizer added. Kohl Rabi planted in the beds @ 3 rows 10", 12" in row.

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Harvesting Zea mays convar. saccharata and planting Brassica napus Red Russian

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Harvesting Zea mays convar. saccharata and planting Brassica napus Red Russian

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Harvested the sweetcorn, putting the cobs in a container and stalks removed. We weeded the beds removing any perennial weeds, the two most common were -

Cerastium vulgatum and Hypochaeris radicata (some rust disease was discovered on these). Raised beds were flame weeded and new compost was put on. The Jang was the used to sow the Red Russian Kale @ 5 rows per bed.

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Using the watering lance to water our strawberry plants.
Watered to field capacity

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A copy of our sowing dates, How we keep track of crops, sowing dates, transplant dates, amendments used, pricking out, maintenance and harvesting dates

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A mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association between a green plant and a fungus. The plant makes organic molecules such as sugars by photosynthesis and supplies them to the fungus, and the fungus supplies to the plant water and mineral nutrients, such as phosphorus, taken from the soil.
They also increase plant tolerance to different environmental stresses. Moreover, these fungi play a major role in soil aggregation process and stimulate microbial activity.

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Rheum x hybridum, 2yr old root dug for division. Checking for crowns with good roots. Can be halved or quartered depending on crowns and roots.

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Removed any weeds and pruned the roots to encourage growth

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Divided in to 2 parts. the roots and crowns would allow for quarters but halves will give the plant a better chance at rooting

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A better view of the roots, no rotting visible

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This is a bed i was working on.
The bed had been planted up in Crocosmia for some time. I forked out as many of the corms as I could. Placed cardboard over the exposed soil and covered in chipped wood.

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Choose the branches to use in the autumn after all the fruit has been picked. Use flexible first-year branches the thickness of a pencil for tip layering. Inspect each branch to make sure it has no insect damage or signs of disease, as you need the healthiest specimens possible for propagation.

Push each branch down toward the ground to find the spot where it naturally touches the soil. Dig a 4-inch hole at each spot where a branch will touch the ground. Make sure not to angle the branch away from the center; the branch tip should go into the soil from the most natural arch the branch will make.

Push down on each branch tip until it reaches the bottom of its hole. Cover the branch tip with garden soil, burying the entire first 4 inches of the tip in the ground. Pile golf ball-size rocks around the branch to help hold it in place.

Water the buried branch tips thoroughly, but don't soak them with standing water. Keep the soil moist throughout the fall until frost arrives.

Clip the branches about 12 inches above the ground in the spring after all chance of frost has passed; the branch tips will have rooted throughout the fall. Transplant the new thornless blackberry bushes to a prepared bed in a sunny location.

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Strawberries potted with MPC, Perlite (mixed at a ratio 4:1) and osmacote pro (150g per 30 ltr of compost mix))

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Using a nematode to control vine wevil. The nematodes are placed into a 10ltr watering can and watered into the plants.

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When the chives are one to two years old, you can harvest the herb every month. This practice keeps the spice in excellent growing conditions. If you transplant your chives, wait for around 30 to harvest your chives (but make sure it’s at least 6″ high). Chives are perennials, so they regrow every year. Every 3-4 years, you will need to divide the clumps.
To start harvesting your chives, look out for chives that are 7 to 10 inches (18-25 cm) high. Please remember – you must never pull chives from the ground, as they won’t grow anymore after this. This will kill them.
Using the hedge cutters the chives were cut to the base.

Do not cut the chives before they attain the height of at least 6 to 10 inches (15-25 cm).

Cut to the base with sharp scissors or pruners.

When growing chives from seeds, avoid cutting them for the first 60 days. Chives take at least 60 days to mature from seeds.

Wait at least 30 days when you grow the herb from cuttings, before you start harvesting.

Do not cut chives during freezing weather conditions or frost. Frost might shock the plant, and the herb may die in severe conditions. The last harvest of the year should be before the first frost. Don’t harvest again until early spring. In spring, you can start harvesting as soon as it grows to at least 6″ (15 cm).

Before and after this was done the hedge clippers were sprayed with a mix of Hydrogen peroxide and water 1/10 to prevent the spread of any disease.

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Division of 'Black Dragon' grass from a 1ltr pot.

Placed the contents of the pot into a bucket of water to dissolve the compost to make it easier to divide.
I seen 4 plants all connected by rhizomes. The rhizomes were cut and the plants were potted up in compost in separate 1ltr pots.