I am unable to find much information on the internet on rooting Douglas Fir cuttings. Does anyone know of any or had experience with this?
Thank you
Teri in WI
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Here’s an excerpt from The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation 2nd ed. by Dirr and Heuser. (I got my copy from Amazon for fairly cheap)
Pseudotsuga menziessii
“Cuttings: Rooting conditions include: current season’s growth fron 10- to 12-year old sheared (hedged) plants, December and January, 10% Jiffy Grow (containing 5000 ppm IBA and 5000 ppm NAA), sand:peat (5:1, v/v), bottom heat (65 to 79°F), 50°F air temperature, and long day lighting. Wide clonal differences in rooting (0-100%) existed. In another study using branched terminals and first-order laterals, 1376 ppm NAA stimulated optimum rooting and bud break.” This is followed by references to the studies cited. Let me know if you want those.
So basically, start cuttings in winter, use both IBA and NAA, keep them fairly warm with a heat mat, extra lighting, use a 5:1 ratio by volume of fine inorganic medium to organic medium. But some trees have cuttings strike while others just don’t.
Good luck! I haven’t done much propagation of anything except African succulents (which don’t need much help), so hopefully this info makes sense to you and is helpful.
From my understanding the nursery industry propagates them via seed because of the success rate ( and cost) vs cuttings and while it’s not impossible the success rate of cuttings is extremely low even when everything is done correctly.
But if cuttings is the only option for you, then that’s going to give you the highest success vs. not trying.
Good luck