ISHS Acta Horticulturae 227: International Symposium on Vegetative Propagation of Woody Species
LEPIDOTE RHODODENDRON PROPAGATION |
| Author: | K.S. Freeland |
| Abstract:
Lepidote Rhododendron propagation research at Weston nurseries began for the purposes of developing the most successful methods for the plants that were resultant of the hybridization program of Edmund V. Mezitt. Since these new hybrids were an unknown as far as propagation and the plants were most desiderable for the consumer, a series of propagation experiments was deemed necessary. As the nursery was already engaged in large scale propagation, and the facilities and the staff were existent, all that was necessary was to determine the optimun propagation times, the proper root inducing chemicals and media in order to be able to guarantee a number of plants to the fields in the following season. Beginning on this project, the staff determined there were several factors to be addressed in order to assure a reasonable amount of success:
Upon assessing these factors, it was determined that the time of taking the cuttings seemes to be more fixed than the others and the decision was made to access the facilities first. The propagation house in use was an older wooden structure using glass, with an intermittent mist system, thermostatically controlled bottom heat already in use, so it was decided to use this house for propagation and the newer poly-covered for growing on and over-wintering the young rooted cuttings. The hoop houses were covered with a double layer of 6 mil poly, clear on the bottom layer and white on the top to help control the heat from the intense sunlight in the early spring months. Temporary benches were put into these houses enabling changes to be made in the configuration as was deemed necessary. A survey of the root-inducing chemicals in use at the nursery showed that the most common compound was a talc mixture in powdered form. Several of the liquid premixed types were purchased in order to give the staff the best possible range of chemicals. The following root inducing chemicals were used in these experiments: | |
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