I have waxed lyrical here about my beloved hydropod gadget. Aside from the time when it became infested with some fungal or other kind of rot (everything died, seems it needs a clean mid-season), it has been extremely reliable in the rooting department. To date, my use has been limited to various flavours of softwood cuttings. The manufacturer, however, implies that it can also be used for hardwood cuttings, those slow-going plodders of the propagation world, several months being normal before roots are established. I’m keen to see if this works, but am sceptical. We are going to have a root-off! I have set up two lots of cuttings. Half have gone in the hydropod, half have gone in a pot of gritty compost.
I am using cuttings of two plants in this trial.
Rose ‘Rosy Mantle’
and
Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter fire’
I’m curious to know if the cuttings in the hydropod will root at all, but also if they will root faster.
That’s it for now. I’ll be back with an update in a few months, or sooner if something interesting happens.
The Propagator 
Is there an update coming for the hardwood cuttings? Or have I missed it?
LikeLike
No you haven’t missed it. I have been putting off the update. The stems in the hydropod just rotted off, the ones in the pots did nothing. Epic fail all round!
LikeLike
Oh that’s a nightmare. I have a hydro pod coming tomorrow. Any advice?
LikeLike
Works very well for softwood cuttings. Needs a good clean 2 or 3 times a year. Needs shading in strong summer sunshine.
LikeLike
Just curious if there is any heat involved? Hardwoods are normally in sheltered spot outdoors ie no heat. The hydropod involves water and no heat would =. freeze up.
I m wanting to do some Lonicera hardwood cuttings myself needing to get my skates on me thinks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The hydropod is not itself heated but is sitting in my heated bench which is at 20°c. This is my first winter with it so remains to be seen whether it freezes. You can buy a heater for it, essentially a tropical aquarium heater. If it looks like the bottom heat is not enough to keep frost free I may bring indoors. The ones in pots are just on the greenhouse bench, not heated.
LikeLike
Although I am still not impressed with the Hydropod, I would expect it to work quite well for the dogwood. Along the San Lorenzo River, it roots wherever it leans into the water.It sometimes forms thick mats of fibrous roots that start to collect debris that floats downriver. Such mats of roots may never reach the soil while still attached to the main plant, but might break off to float away and root where they land.
LikeLike
I notice the hardwood cuttings you have in the pot have not leaves on. I’m fascinated to see how they grow so will be particularly interested in the updates. I’ve just potted up some hibiscus cuttings which I grow in sandy soil and water and cover with a plastic bottle. The technique has worked in the past on several occasions, however, it’s probably the result of ignorance is bliss. Now I am taking more of an interest they will probably die!
LikeLiked by 1 person
They don’t need leaves, unlike softwood. I left them on the roses but just to see if that makes any difference. Because the plant is dormant for winter, or about to be, it is not photosynthesising or transpiring. All the juice required for rooting is in the stem, no leaves required.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll be surprised if the cornus don’t root well. I stick mine in a bucket of water and they root.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes they want to root, usually. We shall see.
LikeLike