Differences

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--- cultivation:cuttings [2026/06/28 02:05] – [Taking a cut] vaugith
+++ cultivation:cuttings [2026/08/23 20:37] (current) – Added note about using cinnamon vaugith
@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 Sometimes you may buy an unrooted cutting. You may also want to cut off a column to propagate, or need to take a cut due to rot, disease, instability, or wind.
+<WRAP right 400px>
+{{ :cultivation:chamferedstumps.webp?400&direct| }}
+//Chamfers applied to stumps after cuts were taken//
+</WRAP>
 ===== Taking a cut =====
-If you can choose when to take a cut, try to do it when the column is healthy, well hydrated, fed, and the weather is nice - taking a cut during very wet or cold conditions can increase chances of infection. If you can, try to make as large of cuts as you can, which will reduce chances of etiolation during the rooting phase. When cutting, sterilize the knife with alcohol before and after each cut to prevent spreading disease. If you're cutting rot away, inspect the inside of the cut and if there are dark or discolored parts of the inner flesh, resterilize and cut more. I recommend chamfering the top side of cuts or cutting at an angle - as it dries, the wet flesh will shrink in, and a flat cut will turn into a bowl shape that will hold water and lead to rot. Immediately after cutting while the ends are still wet you can optionally apply powdered sulfur to the cut end to protect from disease and rot, and/or apply powdered rooting hormone to the side that will be rooted which can greatly speed the rooting process. A "Powder Spray Bottle" is a very handy powder application tool that minimizes waste and excess sulfur application which can acidify soil and damage healthy plant skin. Let cuttings callous by putting them somewhere in shade, dry, with good airflow. In front of a fan can do the job quickly. After about two weeks there should be a light tan scab over the cut, then it's ready to try to root. If you purchased a cutting, it should have arrived calloused and none of the above should apply.
+If you can choose when to take a cut, try to do it when the column is healthy, well hydrated, fed, and the weather is nice - taking a cut during very wet or cold conditions can increase chances of infection. If you can, try to make as large of cuts as you can, which will reduce chances of [[:virology:e:etiolation|etiolation]] during the rooting phase. When cutting, sterilize the knife with alcohol before and after each cut to prevent spreading disease. If you're cutting rot away, inspect the inside of the cut and if there are dark or discolored parts of the inner flesh, resterilize and cut more. I recommend chamfering the top side of cuts or cutting at an angle - as it dries, the wet flesh will shrink in, and a flat cut will turn into a bowl shape that will hold water and lead to rot. Immediately after cutting while the ends are still wet you can optionally apply powdered sulfur to the cut end to protect from disease and rot, and/or apply powdered rooting hormone to the side that will be rooted which can greatly speed the rooting process. A "Powder Spray Bottle" is a very handy powder application tool that minimizes waste and excess sulfur application which can acidify soil and damage healthy plant skin. Note that you may occasionally see cinnamon recommended as an alternative to sulphur to apply to cut ends, but this is **not recommended** as it can cause more issues than it solves. Cinnamon traps in moisture while sulphur dries the ends out. Let cuttings callous by putting them somewhere in shade, dry, with good airflow. In front of a fan can do the job quickly. After about two weeks there should be a light tan scab over the cut, then it's ready to try to root. If you purchased a cutting, it should have arrived calloused and none of the above should apply.