Taking Dormant Cuttings, Store or In Spring?

[RedSun]

I just wonder the best it is in taking grape dormant cuttings. I can take cuttings in early dormant season, then store them in my extra refrigerator. Or I can wait until pruning time and do two things at the same time.

I'm mostly concerned with success rate. Winter storage vs. winter kills.... I'm leaning more toward cuttings in spring. My zone 6 does not have that severe a winter....

 

[Pat57]

IMO it is always better to leave them as long as you can still on the vine. Lots of things can go wrong 5-6 months in the frig. You can always take them any time in the winter.

I cut my apple scion wood as late as possible, unless we are expected to get some really cold weather which may kill or injure new stems.

Pat

 

[5_acre]

Take early dormant. Get them going inside over winter plant them after first frost. Make sure they get a little dormancy. Stagger your cuttings. A couple a week then see which set starts best.

 

[GreginND]

I would suggest to take cuttings in December before the hard cold of Jan/Feb. This would give you the best chance of viability because they have had plenty of time to go dormant and the buds should be alive. Store them wrapped in slightly damp paper inside a plastic bag in the fridge until you plan to root them. Around here I would start in March. But your spring comes a little earlier - maybe beginning of March or even late February.

 

[dorfie]

I guess we don't really have a set time that we take cuttings from our test plots, I know last year i was going out for cuttings in January probably later as well. we put them into perlite and in our humidity chamber soon after with some rooting hormone, then we check for root developments after two weeks or so depending how bored we get haha!
I agree with Greg that since your spring comes earlier you will have to adjust the time you take yours, but in my opinion, if you have the space to grow them indoors, take the as early as you can so they will be well grown by spring.

 

[RedSun]

Taking cuttings in December is a good idea. Most of my vines are still first year vines and the shoots are still thin. They will probably be winter killed anyway. I had good success with rooting cuttings in early spring. But the cuttings I received were long and strong. Most were rooted, but I lost some after the cuttings were planted in pots. That was mid to late March. Not sure if I can start rooting a bit sooner. Maybe I can have two batches if I have enough cuttings.

 

[drumlinridgewinery]

I always go spring. Have had very good luck here.

 

[havlikn]

What are the laws in propagation? From the readings I have done you can't propagate vines you paid royalties for. Is that correct? How about others?

 

[dorfie]

What are the laws in propagation? From the readings I have done you can't propagate vines you paid royalties for. Is that correct? How about others?

havlikn, that is correct. varieties that are patented can only be propagated by a greenhouse that is licensed by the patent holder to do so. that being said there are many varieties that are not patented and those can be propagated legally.