Rooting a branch to grow a new tree costs little time or money but does require patience. This simple method of propagation works for deciduous and evergreen varieties of trees. Branch cuttings become a complete, new plant identical to the parent plant. Branches less than one year old work the best for growing trees. Cuttings can have a greater rate of success than growing some species of trees from seed. The tree will mature much quicker than one grown from a seed and usually develops roots in a few months.
Preparing the Planter
Prepare a planter for growing the cuttings by filling it with a sterile, soil-less potting medium. Water the medium just until it feels moist all the way through and settles. Make holes approximately 1 inch in diameter through the top of the medium for each cutting.
Selecting a Branch
Select a 10-inch-long, healthy looking branch tip that includes leaves. Take softwood cuttings in spring, semi-hardwood in the fall and hardwood cuttings in winter. A softwood cutting comes from a new stem, semi-hardwood from current-season stems in the summer and hardwood from the previous year's growth. Cut it at a 45-degree angle with clean pruning shears.
Preparing the Cutting
Remove leaves or needles in the bottom 2 or 3 inches of the cutting. Wound hardwood cuttings on the bottom 1 to 2 inches by making vertical cuts on each side with a sharp knife. Stay in the surface wood. Wounding allows more rooting hormone and water to absorb into the cutting while increasing cell division.
Help from Hormones
Pour about 1 teaspoon of rooting hormone into a clean saucer. Dip the wounded end of the branch into the hormone. Roll the bottom 2 inches in the hormone, coating the branch. Gently shake off excess. Discard any hormone left on the saucer. Place the hormone-covered part of the branch in the hole in the potting medium. Build the mix around the branch to hold it in place. Mist the soil and the leaves.
Finishing the Project
Push two to four sticks into the potting mix around the edges of the planter. Cover the planter with plastic film or a lightweight greenhouse plastic to trap the humidity. Put the planter in a location that receives indirect light and temperatures around 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a heat mat set to 70 degrees under the planter to keep the soil temperature consistent.
Check the cutting daily for soil moisture and root development. Mist the leaves with room-temperature water when you check on the cutting. Keep the soil moist all the way through. A slight tug on the branch indicates that roots have developed.
Transplant each rooted cutting into a 4-inch planter with a sterile potting soil. Continue to keep the soil moist and the plant in indirect sunlight. Slowly harden off to outdoor conditions after about one year of growth before transplanting into the ground.
Things You Will Need
Soil-less potting medium
Dip pruning shears in a solution of 10 percent bleach and 90 percent water to prevent the spread of disease.
Water the tree deeply the day before you take your cutting to ensure plenty of water reaches the branches.
Choose a healthy branch from a tree free of disease for the best results.
You can root several cuttings in a large pot, such as a 1 gallon.
Process the cutting as soon as you take it off of the tree for the best success, or it can dry out and die.
Sometimes branches don't develop roots. Take a cutting of several branches to increase the chances of successful root development.
Cuttings may take up to three months to develop roots.