How to Grow Tree Trimmings

Root tree trimmings inside containers.

If you want another tree like one you have growing in your yard, do not throw the trimmings away. Use them to propagate another tree. Rooting your own branch cutting is an inexpensive alternative to purchasing a new tree. Many varieties of trees readily root through branch cuttings. Trees such as elm, oleander, angel trumpet, jatropha and gumbo limbo root through branch cuttings. Some trees, such as oaks citrus and avocado, propagate easier through seeding or air layering. With a little preparation and care, your tree trimmings should grow into a new tree.

Things You'll Need

• Paper towels
• Plastic bag
• Container
• Peat
• Sand
• Seed-starting blend
• Pruning shears
• Rooting hormone
• Clear plastic bag
• Plastic spray bottle

Instructions

1. Place the trimmings you are going to root in a cool, moist area, if not planting them immediately. Wrap the branches in wet paper towels and place them in a plastic bag. Situate the bag in shade for the best results.

2. Plant the trimming in a container that is approximately one-third as tall as it is. The trimming will fall over planted in containers that are too small. Use a container that has proper drainage, as soggy soil causes trimmings to rot before rooting.

3. Fill the container with a mixture of 1 part sand and 1 part peat, or a seed-starting blend. Use a mixture that is low on organic materials and lightweight. Water the container's soil before planting the tree trimming.

4. Prune off all the leaves from the trimming except the top two-thirds, using pruning shears. If the trimming has large foliage, trim the remaining leaves in half.

5. Remove a small amount of rooting hormone from its container. Pour it onto a piece of paper, so the trimming does not contaminate the remainder of the mixture in the container.

6. Swirl the bottom portion of the tree trimming into the rooting hormone. Cover the bottom 2 to 3 inches of the trimming in the hormone.

7. Poke a hole into the potting mix that is deep enough to house the bottom one-third, or one-quarter of the trimming.

8. Place the cutting vertically into the potting mix. Pat the soil down around the cutting to firm it up and keep it standing upright.

9. Water the container again, allowing it to run from the drain holes. Keep the soil moist by watering regularly.

10. Place a clear plastic bag over the container holding the tree trimming and tie the top together. This helps create a humid environment and keeps the soil moist while the cutting roots. This method is especially useful if your region of the country is not humid.

11. Mist the cutting with water two to three times each week to create humid conditions. This step is useful if a plastic bag does not cover the cutting. Use a plastic spray bottle filled with water.

Tips & Warnings

• Transplant the rooted tree trimming into a larger container once the roots establish themselves. Allow it to establish itself inside the new container before planting it into the garden.

References

• Pacific Northwest Cooperative Extension: Propagating Deciduous and Evergreen Shrubs, Trees and Vines With Stem Cuttings

Resources

• North Carolina State University Extension: Plant Propagation By Stem Cuttings Instructions