Hi, Everyone!
Please could someone give me some advice on the best way to propagate a beech? We bought a rather large beech tree 20 years ago to mark our son's birth, and now we're selling up and moving. We obviously can't dig up the tree and take it with us - it's now a very large tree - so the only option is to take cuttings from it, generate another one from seed (?) ... I've tried to find advice on this, but have drawn a complete blank so far.

I'm sure there's someone out there who knows how to do this, so any advice would be warmly welcomed!

Thanks!

Seedy2311

In article ,
says...

Hi, Everyone!
Please could someone give me some advice on the best way to propagate a
beech? We bought a rather large beech tree 20 years ago to mark our
son's birth, and now we're selling up and moving. We obviously can't
dig up the tree and take it with us - it's now a very large tree - so
the only option is to take cuttings from it, generate another one from
seed (?) ... I've tried to find advice on this, but have drawn a
complete blank so far.

I'm sure there's someone out there who knows how to do this, so any
advice would be warmly welcomed!

Thanks!

Seedy2311





Had a look at my propagating book and all it gives for beech is seed or
grafting, if someone on here has a beech hedge they may be able to tell
you if it ever layers itself (which means it might go from cuttings) or
someone may have done it from cuttings. But since it wouldn't cost
anything to try I would put some foot long cuttings of about pencil
thickness about two thirds deep in gritty compost and keep your fingers
crossed. do not move them if they seem to have rooted, roots are often a
lot slower than top growth with hardwood cuttings.
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Hi, Charlie
Thank you so much for that - it's got to be worth a try, hasn't it? To pick your brains a bit more, what time of year would be the optimum for these cuttings, and should they be last year's growth? Should I use rooting hormone? Any particular way to prepare the 'rooting' end? I've tried scrabbling around in the ground under the tree, in the hope that I'll find something self-seeded, but with no luck so far.
Thanks a million for your help. As you say, nothing to lose by trying!
Take care
Seedy2311

In article ,
says...

Hi, Charlie
Thank you so much for that - it's got to be worth a try, hasn't it? To
pick your brains a bit more, what time of year would be the optimum for
these cuttings, and should they be last year's growth? Should I use
rooting hormone? Any particular way to prepare the 'rooting' end?
I've tried scrabbling around in the ground under the tree, in the hope
that I'll find something self-seeded, but with no luck so far.
Thanks a million for your help. As you say, nothing to lose by
trying!
Take care
Seedy2311

'Charlie Pridham[_2_ Wrote:
;769759']In article ,
says...-

Hi, Everyone!
Please could someone give me some advice on the best way to propagate
a
beech? We bought a rather large beech tree 20 years ago to mark our
son's birth, and now we're selling up and moving. We obviously can't
dig up the tree and take it with us - it's now a very large tree - so
the only option is to take cuttings from it, generate another one
from
seed (?) ... I've tried to find advice on this, but have drawn a
complete blank so far.

I'm sure there's someone out there who knows how to do this, so any
advice would be warmly welcomed!

Thanks!

Seedy2311




-
Had a look at my propagating book and all it gives for beech is seed or

grafting, if someone on here has a beech hedge they may be able to tell

you if it ever layers itself (which means it might go from cuttings) or

someone may have done it from cuttings. But since it wouldn't cost
anything to try I would put some foot long cuttings of about pencil
thickness about two thirds deep in gritty compost and keep your fingers

crossed. do not move them if they seem to have rooted, roots are often
Between early December and end of February, but now is a good time! Sharp
clean cuts just below a bud and yes last years shoots, discard the thin
tips and use the last foot thats about the right thickness,
Traditionally cuts at the bottom go straight across and those at the top
slope but this is just to insure you get them the right way up!
Hormone rooting powder has a small effect so if you have it use it but it
is probably not worth buying it especially.
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

Hi, All ... what a wonderful weekend!

I took your advice (Charlie Pridham!) about propagating beech: took the cuttings in late February and stuck them in a trench in lovely soil, semi-shade (no direct sun), well watered. Today I went to check on them and - hallelujah! - lots of buds and even a few extremely healthy leaves! Does that mean that they've either rooted or will root ... and what do I do next?!

Thank you so much!

Seedy2311