I Drilled Hundreds of Cactus Pads to Bring Life Back to the Desert

[@craigtheng]

We're all rooting for you. =p

[@amraljabasini5930]

god damn it, I really wanted to say get that one in 😢

[@Spruce_Bringsteen]

dad you're embarrassing us all

[@whartonoutdoors7493]

😂😂😂

[@ChumStun]

😂

[@ruthdoyle9085]

I can dig it…😂

[@_garebear]

Every time a storm is announced near the Gulf, I think of Shaun @ Dustups.

[@CHMichael]

That's my first thought when click on it. "Did it finally rain... hard"

[@cristobalin3]

@_garebear dude everyday I check zoom earth I scroll over too Dustups on the of chance....

[@hairyanglerfish]

Lol. Im gonna pray for some water for you shaun. It`ll come mate......you should dig a massive hole that becomes a POND. line it with clay and bingo paradise

[@JoeMama-hl1ey]

He is a long way from the Gulf.

[@WalidAzamiTV]

The amount of nerds on the Internet that watch this man reforest the desert is amazing, and I’m one of them.

[@michaelsmithers4900]

I just want to see if work👍

[@gospelofchange]

This is the vibe

[@sage8573]

Not sure why you said probably when referring to yourself

[@Albanach-je1nk]

​@@michaelsmithers4900 me to!

[@EnlistedBombin]

I am following interested to see how this turns out.

[@Estm451]

Hello Shaun, I’m a market gardener from western france and I’ve been following your adventure with great interest for a while. I really admire what you’re doing and I wish you courage and perseverance. It’s a big challenge but you will for sure grow and learn so much along the way. I have some practical experience and I knowledge with cuttings in a wet temperate climate so I thought I’d share it here. All plants are different. The further away they are botanically, the more differences (species, genus, tribe, family) Some plants can easily produce roots from wood, some difficultly, and some can’t (comes to my mind apple, and actually many cultivated fruit trees). All trees require heat for rooting (shouldn’t be an issue in your context), and of course moisture. Some wet loving plants can 100% root simply in water, willow for example, so they’re super easy to propagate. Desert willow isn’t a botanical willow though, and generally arid climate plants won’t root in water, my guess is they need a lot of oxygen at the root zone. When a plant is rooting, the first step is called callusing, it happens where the plant is wounded, if the conditions are right. In your case I don’t think it’s helpful to take the bark off because there is a wound where you cut the cutting and also every node can develop roots (leaf or bud along the stem) Usually younger tissue will form callus and roots quicker than older wood. You can use the leafless, dormant stage of some plants to get them to root without dehydrating through the leaves. In my region it works well with currants and elder. But it doesn’t work with all bushes, roses for instance don’t root well while dormant and evergreen plants don’t like to lose all their leaves. With more difficult to root temperate or Mediterranean plants, usually your best best is during summer or fall, using this year’s woody growth, keeping some leaves on to provide photosynthesis during the rooting process. The challenge is that in this state the plant is very susceptible to thirst because it’s losing water through its leaves and and it doesn’t have roots yet. I guess cacti can survive this much better. To help the plant you can : place it in the shade, protect from the wind, keep a moist atmosphere (indoors, in a greenhouse or under a plastic bag or bottle, and spray water from time to time) You can add rooting hormones, they are needed for some species. A good homemade recipe for rooting enhancer : soak lentils or another legume in water for a day or 2, then water your cuttings with that water. Some plants root much better from root cuttings (black locust, some roses) I don’t know your native plants but I would encourage you to identify the species, and then, if you can, find information about their ability to root and how, from the internet or local professionals or knowledgeable ppl. For example oleander roots in water, figs and rosemary root well from wood cuttings in well drained soil, catalpa is considered challenging (its a close cousin of desert willow). Chances are your easiest plant to multiply through cuttings is prickly pear :o) Suerte amigo !

[@aliciadupuy9228]

So much helpful info!! Thanks!!

[@sofianishak641]

This is real botanist. Shaun is not. Shaun making tons of mistakes. I commented to Shaun don't soak seeds in water before spreading to desert. Shaun simply didn't understand !

[@nicktw8688]

@@sofianishak641 Yea, he's good at recording his exploits...but I can see he doesn't have a clue what he's doing.

[@jeffmarner3106]

I think you should try to stab some cutting directly into cactus clumps that haven’t been removed from the ground. Perhaps if you could shade the clump as well.

[@turtle1723]

I agree, it's worth a shot. Pick a pad that is rooted and close to the ground to act as a host plant. See if it roots thru it and into the ground.

[@TheMuerdago]

This!

[@coleberr]

I came to say this since the video clip you showed was of a rose clipping into a living potted prickly pear. You could probably remove a few spines to give you clearance. Also what do you think of taking and cleaning your cutting and doing an overnight rooting agent treatment, wipe it and then place it in the drilling

[@NickBorders]

Especially over the winter to allow the rooting to establish, then in the spring, pull out your grafts with their cacti and plant that. Give the grafted plants an opportunity to grow in the spring with their new buddies.

[@jachse8464]

Hadn't thought of rooting inside of a living cactus. I will be trying that next spring.

[@scpatl4now]

I think with these cuttings, you would really benefit dipping the stems in rooting hormone powder first. It's not expensive and it really helps with your kind of plants. You also want to cut where it is semi woody. If it has already become woody it's a lot harder to root

[@PedroOrtiz-b1h]

The cactus pad is your rooting hormone, it's not just the humidity

[@AMason2010]

Agreed! Some IBA Hormodin 3 would have been ideal. Some plants can’t propagate through cuttings, some can. It will be a good experiment to see if this takes. If not, the next step is to buy a bag of potting soil and start cuttings with IBA. You could do hundreds of cuttings off of a couple bags of potting soil plus then you’re adding organic matter when you plant it on the terrace.

[@TheMadManPlace]

Rooting powder really works magic. Within a day or two you can already see a few small roots sticking their heads out.

[@herobrinenoch3522]

I agree. I also think they should be much shorter.

[@Jack-w5k4p]

good idea you then just need follow up rain - about 50% above average annual for next 2-3 years and they should grow - the work of a master gardener

[@gonnagetya1433]

If I were doing this, I would take as many of those tree seeds home to where I could tend to them in a nursery situation and sprout them in my yard (assuming you don't have a HOA to prevent you) grow them to a foot or so high and then bring them all back on a future trip. Keeping the pots as small as possible (really tall and only two inches wide) so that they transport easily and can be easily planted by pounding a post in and inserting the roots in the post hole.

[@pdudy8261]

they will be less acclimated to the local situation

[@gonnagetya1433]

@@pdudy8261 You would end up with 90% growing compared to maybe 5% or less sprouting with just the seeds in a hostile environment. Get them going, bring a load of mulch when planting, put a bucket of mulch down on surface when planting to retain moisture and even if half died you would still be ahead. He doesn't live ALL THAT far away, so temps not so much an issue as to the water aspect. Tree nurseries operate around the country with lots of success, so much so that they offer growing guarantees. The hardest part for a plant is getting beyond the sprouting stage.

[@RandyKraege]

@@gonnagetya1433 I agree, my worst problem is gophers at my "ranch" when i transplant!

[@continuousself-improvement1879]

There are problems of transplant shock and acclimatization. It would be better to grow the saplings in situ.

[@Seattleseeker]

I believe Shaun wants to see if they will grow in place with this method. Starting them at home then transporting them means you will then have less control of the experiment. If he is successful with this method, being performed in place, then he knows the method is sound and he can then progress to best implementation rather than initial study.

[@markthompson180]

Hey Shaun, I don't know if you know this already, but in Morocco, they grow those prickly pears into fences for cattle pens. It might be a technique you could use over the long term to keep those wild cattle out of certain defined and more sensitive areas of your ranch.

[@montanateri6889]

Wow. Now that's thinking.

[@phishENchimps]

I know you get a lot of Suggestions. here is a "cheap" one to try. to protect against heat, sun. Place a metal Tomato hoop upside down and put a burlap bag over it, wrap and tie it with twine. Tent stake it on three spots around. It will protect against extreme heat, sun, while allowing enough natural direct sunlight to pass through to support growth of seedlings. Once they are large enough, you can take the hoop off and move it onto the next. with the amount of sunlight you get, the cuttings/seedlings will feel as though they are in the shade. the UV's will still get to them. I am really enjoying the journey you are making in the desert.

[@bincognito6609]

Shaun consider making your willow cuttings much shorter, leave 4 or 5 nodes above the cactus. Then strip the leaves by running it through your fingers top to bottom. They will put their leaves back on when they are ready to go. Just my 2 cents, but I have done maybe 600 this way with 90%+ success rate

[@pauldurkee4764]

Shaun, when taking cuttings, i would put them in a clear plastic bag immediately, especially in your climate. It generally helps to remove the leaf's on the cutting to just a pair to reduce moisture loss.

[@ethandoingstuff1433]

Awesome experiment! Cuttings are hard when you’re learning, and you’re jumping to the most extreme form I’ve seen. I think it’s gonna be really hard, especially without any rooting hormone (super cheap powder). Also, 0 out of 20 is what I expect, I’ll be happily surprised of I’m wrong. This has potential, but I would practice doing normal cuttings into soil back at home in a nicer climate so you can see how difficult it is in the best of situations. ❤❤❤ My thoughts are; 1. its worth paying attention to how you take your cuttings so you give the parent plant an easy time healing. This usually means taking the material just above a node so the parent plant doesn’t have to waste energy dying back. Also, cutting flowers and seeds off the parent plant is only reducing the seed bank in the area. Try avoid taking flowers and seeds when you don’t have a lot of vegetation around. 2. I would bring a plastic bag with some wet rags in it to keep the cuttings as fresh as possible after cutting. It can take literal minutes for the plant to begin dying at the place it is cut. 3. I would be propagating into already rooted cacti. It’s likely that the cut cacti will be losing a lot of water until it heals, and still not gaining any water without any roots. 4. Are you peeling the bark off the base of the cuttings? I’ve never seen that, and I think it makes it way harder. I’ve seen people very slightly crush/bruise the base but never peel. I actually find I have better success without touching the bark on the base. 5. Cuttings with flowers are like cuttings with new growth, they are good quality. You do want to remove the flowers though as they consume a lot of energy. Good luck with this experiment!

[@Mitaken4089]

I TOTALLY AGREE

[@jayybird0096]

It’s always easiest to propagate cuttings in a controlled environment. Which means a greenhouse. Even with these being desert plants. They’ll need a high humidity environment to root effectively. I’m sure the summer is way to hot for a greenhouse in the desert but the cooler months would be the perfect time to propagate cuttings for planting during the next rainy season. 😊

[@jayybird0096]

Rooting hormone is your friend.

[@theo-avl]

I’m in Asheville. I’ve only had cell service for an hour now. Had to see the update. Wish I could send you some water. We have some extra.

[@dustupstexas]

I'm glad you're back online! Stay safe.

[@PorchGardeningWithPassion]

The comments section is as much fun as the video itself 👊🏻🌻👊🏻

[@scottzipf5503]

Have you considered buying 1 suitable tree of a decent height (6-10 feet) to plant near camp as a parallel experiment? Plant in a deep hole, underfill with local soil mixed with bagged compost , some cactus pads (under the roots), water retention crystals (in the soil) and mulched well on top. With Brandon there and your water supply, a bucket of water or so per day and/or waste camp water shouldnt be an issue. Would be great lowish cost experiment and great to see it's progress over the years. A big tree close to camp would be a positive symbol. You've probably had this suggestion a million times one way or another in the comments and sorry if its repetitive. Keep up the good work!

[@lostincyberspaceIII]

if done on a hill dig a hole and put an olla there to keep it watered.

[@llewellyncox_]

And plant something by the well. Every time you need water you can water that area

[@DanielTorres-vi9qp]

A good Alamo would work just fine I live in chihuahua we have the same type of desert anda alamos grow in the arroyos by them self just by planting one

[@MisaMcAnallen]

I love that you're trying many different techniques, I have the feeling you will have different levels of success with each idea in different areas.

[@itchphoto]

its saturday night, im in my 40's and im watching a man drill cacti... I love the internet

[@PorchGardeningWithPassion]

Oh yeah!

[@shanepowers7566]

De ja vu

[@gordosiedzik3574]

You leveled up you machete skills man. I remember you with your reciprocating saw on the cactus while your ya boy was leaving you in a DUST UP with the machete. You look alot more comfortable using one.

[@davk]

Thanks for the tip Catherine S. and awesome job Shaun!

[@kidheadcase]

When you do cuttings the cuttings lose most of their moisture from their leaves. A new cutting will draw no water from it’s growing medium and, until it has new roots, must survive on retaining the moisture that it has. Seeing all your hard work I feel very sad to say this but you probably couldn’t have picked a worse area to do cuttings. Usually I put a little plastic baggie over the cutting to retain moisture and I spray it every few days. I also put them out of direct sunlight to avoid heat retention in the baggie. The leaves are the worst parts of the cutting in regards to moisture loss so removing 2/3 of the leaves is a good idea. The cutting will succeed or fail based on the sugars and moisture it already has. Love the channel! It does my heart good to see you progressing ❤

[@useazebra]

Propagation tip: any spot you touch with your skin has a much lower chance to root. You'll have a higher success rate if you keep the oils from your hands off the plant stem.

[@marzupalami]

Willows contain natural rooting horomones so maybe starting with more willows is the move. If you place a willow cutting in a glass of water with cuttings of other trees, the willow can also help influence the other cuttings to root. Maybe after this initial experiment you can add a willow branch to each pad along with your othwr cutting.

[@novampires223]

Soaking willow pieces in water then using that water to water other plants sometimes works.. I am not an expert either😊

[@Miningpastpresentfuture]

These are desert willow which is not a true willow it only looks kind of like one.

[@johntyler7089]

@@Miningpastpresentfuture indeed, rather than being apart of Salicaceae along with true willows, it’s in the family Bignoniaceae in the subfamily catalpeae. These “desert willows, can hybridize with caplata I guess says the wiki 🤯

[@JohnBrown-pw3bz]

Willows usually grow along sign of creeks, because they take a lot of water. This desert has a lot of problems. No water. That's the whole point of trying to grow foliage with about one inch of water a year.

[@MarkS61]

I wish you hadn't given up on the Buckeye so easily. It's all experimental. Jab a couple sprigs into the cactus and let them decide for themselves if they want to root.

[@Scotty-kc1co]

you give us hope for a better world ! greetz from the netherlands, europe

[@billmccaffrey1977]

When I root cuttings that aren't dormant, I use fully lignified wood (no green) with no leaves as the leaves will result in loss of moisture and energy going to the roots. Sealing the exposed end of the cuttings with grafting wax or tape is also key to moisture retention. Roots usually form within two weeks and new buds will push within 2-3 weeks. I think you left way too much leaf material. You need to expose the cambium as this is where the root will form. Air-layering is much different in that the main root source is still feeding all of the plant tissues and you are just getting new roots to grow mid-stem. You want all of the leaves until you cut the newly rooted section off as a new plant. At that point you have to match the amount of leafy material to the new root ball. I always minimize the leafy structure until the roots are strong enough to feed new growth.

[@pwnyboy12]

You can just take the cuttings and put the wood end in water. Just keep the water clean by changing every couple of days and they will root. You dont need to strip the bark or do anything special, and it doesn't need to be new growth. Just put cut end in water till it roots. Hope this helps!

[@cognitivedissonancecamp6326]

Brother, everyone in your comments has a PHd in desert horticulture! You are so blessed to have so many experts talking you through how you can do it 'more better'. 😊

[@montanateri6889]

Funny guy. I wouldn't have a single plant, rose or house plants without advise from youtube. Gotta take advise, apply it to your locale and try lots of ways, you learn more from the plants you kill than the ones that grow.

[@jackson8085]

You should put 75% shade cloth over the main planting area. It would increase growth exponentially. Think of everything growing under the canopy of a mother desert forest.

[@jackson8085]

If you don't think this will work, do this for 50% of main planting area, and decide then.

[@dustupstexas]

The Palo Verde will do that for me

[@franceswilliams2421]

Hi Shaun, if I may make a suggestion, there is an amazing lady called Carol Klein, incredible horticulturalist and expert on taking cuttings, she’s a presenter on the very long running bbc show called gardeners world and this very season she did a whole segment about the best way to take cuttings, watch it, you’ll learn loads and keep your chin up, you’re doing great

[@AGalahcalledSammi]

Keep going, man. I see a forest in your future. Watching from Logan in Queensland, Australia. My Galah and I love the channel. 🐔😊

[@stevejohnstonbaugh9171]

Glad you tuned in to collecting local seeds. The best place to plant those harvested seeds is in a Zuni bowl. Your probability of success would go way up if you were attempting to start seedlings under a shade structure and prevailing windbreak.

[@jetset808]

Every Saturday I get stoked for your new video.. Super stoked to watch this.. I hope in the future you make an oasis with a nice pool. I have so much hopes for your desert forest :)

[@karrynwallis6488]

Impressed that you are growing learning and experimenting.

[@balancehd5657]

If you pursue this further in the future, it's crucial to keep the cut end of cuttings moist. If they're allowed to dry out, then rooting becomes significantly more difficult. Also advisable is removing all/most leaves from your cutting to lessen water loss via transpiration during establishment.

[@TommieJean-l4c]

Sean watch more videos on how to prep a cutting. Hoping for great success.

[@Anythingforfreedom]

Your technique with the desert willow was good for this experiment. For the Mexican Buckeye I would just plant the seeds. Maybe try planting the seeds into Cactus pads.

[@tedthoman6580]

This will be a great channel to follow over the years; You are an inspiration to many other projects for sure. !

[@scpatl4now]

Oh, and the smaller cuttings are WAY more likely to root than the big ones. Think about it. Smaller plants need less to get started than the long ones.

[@karronlaneNOLA]

yes. fer sure. and no flowers to sap out the energy.

[@debbibowen]

Agreed. More leaves to keep alive with no roots.

[@mattjpoolr]

Yep, think those stems are too long

[@TommieJean-l4c]

Yes❤

[@strahlungsopfer]

idk i mean so far i only worked with different willow kinds in europe but the larger cuttings usually do better. you can literally just leave a willow log on wet ground and it'll root and start growing within a few weeks. We watch that happen with logs that had been drying out for more than a month before we moved them onto grass. If you're worried about the leaves, just remove them. The younger shoots died off more frequently, as they're just a little fragile.

[@arthurmessineo9179]

OK Bill, enjoyed being with you and Renee this afternoon and evening! Safe travels😖👍😆❤️

[@shawndturner]

Seems it would be better. If you erected a spot, that you could root them first in a control environment to ensure success.

[@doriswlongAgoandfarAway]

David picking up a stone to see if will work in his slingshot. You will find the exact stone, and bam dreams come true. Love this channel.

[@SuerteDelMolinoFarm]

Stick the cutting into the top end and not the bottom of the cactus.

[@TheMuerdago]

What Suerte said!!!

[@electrifiedspam]

I stuck it in the bottom end once, I got slapped.

[@Menstral]

The same method is more common in humans as well

[@kingpaddy9009]

I'm more interested in if it works with the bottom, too.

[@Bardmusic66]

@@kingpaddy9009I’m interested to see how it works with a dry desert cactus. The sample video showed a lush green cactus, it looked more like a greenhouse setting.

[@planterbanter]

I love that you're thinking outside the box Shaun. Keep going my friend!!!

[@janine6014]

I love watching all the different ideas coming to life. Great channel! 😊

[@dustupstexas]

Thank you

[@L6FT]

Great. Learned two new propagation methods, cactus and air rooting. I like your learning by doing approach and your dialogue with the community, fun to see things develop.

[@towzone]

Take a bucket with a lid with a quart of water to keep cuttings hydrated to increase propagation success. And fewer leaves mean less water loss through transpiration while rooting.

[@laserflexr6321]

Making a fresh cut underwater so it does not get vapor locked so to speak, air embolism that shuts off water movement can help with some hard to root plants.

[@nineel7395]

Found your first video 3 days ago and I've watched everything. Completely hooked!

[@Carol9929]

My first year of beekeeping, I made so many mistakes. Just so I didn’t repeat them I started a journal of “what not to do”. During the process of writing and even reading past writings I’d have a clear understanding of what to do because I could see how to do it better. You might want to write a journal

[@pkerit308]

his journal is youtube videos that he can view anytime

[@OublietteTight]

Very glad to have caught the episode. Looking forward to seeing the results, ether way. 😊

[@ruthdoyle9085]

Butterflies are a blessing to have on your property. I think you should put a ripper blade on the dozer and pull the ripper down hill, this would allow the dirt/rock to wash down the hill and fill up the ravines and slow the water down. (Dams should catch it) Then sell the dozer and get a 4wd compact tractor with a front end loader…

[@juliussigurorsson3509]

I am a farmer and I find your project fascinating! I do live in lush Central Europe farmland, with plenty of soil and very easy life, compared to you. On this experiment, first, in gardening shops, you can find rooting hormone. It is powder that you stick the stem in, before planting. It helps. Second, all trees can grow roots through their bark. So there is no need to cut them use the time to plant more trees. Third, you should get trailer load of soil. As close as is possible (similar climate), but proper soil from field, forest or where you can find it. And when you are planting something like this, put handful of soil (not from bags in shops or those manufactured one) with each plant. Of course it helps with moist and has nourishment, but what is most important it to sow all those soil bacteria, fungi and micro organism that live in the soil. They keep the soil alive and help creating new soil when your plants get bigger.

[@jdl.1234]

You ever read up on KNF (Korean Natural Farming). Microbes are key......

[@kenslx]

All interesting stuff you are doing. Keep the faith. When making the final trim to the cuttings, make the cut under water. There is a slight negative pressure in a stem and when it's cut a small air pocket forms reducing the stems ability to pull in new water. Works for me to make cut flowers last longer. All the best.

[@jeffparamchuk9167]

I can't believe you pulled that root mass out of the ground when digging and shook it then tossed it aside. 😂 That's a good organic sponge which was already in place!

[@cristobalin3]

Just another thought....the rose stem video you shared they stuck them in planted growing cactuses, not in cut pads....

[@alm_alb]

Also those videos are known to be staged

[@cristobalin3]

@@alm_alb You could be right

[@DavidLarson-m9u]

Loving it it man! I don't know if you will see this. You should reach out to the AG Commissioner's Office. I watched the last episode and there is some overlap between what you are doing and the water conservation efforts that he is spearheading. Those little beaver dams need to be larger structures designed to catch organic matter creating a boundary that traps as much silt as is possible. Which in turn will result in water retention. If there was a chance that something you design (or some contractor or engineer who was willing to volunteer a little bit of time) would help retain water from washing out to the gulf, he might be able to help you get permission to build something a little larger, that might move your project ahead, and benefit the state for decades to come.

[@dreamforgegames4776]

Need 'Not an Expert' shirts alongside "Not a Beaver'

[@climateteacherjohnj7763]

I've heard on these internets that aloe is another succulent that works with propagating roots from cuttings. Really excited to come across this novel method and can't wait to try it out on my Mojave desert property. When you emphasized that it's the endophytic microbes and associations that make it work in the long run, that was brilliant. Thank you!

[@iamtheonewhoyoulove]

you need to cover the cuttings, especially in the desert as they will dry out quickly. a more water rich cutting has a vastly high chance of success, just putting them into a plastic bag for transport is alot

[@sinusiteasmatica]

Your channel has inspired me to take the path of studying biology, seeing the imense struggle you go through for your passion made me believe again, the way you flipped your life around for making this possible and your continuous effort to keep this running and insteresting. I wanna be like you and do this type of work, this is possible i know it, or even better we got video proof it is! Hope to one day get to see this place you are saving! keep it up brother.

[@shesdope3159]

Another week of no rain ...cant wait for the rain...

[@Jack-w5k4p]

just looked at rainfall records - not unknown to go 6 years there with not much rain

[@rudytovar2951]

Shaun, I just shared your video with all my friends world wide. Thank you for your introduction. This was by far the best video showing your determination👍

[@parallaxical3067]

Might be helpful to look into rooting agents and grafting. I live northern hudspeth co. Willow and mesquite seem to be the best 2 trees out here for grafting. But i could be wrong maybe the creosote or acacias will perform better. Lots of different opinions on subjects, in the comment section. Don't put too much stock in what people say. Just look further into the topic yourself. Basically what you're already doing lol. You're doing great!

[@peytoia]

this is genius. so many desert plants use cacti as a host plant. your mind is beautiful and your work is holy. keep it up

[@103SideProjects]

So isolated even the rain won’t go.

[@lewisreed8415]

Your persistence is admirable, and it's really cool to see that you're paying somebody a wage to work on this project. Just awesome, keep it up!

[@LimitedState]

I really hope this is successful and I love the idea but if the rates are not good or it doesn't work at all the first try then try again in the spring when the plants hormones are more in the vegetative state and it has a lot of fresh growth hormones. Also with any of the more branchy shrubs and trees that have a barky layer that can be removed with a knife or razor, to reveal the underlying cambium etc, look into recycling water and pop bottles to use for air propagating cuttings from spring branches that stay connected to the mother tree until they make roots in your bottle.. that is a great way to make clones of trees and shrubs in the Spring.

[@katjordan3733]

Your experiments are very innovative! I'm just a cheerleader, no suggestions. Though, having seen the amazing things that mulched horse manure did for my little croft, I'm excited to see what will happen on the terrace. When your land is finally blessed with rain, that is. I had it so easy by comparison, my land is nearly flat. I bedded the horses in wood chips cleaned stalls, added grass seed and wood ashes and spread on the bare spots for 15 years. Just remember that the hardest thing you have to give it is TIME to work. Best wishes.

[@JRG4523]

Do you ever question your life choices and wonder WTF am I doing out here drilling holes into cactus 😂

[@CriticalThinker27]

Growing anything gives me strong sense of purpose in life. It's what's most important if the grocery stores are gone.

[@Ifyouarehurtnointentwasapplied]

😂😂😂 you obviously have never spent much time out in nature a farm isn't the same or as good as the bush/desert

[@Jack-w5k4p]

yes - we are running out of youtube material so this should do the trick until next week

[@Dirt-Fermer]

@@Jack-w5k4p at least this isn’t harming anybody

[@Jack-w5k4p]

@@Dirt-Fermer maybe - however if they promoted things proven viable - then many people will benefit - imagine that !!! this actually works !!! apply to task at hand and you will seee results - we already know what works - we know what doesnt - better to promote things proven to work - saves other peoples time and money

[@okuhtttf]

Hai Shaun I just found your awesome channel!! I'm not sure if you will see this but I'm South African and we too have very "cheap" plots or land in our desert areas and this it's also my 5 year plan to get my income from working remotely and setting up a sort of similar setup like yours. I have thought about the desert and reforestation for almost a decade now and one issue for me that we need to solve or could solve to help us with projects like this is water capturing... What I mean by this is that the air especially during the winter months is semi-humid so there is water in the air but not in the soil. One solution to this is actually distilling or cooling air enough for it to become a liquid and have that water be stored below ground in a sort of underground dam system. It is much easier to do this during winters as it doesn't take too much energy to cool down the water gas to liquid form. Solar stills is an easy to build system that only uses the suns heat as the method of capturing the water but you can implement novel or expensive solution to stil the water. But in the US and other colder winter areas you actually get snow so you can devise a way to capture and store the snow and store it as well as capture as much rain on your land as possible when it does rain once or twice in the year same for morning dew that could be captured with dew nets. With stored water a lot of tasks like farming or reforestation can be done much easier because you can build a greenery and use the water to create a humid and moisture rich greenery to grow plants much quicker and efficiently. Hope you see this and that it could help you somehow to find some water for yourself.

[@rm6857]

Slow, but for experimental purposes very good. Looking forward how it woks out.

[@justiceO8149]

Such an intersting idea; i think using a little nursery and experimental zone - my gut says try multiple cuttings in a pad with a variety of cutting selections from the same variety and you will quickly get a feel for it - possibly too you can split the cactus to plant. My cuttings take many months to establish, then harden off and plant. Best of luck

[@sagerobot]

I cant wait to be watching in 10 years and see the difference. Its one of those things where I think there will be a snowball effect after the first 5 years.

[@Jack-w5k4p]

good - in ten years if the entire ranch of 320 acres is not fenced it will be same as it was last year - plus it may not rain much for 7 out of every 10 years - exasperated by lack of complete management over 320 acres - time will tell which is why these videos are so important - proof of the making of not much really

[@blackduckfarmcanada]

Gradually... then suddenly

[@joeduren2182]

Nothing will change in 10 years

[@cliberatore86]

I love the sounds those seed pods make

[@BillMaughmer]

You have problem with your electric fence … should not hear anything from the charger or the fence! Either the magnetic in the charger is poor or the fence has bad insulators or something is shorting the fence to ground!!

[@Jack-w5k4p]

one problem with electric fencing in dry times is the earth - join earth to picket in ground and wet the ground around the picket

[@09conrado]

I've seen people run an extra wire instead of ground in very dry conditions ​@@Jack-w5k4p

[@christinedehn3257]

Many youtubers have experienced the pulsing of the fence being audible on camera even though they can not hear it themselves.

[@JB-eg1tb]

Looking forward to the result of this test. Kudos to Ian for the great animation too!

[@TimeFlies-ye3nt]

Ok so I just went out and took cuttings from four plants and inserted them into my spineless prickly pear cactus. To see if they will root it looks silly but I should know by spring… can I buy a few ocotillo cuttings? I want one for my yard . If you send me plant cuttings I have 40 empty one gallon containers I can start for you. I could probably put three companion plants in each pot. Check out my bobcat shorts on this channel.

[@orangeswell1469]

Best show in town. Back in the woods with my fav drink, watching people make forrests out of sand. Cheers! 🥂

[@dustupstexas]

☕☕☕

[@OnkyoGrady]

Rules for cuttings. 1. Green soft growth is preferable for the final stem cut 2. Use rooting hormone, just a jar of powder you dip the cut into 3. No direct sun or high dry wind 4. Cleanliness matters, your final cut should be a thin sharp edge that's clean, not shears 5. You should totally be caring for these offsite, say a garage shelf with a rack of lights above, plastic sheet siding to jack humidity. In your desert environment cuttings likely almost never happen naturally, so don't do it there. 6. Use a medium other than the other plants you are trying to cultivate. It's a great idea and I've seen it done before, but perlite, gravel, rockwool or literally anything else would be so much easier to deal with.

[@jotv7224]

seeing different little experiments is really cool.

[@jbbuzzable]

It will be interesting to see where all of the mulch ends up after a heavy rain.

[@Mr_Jamin007]

It would be interesting to see it actually rain.

[@skerriesrockart]

He has no soil and no water,he's essentially dry mulching gravel

[@Mr_Jamin007]

@@skerriesrockart the mulch will eventually become the soil but it'll take a long time because as you say it's dry for most of the year.

[@skerriesrockart]

@@Mr_Jamin007 without water there won't be any bacteria and fungus to break it down

[@skerriesrockart]

@Mr_Jamin007 plus he doesn't have nearly enough mulch

[@jeffreyc9183]

I really enjoy the diversity of concept and willingness to just try stuff. If it works someone else will figure out the science.

[@GuiBeesHoney]

Growasis is working on my farm in Mojave desert. I planted shady trees and they are making like a little ecosystem

[@ThrashTillDeth83]

He has a few of them

[@ColonelKlink100]

They aren't cheap though and they're hard to locate.

[@GuiBeesHoney]

@@ColonelKlink100 yea I agree with that i was just giving ideas

[@ColonelKlink100]

@@GuiBeesHoney I wish more people knew about and bought them so the prices would go down because they seem to be a great way to establish trees in drought-prone areas. I'm glad to hear that they are working out for you.

[@GuiBeesHoney]

@@ColonelKlink100 yes I’m thinking about making videos to show people how great they are

[@seanlewis3414]

as a native Texan, love watching! good luck out there!

[@Mad-Jam]

Cuttings need damp condition directly. Minute exposed in that dry air and your % to survive decrease. I put in water or damp toilet paper. And when i find the final place to put them in i do a fresh new 45degree "rose" cut with sharp knife.

[@laserflexr6321]

I agree with this. It is critically important to keep any cutting without roots from drying out. Recut about an inch or more above the cut used to part the cutting from the original plant, preferably underwater while cutting and at an angle to expose as much of the appropriate upward flowing layer as possible. How many tricks you should apply is mostly dependent on how difficult the species is to root, and the environment it is in early on. Dustups is almost worst case scenario for rooting cuttings. I think to not be a total wasted effort, it will almost have to be inside a tent that will hold humidity, 70-90% and provide some shade for at least the first month. I doesnt have to be big or expensive setup, maybe even inside under artificial, blue dominant light and 75 degreesF or so.

[@adenscottthompson6042]

Your confidence in experimentation gives me alot of hope and re enforcement. I'm also trying to reforest a small property in Perth Australia. I to use cactus, cuttings and native plants in an attempt to Make a difference. Keep up to good work and learning something everyday.

[@GraceTransitions]

Try one on a pad that has already rooted? Maybe? Just an idea.

[@noyopacific]

Thanks for the video Shaun ! As someone who has drilled a lot of holes in the dirt with a one man gas auger I’ve found it is usually best to let it rotate as fast as it can and not put much if any down weight on the handle bars (except when digging in hard clay. Also, I keep the digging teeth sharp and use hard-faced teeth when I can get them (Ardisam / Earthquake makes them.) Best wishes and good luck to you !

[@LuisELopezGarcia]

Maybe you should just walk around the ranch with an ice pick and shove clippings into any cactus you see.

[@dannycalley7777]

LLG .............makes sense .........you don't have to even think about the cactus not rooting

[@Jack-w5k4p]

that should take several years at about $50,000 pa expenditure cost per annum unless we us volunteers - can you help ??

[@anns.2621]

Brilliant! Your videos always make me feel hopeful! I also so something about training the shrubs you already have into trees by careful pruning of lower horizontals .... Keep going !

[@stefan514]

He did this before and I assume he just doesn't know what the problem is... Stop putting cuttings of any kind in your backpack or truck and let them sit there for hours without any care. They are absolutely dead afterwards

[@Mostspecialusername]

he also doesn't isolate the cuttings (they should be air tight like a graft and he leaves a lot of leaves (punny pun) that will dry the graft.

[@CampingforCool41]

It seems he hasn’t grown anything in his life lol but maybe he’ll learn

[@MrColelarson]

😂

[@keepingstephen]

You guys make a great team. Looking forward to the results. 👍

[@Pinion512]

I'm not sure if it matters, but I wonder if you try this with trimmings that are roughly the diameter of your fingers would work better. I used to work on a research farm and we would graft trees (i know, not the same thing) and we always used root stock and cuttings that were at least the diameter of a finger.

[@notashroom]

Very interested to see the outcome of your experiment here! One tip: the folks here suggesting putting potting soil in your plantings there, or taking cuttings home where you can nurture them then bring them back in a year or two... they mean well, but you need hardy plants to survive in arid conditions with occasional drenching. That means native soil, native or compatible plants, and not super babying them. A bit extra water and/or shade while they're extra stressed and trying to decide whether to fight to live, okay, but pampering them will result in weaker specimens. You are on the right track.

[@Tools2Survive]

You'd be better off inserting 2 or 3 clippings per cactus, because you will increase your odds of success. Because if it's going to work, there is enough moisture and nutrients for several clippings to begin rooting.

[@casalleblas2079]

that bird is such a good sign! Probably depositing some seeds in its droppings and more benefichial stuff!

[@fuzzytigercat]

Too bad I don't live closer. I have 2 big prickly pears in pots I could give you. They don't have big spikes on them either. I would buy several $20 large pots from Home Depot and several bags of Earth Grow Steer Manure and compost ($2.50 per bag) and grow stuff in pots. Once your trees and plants have been established in pots for a year, then transfer them to the ground. I grew crops in the ground and in pots and the ones in large pots or raised beds do much better than the ones in the ground.

[@cfkelty]

Establishing trees in the desert is difficult but so amazingly rewarding. I wish you the best of luck!

[@kffacxfA7G4]

Those clouds are so taunting

[@marilynmcconnell-twiss3046]

And daunting!

[@kevinaugustsson2202]

Another important variable for cuttings is how many leaves to keep on the cutting. The plants loose water through the leaves, so with no functioning roots yet it could be worth either reducing the number of leaves or cover the plants with a clear container to increase the humidity to keep them from drying out

[@bjorn7355]

Have you thought about the use of GrowBoxx from Groasis???