Propagation from roots - Black Locust as example

www.edibleacres...
www.youtube.co... - Join as an Edible Acres member for access to members live Question and Answer sessions and to support our work!
www.paypal.me/... - A simple and direct way to ‘tip’ to help support the time and energy we put into making our videos. Thanks so much!
Edible Acres is a full service permaculture nursery located in the Finger Lakes area of NY state. We grow all layers of perennial food forest systems and provide super hardy, edible, useful, medicinal, easy to propagate, perennial plants for sale locally or for shipping around the country…
www.edibleacres... - Your order supports the research and learning we share here on youtube.
We also offer consultation and support in our region or remotely. www.edibleacres...
Happy growing!

[@edscukas9689]

I reused old cedar posts I bought for cheap to fence my food forest in. Now I’m planting black locust around the fence line to replace those posts in the future as living fence posts. Also planning a grape trellis/arbor utilizing black locust as the living posts and possibly bend or tie the branches inwards to form a natural roof I guess you’d call it.

[@edibleacres]

Sounds like a very integrated and smart design!

[@erlingpanduro5973]

Dear God you people are so nice. Love from Denmark

[@releventhurt]

Grow baby grow

[@TheEmbrio]

Albizia tree spreads by roots so that has worked for me. Hazels. Artichoke too.

[@peterellis4262]

I really appreciate that your approach is not obsessed with detail and precision ;)

[@bigdog5510]

Serviceberry, blackberry and chokecherry do well from root cuttings as well.

[@edibleacres]

Good to know!

[@milescivis1018]

Truly a magical tree with a multitude of uses. I’ve started letting them grow around my property like weeds (if they begin to thicket -> fence post harvest time)

[@edibleacres]

They are a good tree to ally with for sure

[@TheEmbrio]

All you do is interesting Sean, make videos of everything please ! :)

[@marycampbell4160]

We have successfully rooted last fall 25 of satsumas trees. Thanks for sharing

[@andrep5899]

I may be mistaken but I thought most citrus are grafted ... if this is the case you don't propagate the variety you want by taken a root cutting.

[@rsbhomevideos]

Though, Andre if the satsuma you want to propagate is on its own rootstock, like if you're selecting from a seedling, then root cuttings would be a good way of 'cloning' it.

[@jillhoward1452]

I was delighted to discover a black locust on this property and intended to propagate from cuttings. I recently spotted a couple of probably year old black locusts nearby so I'll pay attention to the roots when I move them!

[@edibleacres]

Neat!

[@dogslobbergardens6606]

Wonderful video, very approachable and do-able technique as always. We really appreciate that; as Sasha pointed out it's all pretty thoughtful; yet simple enough that almost anyone feels they can do the same. And yes I'm also interested in the electric tiller thingamabob.

[@edibleacres]

:)

[@awakenacres]

I had some success growing comfrey from root fragments. I grow black locust from seed and from dormant branch cuttings. I will definitely be trying root cuttings next year. Thanks for the info!🌿

[@ponypetedm]

Well an unintentional propagation: I shredded all my grape vine cuttings from this autumn cuttings as I am looking for new varieties for propagation, well last week I noticed that my shredded grapevine that I used as mulch around my vines has sprung up hundreds of baby vine I have thinned them out but I have left a few to see how long they survive I doubt they will survive the summer but a nice reminder how easily they grow here.

[@edibleacres]

Very neat

[@wilderfarmstead]

Maybe it's an attribute of nitrogen fixers but I have started mimosa trees from root cuttings. One dormant season I dug up a large specimen that I had left way too long and severed a large root. I took five seconds to throw the fragment in a shovel slice and now it is a very nice tree! I must have also left some root behind as there is a coppice form mimosa in the place where I dug the original tree. Great way to photo copy fertility power house plants!

[@tiffanywilkerson5569]

That makes sense the way mimosa spreads. .. thanks!

[@edibleacres]

I think you are on to something.... It seems a lot of N-Fixers sucker and will root from root sections much more easily than branches...

[@growshakephil]

I just love black locusts. This is very helpful stuff as always

[@mimibergerac7792]

For me also the best way to propagate blackberries...

[@OakSummitNursery]

On a woodworking note black locust is a fairly high janka hardwood and despite the name the wood has a pale yellow color, similar to osage orange just lighter. You can also make bows from staves of both black locust and osage, similar properties. I wonder if osage does well from root cuttings.

[@tagladyify]

If you can get a hold of the fruit of the Osage orange, hedge apples, they sprout readily. I tried once and got fantastic germination and extremely vigorous seedlings.

[@helio2k]

Last week I was on the fortress Ehrenbreitstein. The first defense structure of this area dates back to 1000 before Chr. In the middle ages they used black locust as defense structure, utilising the long thrones and cutting them before a siege. Just found that very interesting

[@edibleacres]

Very cool!

[@JanMashat]

I thought black locust was introduced to Europe in the 17th century

[@malaleuca6620]

Gojis and raspberries, super easy!

[@vonries]

The one plant that may well rank right at the top for easiest cutting to root, has to be figs. I had gotten roots from several fig plants to grow, a much higher percentage of success then any other plants I've rooted. There may be other trees who root easier then figs, but of the plants who provide food, figs must be one of the easiest. I even got a single leaf to grow roots. it didn't live past winter, but I never expected the leaf to root to begin with.

[@beskamir5977]

Wait you can literally root figs from a single leaf? Why did it die in the winter? Was it due to frost damage? What would have happened if you kept it in a warmer environment where it wouldn't get exposed to any negative temps for a couple years? Alternatively, I assume a cell culture would work for propagating any plant but that's basically cheating.

[@robertmcauslan6191]

For me it’s elder berry. I routinely pull plantlings from the compost and chicken yard.

[@austinmesta9862]

Alot of tropical houseplants are done with leaves, it's called petiole cutting propagation. :)

[@vonries]

@@robertmcauslan6191 that sounds like a tasty problem to have. I'll trade you some sand spurs for them. (A Florida painful grass thing).

[@johnstone7763]

Used this method for wild senna.

[@edibleacres]

Interesting, I bet a lot of N-Fixing plants would work well in this way.

[@williambentley5877]

I just learned crab apples puts off shoots from their root system too. I have ornamental crab apple trees and discovered some coming up around them. Ornamentals aren't much use to me but may be another source of income. I will be trying this next early spring. Thanks for posting

[@slaplapdog]

Thanks for sharing thus! Crabapple can be good root stock and pollinators for edible apples

[@edibleacres]

Great thinking!

[@GoneCarnivore]

Crabapples can be used to make Jelly, good for wildlife also. I am trying to grow some from currings and trying to Air Layer and 4 foot tall tree.

[@williambentley5877]

@@GoneCarnivore mine are ornamental. They were already here when we bought the property. The apples only get as big as blueberries. The deer do eat them though.

[@jeffreymorris9776]

I suppose not really an edible, but I've had really good success with root cuttings of Verbascum (or Mullein). I'd say 80-90% strike rate.

[@rsbhomevideos]

Dormant?

[@winjoda]

What timing! Our power company just told us that they have to remove two of our trees next month because they are within the new exclusion zone for the power lines. One of the trees is a tall but skinny (maybe 6” diameter) black locust! You mentioned taking the rootlets in your video from the small trees that you dig up before selling - is it possible to pull roots from our big tree to propagate or do they need to be from smaller trees? Or is there a better way to propagate from a big tree this time of year? I sure would feel a whole lot better about losing this tree if I could propagate a small forest of black locust from it…

[@austinmesta9862]

Should work the same from a big tree

[@edibleacres]

If you can find any smaller roots from the tree, say 2" diameter or smaller, that you can 'chase' out from the soil that should be worth trying. If they are cutting them anyway, why not try, but also know that even when they cut them there is a VERY good chance the tree will resprout and grow again :)

[@kimberlysmith258]

I have 1 of these, thank you for the video! I'm trying this with my elderberry.

[@HomesteadForALiving]

Did it work?

[@irishfruitandberries9059]

Easiest thing I've ever rooted is comfrey. Tiniest piece of root fragment and you have a plant. The plant are virtually indestructible

[@edibleacres]

That is a rewarding one for sure!

[@cletushatfield8817]

If you want to see real thoughtlessness I can upload a video of my garden.

[@yLeprechaun]

🤣😂🤣😂💕

[@permie]

Thanks so much!

[@zmblion]

The thorns tho.. they are such a tough tree to have in places you would like an oak. But they are also a great tree

[@edibleacres]

Definitely want an Oak where you want an Oak, Black Locust is perfect for those Black Locusty places you have around :)

[@xX4estXx]

Love the video, as always, BUT the end left me desperate to see you water those in.

[@edibleacres]

I get it! You can trust they got a deep soak, a deep mulch and probably today they'll get a follow up watering today to be extra sure :)

[@frasersgirl4383]

They are so beautiful…….

[@Gabi-lt4mx]

I tried comfrey and it works out great

[@edibleacres]

For sure!

[@jessicablank5925]

Sean, after the initial planting, watering and mulching of your nursery bed, how much tending do you do of it?

[@edibleacres]

That will probably be it. Maybe another watering or two if we get hot/dry weather.

[@tagladyify]

I have heard that the black locust blooms smell wonderful.

[@verleejenkins]

Indeed they do! As far as thorns, just don't have them anywhere you plan to be barefoot or where children play.

[@Awellsfarm]

We have goji suckering everywhere, I'll be testing this process this fall ! Maybe they will do from root cuts

[@boohoo210]

Love the channel Sean! Hey question for ya. Are the SEEDLESS, thornless honey locust a nitrogen fixer if it doesn't create seed pods? Thanks as I can't find info on this topic.

[@edibleacres]

I can't say I know the answer to that specific question.

[@winniesfarm7794]

Hi, I live in Nova Scotia zone 5b so cold snowy winters. I grew black locust from seed this spring so they are still young in the pots and not sure whether to plant or leave in pots and how to care for either way to over winter. I've watched you for a couple of years and hope you can give some advice. Thank you!

[@unionse7en]

Finally Jordan Peterson seems happy

[@k.r.5400]

I love a black locust. I haven't had a chance to watch yet but is there a way to tell if you're looking at a honey locust vs a black locust?

[@yLeprechaun]

Seed pods. Honey locust grows a long and winding fairly wide 6- 8 inch pod. Black locust grows a much smaller, compact 3-4 inch pod.

[@kwajrod]

Also, black locust have shorter thorns, honey locust has long, scary thorns.

[@myrrhidian3166]

Does this work on any tree that suckers from the roots? I've had experience digging up a sucker from an ornamental plum tree to great effect, so perhaps just a root fragment would have worked just as well? The original tree was nearing the end of its life. I wanted to see if I could preserve it in some way, so I potted this little shoot up, gradually moving it on from pot to pot until years later I planted it in pride of place in my new fruit orchard. The mother tree has since died and been cut down, but my husband saved pieces of the trunk to carve into something lovely to remember it by. Our little plum is still small, but does bloom every year, and hopefully will grow strongly from now on.

[@edibleacres]

Lovely story! Seems like Plum is a lot like Locust and seeing a sucker from any tree is like what is described in this video but with more nature involved!

[@tiffanywilkerson5569]

Blue agave

[@AlDaoust]

Would you harvest root cuttings in the fall for either indoor rooting or spring planting?

[@edibleacres]

I don't have definitive notes on how people should do it... BUT if I had both options equally available, spring harvest of roots with propagation happening in a warm space like a high tunnel or on a heat mat, etc., seems far and away a better option so far.

[@CliffsidePermaculture]

My black locust transplants always die and the seeds aren't doing great either. There are several stands of genetic thornless heritage in my area, one of which is sprolific bloomer, but i just can't get them to propogate yet!

[@edibleacres]

Thornless Black Locust seem incredibly weak and weird in our area, you may want to also try the wild types!

[@CliffsidePermaculture]

@@edibleacres these are wild types! I'm trying to reduce its risk of extinction from the few native planted wild stands before its too late.

[@frankbernards]

Can you propegate with the same idea a sucker that come from the root? I have an prunus virginia that seed many sucker every year, wonder if you have any idea or trick to make it work. Thanks

[@jennifersurrette4219]

No need for deer protection on those root cuttings?

[@edibleacres]

It would probably be helpful but so far we luckly haven't seen any deer pressure in this area this season for some strange reason...

[@GaHullbillyRanch]

Black locust trees?

[@dridri4664]

I did this successfully with red currant but the growth seems a bit slow. Maybe I need to move it out of the pot and into soil directly. Are you selling those "baby" trees then at a later stage? At what stage/how long are you keeping them? Thank you

[@edibleacres]

We try to grow them for one year and then move them on.

[@JanColdwater]

Hey guys! I was wondering if you are dealing with the Lanternfly yet? I am on Staten Island and there are too many here for my level of comfort.

[@edibleacres]

They are expected to be coming here but not yet!

[@JanColdwater]

@@edibleacres I am trying to kill as many as I can but my yard has many nymphs. It is overwhelming to kill these bugs while trying to maintain the health of everything else. If they do make it up to you, I wonder if your chickens will chow down and manage it for you. Some people say chickens are eating them, others say no. 🤷‍♀️

[@trumpetingangel]

@@JanColdwater My chickens (and many others) are wary of new edibles. Mine ignored some multicolor dried corn on the cob for months, then gobbled them up.

[@Ok-vj3dw]

Quite unrelated to this video but do you find garlic mustard to taste better when the leaves have gone purple? To me they are less bitter and more sweet, even if they are ragged in comparison to the younger green leaves.

[@edibleacres]

Haven't tested that!

[@littletreefarmns]

Do you plant the root sections vertically or horizontal under the soil?

[@edibleacres]

Vertical is ideal

[@liam314]

Doesn't Black locust propagate from hardwood cuttings? If so, why go to the trouble of taking root cuttings?

[@edibleacres]

I have never seen it root from hardwood cuttings. Not saying it is incapable of that but I have not had that experience

[@liam314]

@@edibleacres Ah, thats good to know. Thanks 🌱😊❤

[@thehillsidegardener3961]

Great timing for me, too, I was about to go researching how best to propagate black locust. I tried from seed last winter - I scarified, I stratified, and nothing worked. It's kind of an invasive here in Europe (though a very valuable one, for bees/honey especially) so you'd think I wouldn't have any trouble, ha ha. I was going to try with hardwood cuttings this coming winter, but I will now definitely do some root cuttings too, if I can dig them up from my existing trees, as well as just sticking hardwood cuttings in the ground like you would with elder and many others. I wonder how many other species are amenable to this kind of root propagation - hazelnut is something I would like to try as mine sucker quite prolifically, any luck with that? I dug up suckers with root sections earlier this spring and potted them up but still waiting to see if they'll make it.

[@edibleacres]

Root cuttings is so reliable. Hazel from root fragments in this method may be reasonable...

[@thehillsidegardener3961]

@@edibleacres I think it works with a viable section of root and a living sucker, but I will also try with smaller root fragments in winter (and hardwood cuttings, too).

[@sadbhyl]

This is tangentially related: I thought black locust was a restricted species in New York. How would I be able to include them in my home garden?

[@HomesteadForALiving]

You have the right to plant anything you want in your property

[@peterellis4262]

I don't have any observations to offer with regard to other plants starting from root fragments. I do want to get some shipmast locust from you. I keep missing the window because you sell out so fast ;)

[@yLeprechaun]

Yeah, and he's a stickler for fairness too: won't let you send him money now and wait for availabity. He's very annoying that way. 😀

[@dimitrinoahutz9547]

Yeah.. maybe. 🥰

[@groworforage342]

more about the bcs.

[@edibleacres]

We'll share more notes, just ran out of time on this one :)

[@gregadams5279]

can you do a video on weed please?

[@austinmesta9862]

He's probably not ever going to do that. He's a professional. Mostly all of the methods of fertility he uses will work with hemp and cannabis species. I don't know if root fragment propagation will work with it but all the fertility stuff is applicable.

[@edibleacres]

We don't grow that plant so I can't offer notes on cultivation. Lovely and wonderful plant for sure, but we just don't grow it.

[@austinmesta9862]

Give it compost or a handful of soil from nature as an inoculant at planting, a handful of bone meal spread around on the soil at six inches tall, some worm castings, three tablespoons of epsom salt.... when you go into flowering, give it a whole handful of epsom salt after watering and water the epsom in lightly. When you know flowering stage will be coming up soon, do not give more nitrogen fertility. If it's growing slow while young, give it more bone meal, coffee grounds, urine, blood meal, compost, or lawn gypsum. Give a handful of gypsum at flowering when you do the epsom salt as well, if you have it. Youll do fine. Or just bury the remains of a few fish a foot under the seedling and mix compost with the soil 50/50 when you refill the hole. You'll do fine.

[@gregadams5279]

Are you both married? From the conversations on this video it sure seems like it.

[@angelad.8944]

DO you mean to other people or each other, hee hee

[@edibleacres]

Yes we are

[@bradical7772]

Black locust is nearly worthless . In many places it becomes invasive and changes the mycobiota of the soil making it nearly impossible to reestablish good native habitat. I agree it is good for fence posts and bow wood but how many of you are playing trees for these reasons?

[@jennifersurrette4219]

I'd be interested in reading about how black locust changes soil biology in a negative way. Got any links?

[@growingwithfungi]

Thank you so much for sharing your notes and everything. I can’t express how much you have helped me over the years. I thank the universe for you. ( you all ) 😊🌱💚🙏✨🍄🐝🐔🪱