This One Thing Will Improve Your Cuttings Success

For those who are troubleshooting their plant propagation by cuttings, I'll talk about the one change I made this year that is sure to make your cuttings root faster and at a higher success rate. So often we talk about technique and growing conditions of the cuttings, but in this video I argue that the condition of the "mother" plants (the ones you take the cuttings from) is equally important. In fact, so long as you have the propagation basics down, preparing your mother plants with a little extra TLC might be the easiest way to improve your results.
If you find these videos useful, here are a few things you can do to help us out:
Send a tip: www.buymeacoffee.com/fvrosefarm
Have a look at our Amazon shop: www.amazon.com/shop/fraserval...
Drop us a "Like" on our Facebook business page:
/ fraservalleyrosefarm
Leave a review of our farm on Google:
g.page/r/Cfi8qXv8QReZEBE/review
Refractometer Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas / CC-BY-SA-3.0

[@bradcarby3765]

We do hydroponics on a large scale here and my take away point from this video was not so much about the way to improve rooting of cuttings but the fertiliser side of things. We measure electrical conductivity of the water into the plant, the water out of the grow bag and also in the media every single day. Too low is definitely the way to go. We push and push but it is a very fine line between perfect nutrition and nutrient lock out and nutrient burn. You can absolutely kill a plant in 24 hours with too much fertiliser. You can kill a plant with not enough nutrient too, obviously, but it is a slower process that takes longer and you have time to correct. Start low always, particularly with cuttings and young seedlings and you have room to ramp up once nice roots have developed. Great vid as usual.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Brad. And I'm with you 100% - I still recommend starting on the low side for general gardening purposes, and especially while you're learning about your plants and your soil. In hydroponics systems you get to learn some lessons really fast because there's no time delay/no buffer of natural soil to dampen things. Container gardening is another time when there's really a reduced margin for error, so starting out with less fertilizer (and slower releasing) is a good idea.

[@gwbuilder5779]

It's amazing how something so obvious can be so easily overlooked. I find myself concentrating so much on the plants that are struggling to sort out their issues that I miss prime cutting opportunities simply by being distracted. As I am moving, my focus is on keeping as many of my plants healthy as possible and allowing the ones that are struggling to find their way a bit so there is less distraction. Yes of course I will provide the necessary care to all my plants, water, simple basic nutrients, and monitor for pests, but the experimental areas will be on their own. All of my plants will be adjusting now that most of them are up at the higher elevation (yesterday) and the strong will survive, providing much better specimens for future cuttings and propagation. Jason, you are so right about trusting that certain plants will be alright even though they are sometimes struggling a bit. They will probably be just fine as they find their way, but if we step in and solve the issue like better amended soil or drainage or watering, all of a sudden that plant springs back to life and flourishes. The balance between continued health in the garden and new projects can get a bit one sided at times and a quick check-up can be a great way re-establish that balance.🤙

[@taztasuki4228]

Practical advice as always. Thanks, Jason!

[@judymckerrow6720]

Thank you Jason. 🌺💚🙃

[@garyolsen6299]

Always informative. Tks

[@mikeq6384]

another great video Jason, always look forward to learning from every one of your posts ! Thank you

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks a lot Mike!

[@AmzBackyardOrchardandVineyard]

Greetings from Arizona! We love our Rose bush and will be practicing propagation this coming fall growing season here in the Desert. Thanks for the tips and tricks that actually work! Cheers 🥂😎

[@jann6082]

As usual very informative

[@olsonlr]

Thanks. Very helpful tips.

[@ankita3214]

Very pleasant to see that all cuttings grew well, I hope my rose cuttings will grow well in the season. Jason I really like to see Roses, lavenders and all perennials you grow in your gardens.

[@rosebean]

brilliant info, thanks!

[@kaori17az]

This is the advice I was looking for.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Happy to hear it!

[@tolotonga69]

Love you're videos, living my dream 👍

[@namelessbloodlines1974]

Esto es oro puro, 👌👌👌👌 esto estaba buscando hace mucho tiempo

[@Christie-gp2cy]

I really enjoy your videos Jason. Always interesting and educational. The beautiful flowers are great too :) Thanks for sharing.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

My pleasure Christie

[@joeparker6070]

Thanks for showing us your place. I love the use of the old tyres. Brilliant idea and looks good. Cheers mate ☺️

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Joe. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@annettekastrickiene3082]

Hello from Lithuania❣ 🌹Love induced info.🌹 Thanks a million for finding time to share your knowledge

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching Annette.

[@RoseLover776]

Really good video man thank you 😊

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I'm glad you found it!

[@plantsomething]

Thanks Jason. Agree healthy mother plants work best. Trying something I saw you do with rose cuttings without leaves right now,also taking cuttings at different times of year. Spring with fresh new growth has always worked but trying to g row more. You've helped with learning ,appreciate you.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Great to hear. Thanks Dean.

[@andrewjames6676]

Thanks for your very helpful videos Jason. I can certainly vouch for mother plant quality being the key factor. I keep a couple of fuchsias planted beside the greenhouse fed and pruned for cuttings and have been taking them for several years. By the way, I simply mist my cuttings with a hand spray several times a day (I'm retired!), and keep them covered with thin fleece while establishing in the greenhouse. My preferred medium is 50/50 perlite/vermiculite. Rooting hormone doesn't make a lot of difference, I've tried with and without.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for sharing your experience Andrew!

[@blessedmommad7736]

This was my first year propagating.. pretty decent success. I think I ended up with about 25 out of 30 taking root. Thanks for the great information

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Nicely done! Thanks for watching.

[@sislertx]

Wow. Makes sense on the CONDITION of mother plant. Looking back at my streak of no successful cuttings....i will say that the season had been really really rough on all plants...and the mothers didnt look that healthy.

[@Hagetine]

Enlightening. Takk🙂

[@dubs3400]

Another great video Jason. I’ve had variable success in rooting cuttings of roses and Hydrangeas, and have NOT paid much attention to the parent plant. I will now! My results may very well have varied because I tend to take cutting from a variety of plants from the same cultivar without considering the health of the parent. Thanks again for another education video. One day, I plan to visit your Nursery. If you ever decide to visit Charleston,SC, please reach out.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Dubs! If I'm ever down that way I'll definitely look you up.

[@tarar6926]

Thanks!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

We really appreciate the support Tara!

[@pluckysongs]

Thanks for this. I work in greenhouses in the Fraser Valley and I’m learning a lot from you.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Leah, I really like to know the channel is reaching some local growers

[@pluckysongs]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I’ve been on a mission to get our mother plants back up to snuff since I’ve finally been given the freedom to do so. Can’t say much about the situation but I’ve been excited to dive in and fix it!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Good for you Leah. There's been a fair number of ownership changes in the local industry in the past few years, and it's really shown up in the operations. I won't venture to guess that you're in one of those nurseries, but if so I'm glad you're being given the mandate to put some things back in order.

[@annebeck2208]

The one thing that I have noticed is that foliar feeding (spraying) of Compost extract (Great Big Roses) has really helped the health of my plants and seem to make stronger cuttings. It may be because my soil isn't great. But it has even helped with my plants struggling with disease too and made their cuttings take much better. Some people locally use worm tea and say it works similarly .

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for the info. I haven't tried the product, but I've heard good things

[@andrewjames6676]

Thanks Anne, I'll try with my own home-made compost extract.

[@sandycoelho9091]

Thank you for the information. Always helpful. Would you please tell me about your hanging mister or sprinklers I see above your plants? Where did you buy the system, or what parts did you use to build the system? Thanks for any help in this area.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Sandy. I probably need to do a video on this at some point. I've mainly gone with the Netafim SpinNet heads, because they cover a large area and are the most economical to set up (from what I've shopped). The downside is that they can clog. This is especially a problem when using the Line Anti-Drain Valve and if you have hard water, and also due to little spiders crawling into the spinners and webbing them up.

[@allanarichmond2902]

Thanks so much for this information. I garden in a zone 6a/5b. Recently moved into a new build house and have raw property (2+ acres) to work with. There is so much that I want to do including a lavender hedge along the garage and a hydrangea hedge across the front. I would like to propagate from cuttings to save money. Otherwise it's financially not doable. Can you speak to the timing from the first cutting to actually getting the plant in the ground? How many seasons? I heard lots of discussion about how to take a cutting but not on the final journey into the ground. Thanks so much!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Sure. In my growing climate it's about a 1 year grow time. Fresh cuttings in June will take a month or so to root & grow on in a small container through fall. Overwinter. Repot in spring to a 1 gallon or so, then into the ground when they're rooted to the sides and bottom of the pot. Here's a little on the timeline: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYS0dYCsn9CXmJI

[@tbru13]

Great info Jason. What do you think of feeding mother plant with something like carboload day before take cuttings? It contains glucose & xylose. thank you

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

It's an interesting question. I'm going to address it off-the-cuff, but if I were to make a video on it (which there's a similar topic on my list) I'd want to refresh myself on the science of it. From what I've read, plant roots have a difficult time absorbing large & complex organic molecules like glucose (and xylose I'd presume). I know that some pot growers will routinely supplement with molasses & other sweet additives, but there's a fair bit of skepticism in horticulture about whether this is useful or just marketing hype. The sugar I'm talking about in this video is the product of photosynthesis. The plants make it themselves when they're growing well, have lots of sunshine, and good nutrient levels to build chlorophyll. (Copied from my Facebook reply and posted here because I figure other viewers make have a similar question)

[@RoseLover776]

Yessss

[@dianekulback2430]

Another great video. What was the name of the lavender farm you visited? We are starting a farm in Colorado and would love to visit. Thank you!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

The place I went up to is Qualitree. I'm not sure they offer public tours - mine was arranged through my previous employer because they're such a state-of-the-art growing facility.

[@2ndchanceplastics755]

Thankyou for sharing about the sugar levels for the lavender, that is such an interesting point rarely talked about. What do you use specifically as your soil medium for your lavender? We are also in the Fraser Valley and so would you mind sharing - where do you purchase it from?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

You bet - here's the tour of the supplier: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKi3Z62tnc99qsk

[@2ndchanceplastics755]

Thankyou, I appreciate it! Love the video's.@@FraserValleyRoseFarm

[@dumisanekhoza6652]

Hi Jason , great video I really appreciate the info you share to us . Quick question my misting heads drips after each cycle . How can I solve this dripping i have changed so many mist heads but no luck..

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Dumisane. I don't know your irrigation system, but for most everything I buy here, there's an optional "anti-drip" fitting or "in-line anti-drain valve". They're a bit susceptible to clogging (esp. with hard water) so they can be a pain, but they do stop the dripping most of the time.

[@dumisanekhoza6652]

I have overhead misting system with fine micro nozzles connect to HTC Led automatic timer , and my water it's hard water

[@tlt3079]

What kind of paint d did you use on tires? Very resourceful!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks. Exterior latex.

[@christineedwards4865]

That's very interesting about sugars in the stem correlating to rooting success. Do you think there could be any difference by pre-watering the rooting medium with a light sugar solution, kind of similar to how a watered down sugar solution can increase germination on very old seeds?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Plants don't have an easy time absorbing complex organic molecules through the roots - relying on soil microbes to break them down first.

[@GeorgeLeite]

Follow up question. When you get cutting to take this late in the season, how do you over-winter them for next year? Does keeping them indoors mess with they annual cycle, or do they not need to go dormant over the winter and keeping them indoors will be fine?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi George good question. As regards roses, most have no dormancy requirement, so you can definitely keep them in active growth over the winter if you can manage the temperature, lights (& pests!) The best course of action will depend on how far along your cuttings are by the time it gets quite cold. Here I expect to have relatively mild temps through October and usually into November as well, so there's a little room to get them lightly rooted at least. After that, I'll probably keep them above freezing but semi-dormant. If some are slower to root, I might make an exception and keep them on heat and light until spring.

[@mikel646]

Hey Jason, thanks for another excellent video. Can you give me some sense of the impact of time of year on rooting? I'm between zone 6 and 7, summer is winding down fast, and my in-laws house has a a rose bush that I'd love to start a cutting from (it's been there for 30 years but the house may be sold in less than a year). Does rooting roses in spring have enough of an advantage to make the wait worth it?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Unless you're prepared to go with artificial light & heat, I think it may be a bit late for actively-growing cuttings. Now you could collect fully ripened (hardwood) stem sections after the roses go dormant, and attempt to root them over the winter/early spring. That would still leave a chance for active-season cuttings around flowering time next year.

[@mikel646]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you so much for the insights! It really helps.

[@noname-fe4jn]

rhodo propagation is hard and to enhance success they focus on 1) younger rather than older plant 2) loading up with water in days before 3) take cuttings in am --- these things will enhance success --- but my experience has been that medium of fir or cedar has natural substance inhibiting bacteria/ fungal growth and drains well and not compacted so minimizes rotting --- your rose propagation videos are all great -- thanks for the work and effort

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for adding your knowledge to the topic: I haven't played with rhodo cuttings yet, but I heard they were a bit on the tricky side.

[@critcalreader4160]

A neighbor has two young rose bushes that were planted this year. Two weeks ago I added Rose Tone to the soil and their long, lanky canes have become even longer (one has canes between five and six feet long, the other has canes just shy of five feet long). The leaves are a nice deep green and the new growth is red and leafy. Should I cut the canes back to encourage more bushiness or should I wait and cut them back in the early spring?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Yeah, unless you're training it as a climber, those are getting a bit tall. Cutting them will hopefully encourage some branching down low to balance the shrubs.

[@tarar6926]

Thank you so much for all this information. I am new to rose gardening, in zone 6a the midwest US. I just purchased a "Belinda's Dream" shrub rose on clearance at a local nursery. It is fairly large, approx 3ft tall and wide, and still has blooms and buds on it. My question is, should I prune it back when I plant it in my garden now, or wait until the spring? I worry that the shock of planting in the ground now plus pruning it back will be too much for it this late in the season. My est first frost date is Oct 15th. Thank you for all of the info you've provided in your videos, I'm really looking forward to propagating my rose!

[@tarar6926]

I might have found the answer to my question in one of your other videos "easy rose pruning" - sounds like it's not necessary to prune roses until they are well-established in the ground - my confusion would be whether "well-established" means an older plant (because the one I purchased I'm assuming by size is 2-3 years old) or if this means "established in the ground at my house." Regardless, late September sounds like a bad time to prune in general and I should focus on establishing the rose bush in location before winter, then worry about pruning in spring if necessary.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Yes, I think you're on the right track. Unless you think the stems are too poorly supported and will be damaged by winter wind or snow, it's better to hold off for any major pruning until spring.

[@tarar6926]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you so very much!

[@80sforever3]

Thank you so much. Now i know why all my cuttings died this year. All the mother plants are still young and trying to established. I moved several months ago. All my established roses are planted in the grown in the previous rental house. I didn't dare to dig them out in case they die so i just take those in pots. A question but not related to the video topic. Is it okay if i prune my young Edouard rose (1 year old) without waiting the canes to flower to encourage development of new young canes and increase the cane numbers? Thank you.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

It's fine to remove flowering stems to encourage more shoot development - a lot of gardeners do this on young plants with good results.

[@Jeuro38]

Hello Jason, I have a question that sort of leads from the overwintering of cuttings. A lot of information is available as to each rose's rusticity, but what about the chilling/dormancy requirements? I am moving to USDA zone 10, and I have no idea which roses can work well without a cold winter. Thanks for sharing your expertise, always!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

My pleasure. Most modern roses don't require chilling and are not daylength sensitive. Some of the older roses (centifolias, albas esp) will struggle without their winter rest period, but for most roses adapting to a warmer climate is just about how well they cope with the heat and/or humidity.

[@Jeuro38]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Interesting! As if selection for other traits had sieved out the internal clock. Thanks a lot for your help, and all your work on the channel

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

Thanks Jason. Have you experimented with using/not using rooting hormone? Howmuch of a difference does t make for you?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

It can make quite a difference in the quickness and quality of rooting. On easy-to-root varieties, I've done it without, and it just takes a little longer.

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm thanks

[@kahingyip4201]

Why taking the cuttings earlier in themorning means that there's more sugar in the stem as opposed to later in the day？

[@user-be5xr9zc6p]

I’m finding it work every time i poke a stick in the ground ..it roots..where i lived rented in London in the yr. 1994.. the landlord told me all these 30 roses in flower are sticks brought from visiting friends & relatives ( he was one stingy person i’ve ever known in my entire life)… hmmm .. i thought.. i can well believe that.. soil in England can grow gold in it but we’ll keep that one between us

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Very nice!

[@raymundsantos2324]

Hi Jason, how do you water the rose plants inside the tires and how often? I noticed that the planting area is almost level. How does the water drain?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Raymond. I don't water at all in the early spring - the soil starts out the season very moist from regular rainfall. In late spring/early summer the weather generally dries up a bit and then I'll look at irrigation 1x or 2x per week, depending on conditions. I'd love to install some permanent drip irrigation to save my time, but that's a larger project. The stock field is nearly level, but it's a deep silty loam soil so we never see drainage problem or pooling at all unless the river is high (the Fraser River comes way up in the early summer due to snow melt, and that determines the water table on Nicomen Island).

[@raymundsantos2324]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm thank you!

[@dumisanekhoza6652]

Hi Jason I have noticed that on this video , your greenhouse the side's is rolled up a little bit , is the specific reason for that. ain't get cuttings getting burn from the sun and harsh winds ? is the specific length on your misters suspended to the cuttings, it should be from the cuttings

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I almost always have the sides rolled up partly or fully to improve ventilation - the closed greenhouses would become far too hot for good growth on a sunny day. Sometimes I drop them a little more during the spring to trap some extra heat, or when the wind is severe, but it all depends on what we're trying to accomplish with the crops. On a side-note, we're finished with new cuttings for the year because the cold season is only a few weeks away, and there won't be time to fully root the cuttings before then.

[@dumisanekhoza6652]

Thanks lot for the reply

[@paulinecrispin121]

I liked the look of the example 'mother plant.' Please can you tell us its name 😊

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

That's 'Abbaye de Cluny'

[@vintagelady1]

This makes sense, but is a little sad to hear b/c I am often trying to frantically propagate from a plant that is not thriving! Come to think of it, the only times I've had success propagating are with 2 roses that simply will not quit, a mini (unnamed, I call it Right On Mauve!) & an unknown pink grandiflora (I call it Persistance, or Elizabeth Warren) planted by previous owners. OK, so job #1 is get the mother rose healthy!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Agreed - it's so much easier to work with a plant that *wants* to grow

[@tomik5483]

Dear Jason, have you considered to grow roses from Japanese breeders (Kawamoto, Wabara etc.)?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I sure would, but I don't see them available on the local market.

[@tomik5483]

I can not get them here (Sweden) as well. BUT, I was thinking to order cut roses and "grow" them.

[@ilonamw]

I've always wanted to ask this is there a specific reason you have those tires around your roses?

[@FireflyOnTheMoon]

look up the video he made on this.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

You bet. A few: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2GQlKGohL-piNE

[@fonmukoumuncommonagriculture]

please I have certain cuttings of bitter kola that I did. and after 25 days the leaves start appearing but after two months no roots. is there something wrong with this cuttings or the type of tree ?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I read a little about the plant (which I haven't grown myself): the study seems to say cuttings are much easier from young softwood shoots (rather than semi-hardwood or hardwood cuttings)

[@fonmukoumuncommonagriculture]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm thanks very much for the quick response. my question was, is it normal for leaves to appear before roots. because even as we speak now the leaves are still green but no roots yet

[@johannesstruijk9907]

Healthy plants give healthy offspring. Sounds like making a lot of sense and I'll keep that in mind. I do some rose hybridizing and propagation for fun and don't have a lot of mother plants. You (and others) invariabky advertise the use of 4-node cuttings for roses, which seems like a waste of three nodes per cutting to me. In the "encyclopedia of rose science" it says that the Dutch cut flower companies use single node cuttings for their propagation. So this summer I tried 12 single-node cuttings of 'Barkarole' with a 12 out of 12 succes rate (using 0.1% IBA powder). It seems like you have a single mother plant for each variety, so perhaps you could increase your volume of propagation this way. By the way: the same encyclopedia shows that high levels of IBA increases the percentage of rot.

[@peony7967]

I noticed the same too. The single node stems also did great.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Johannes. I haven't tried single-node at all, though I will often drop to 2-node on varieties with a long internode (elder, grapes, etc). It might be a fun thing to try! My only reservation is that with the smaller cutting size is that it may take longer to size up. When I've seen growers take even larger cuttings than I do, one thing I've noticed is that (once rooted) they'll resume growth from 2 or 3 of the upper nodes, resulting in a well-branched and naturally larger plant to go into winter. I already struggle a bit with the market comparison to larger bare-root roses, so dropping down to a smaller propagule is a hard sell for me. Then again, tissue culture looks like a fun project too!

[@Linkefer]

Im trying to clone a finger lime tree, i know its not 100% the same as flowers but the theory should hold true right?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Yes, I'd say you can apply the point more generally that all propagation benefits from a healthier mother plant.

[@80sforever3]

Are citrus canes easy to root? I rooted several Eureka lemon cuttings early June, they are still alive but no root, no leaves yet. This make me hesitant to try propagating limes, key limes and calamondine trees

[@judymckerrow6720]

I’m guessing condition of mother plant? 🌺💚🙃

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Good call!

[@judymckerrow6720]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I did guess before you got to condition of mother plant in your explanations. Makes the most sense to me. 🌺💚🙃

[@mikedan297]

Why are roses sold in nurseries always grafted as I know? I haven't seen a rose growing from cuttings.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Mike. Well a good portion of the landscape roses (Knockout, Flower Carpet, etc.) roses are grown on their own roots, but grafting is a popular production system for quite a few reasons. They sell as large, impressive plants that establish & flower quickly in the garden. Customers love that! For the grower, it's a production system where you can produce a large number of plants from a small number of mothers (because you only need 1 bud per graft). They can be harvested, refrigerated and ship while dormant too, so that offers some flexibility. For my local market, I still like own-root better for their longevity and lack of rootstock suckers.

[@mikedan297]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I believe their rootstock is a very strong type of rose that they can grow cuttings as tall as 1m. I once saw a grower preparing rose canes for standard rootstocks.

[@ClickinChicken]

I wish there was a way you could send me some rose hips! I'm no competitor, believe me that ha It's 'A' secual reproducation totally legal. I'm in USA. On the down low (it's getting worse lol). For a friend? 😆 Cool hobby. Rod has a TON of wild rose hips, so I'm set with something! Or I'm just an American dreamer.

[@rickswift675]

G'day Jason I don't want to come across as a smart arse, but with the tires around your plants have you found a potential problem with heavy metals leaching into the soil. Just a thought

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Rick. I wouldn't take that as smart arsey at all! I did a little research about the risks, and it seems like the leaching (if any) is at pretty low levels: www.gardenmyths.com/tire-gardens-safe/ I do find Robert Pavlis to be a pretty credible, fact-based resource and his analysis makes sense to me.