Comments on: Softwood cuttings: How to steal shrubs and trees without digging http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/2006/05/softwood-cuttings-how-to-steal-shrubs.html Gardening isn't a hobby, it is an obsession Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:15:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Belle http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/2006/05/softwood-cuttings-how-to-steal-shrubs.html/comment-page-1#comment-8685 Belle Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:50:27 +0000 http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/new/2007/07/softwood-cuttings-how-to-steal-shrubs-and-trees-without-digging.html#comment-8685 You're right about the difference between cuttings and seeds. If you root a cutting of the lemon tree, it will be an exact replica. If you plant seeds, however, you will not get an exact replica, and more likely than not, it will be inferior. I can't answer your question about how long it will take a cutting to bear fruit. My guess would be several years, at least. Another thing to keep in mind is that fruit trees are often sold grafted. Cuttings are taken from the desired fruit tree, and inserted in rootstock of another, usually more vigorous variety. The vigorous rootstock often helps the cutting reach maturity sooner than the cutting would alone on it's own roots. If I were in your place I would take several cuttings to be sure I get at least one to root. Then, if after you move you decide you want a fruiting size tree sooner, then buy something at a nursery, and still continue growing your cutting. Some day you will have two lemon trees, or when your cutting reaches maturity, you can give the other one away if you only want one. You’re right about the difference between cuttings and seeds. If you root a cutting of the lemon tree, it will be an exact replica. If you plant seeds, however, you will not get an exact replica, and more likely than not, it will be inferior.

I can’t answer your question about how long it will take a cutting to bear fruit. My guess would be several years, at least.

Another thing to keep in mind is that fruit trees are often sold grafted. Cuttings are taken from the desired fruit tree, and inserted in rootstock of another, usually more vigorous variety. The vigorous rootstock often helps the cutting reach maturity sooner than the cutting would alone on it’s own roots.

If I were in your place I would take several cuttings to be sure I get at least one to root. Then, if after you move you decide you want a fruiting size tree sooner, then buy something at a nursery, and still continue growing your cutting. Some day you will have two lemon trees, or when your cutting reaches maturity, you can give the other one away if you only want one.

]]> By: Figgy http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/2006/05/softwood-cuttings-how-to-steal-shrubs.html/comment-page-1#comment-8682 Figgy Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:34:21 +0000 http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/new/2007/07/softwood-cuttings-how-to-steal-shrubs-and-trees-without-digging.html#comment-8682 Hiya, Just wondering how long a cutting might take to grow fruit? I am renting a house at the moment, with a very prolific lemon tree in the back yard. I could go buy one from a nursery, sure, but I know this one makes lovely lemons, and I want to take a bit of it with me when I go (anywhere from 3-9 months from now). I would also like to try growing some from seeds, but have heard a cutting will produce more of a clone, and you can't be sure what you'll get from seed... Is a cutting guaranteed to produce fruit, and what is the time period for fruit on a cutting? Should I make a few just in case one or more don't produce fruit? Hiya,

Just wondering how long a cutting might take to grow fruit?

I am renting a house at the moment, with a very prolific lemon tree in the back yard. I could go buy one from a nursery, sure, but I know this one makes lovely lemons, and I want to take a bit of it with me when I go (anywhere from 3-9 months from now).

I would also like to try growing some from seeds, but have heard a cutting will produce more of a clone, and you can’t be sure what you’ll get from seed…

Is a cutting guaranteed to produce fruit, and what is the time period for fruit on a cutting? Should I make a few just in case one or more don’t produce fruit?

]]> By: Monica http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/2006/05/softwood-cuttings-how-to-steal-shrubs.html/comment-page-1#comment-8476 Monica Tue, 16 Aug 2011 04:34:47 +0000 http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/new/2007/07/softwood-cuttings-how-to-steal-shrubs-and-trees-without-digging.html#comment-8476 My code of honour is intact - I'd never do anything to damage another person's plant, but if they were willing, I'd take a cutting and also share mine. I haven't yet (and I don't know if I would) taken a bit without asking. The copyright thing is a bit silly, unless someone was actually selling cuttings. I am in the process of making a whole bunch of cuttings from my garden for our local school, to save them money and get the kids involved in their garden. I wouldn't have a clue which plants in my garden are copyrighted and which aren't. My code of honour is intact – I’d never do anything to damage another person’s plant, but if they were willing, I’d take a cutting and also share mine. I haven’t yet (and I don’t know if I would) taken a bit without asking. The copyright thing is a bit silly, unless someone was actually selling cuttings.

I am in the process of making a whole bunch of cuttings from my garden for our local school, to save them money and get the kids involved in their garden. I wouldn’t have a clue which plants in my garden are copyrighted and which aren’t.

]]> By: jj http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/2006/05/softwood-cuttings-how-to-steal-shrubs.html/comment-page-1#comment-8151 jj Sat, 26 Mar 2011 06:08:41 +0000 http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/new/2007/07/softwood-cuttings-how-to-steal-shrubs-and-trees-without-digging.html#comment-8151 Melanie: That's really kind of sweet, I would be so honored to receive a stolen bouquet from a friend. XD; I would never steal an entire plant either, but I do take cuttings and pull up bits of trailing or self-multiplying plants from inconspicuous spots. (especially where they've leaked outside of the garden's boundaries, if I can.) But I won't touch something that won't grow back, no matter how tiny, and I won't go more than a step or two into someone's property. Melanie: That’s really kind of sweet, I would be so honored to receive a stolen bouquet from a friend. XD;
I would never steal an entire plant either, but I do take cuttings and pull up bits of trailing or self-multiplying plants from inconspicuous spots. (especially where they’ve leaked outside of the garden’s boundaries, if I can.) But I won’t touch something that won’t grow back, no matter how tiny, and I won’t go more than a step or two into someone’s property.

]]> By: Alma http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/2006/05/softwood-cuttings-how-to-steal-shrubs.html/comment-page-1#comment-7964 Alma Sun, 21 Nov 2010 10:03:56 +0000 http://www.thisgardenisillegal.com/new/2007/07/softwood-cuttings-how-to-steal-shrubs-and-trees-without-digging.html#comment-7964 I was searching through some pages and I found this interesting blog. This is my first year planting flowers; I usually plant vegetables and fruits. I'm growing new plants out of the seeds I got from the flowers to share with my mom and fill her garden with flowers. It's sad that some people steal pots full of flowers or even cut fruit when it hasn’t ripen. It’s okay to take a little piece of the plant when it’s peeking out of a gate or a fence, but getting inside somebody’s property … that’s not acceptable. There’s always a downside to this because not everybody cares about your plants and they tend to pull pretty hard and end up taking the whole bush or even the whole pot if they dare. I agree that It’s better to ask the owners, and if this is not possible well a little branch won’t hurt, just do it respectfully by just cutting a little without harming the plant or thinking to take almost the whole plant. I was searching through some pages and I found this interesting blog. This is my first year planting flowers; I usually plant vegetables and fruits. I’m growing new plants out of the seeds I got from the flowers to share with my mom and fill her garden with flowers. It’s sad that some people steal pots full of flowers or even cut fruit when it hasn’t ripen. It’s okay to take a little piece of the plant when it’s peeking out of a gate or a fence, but getting inside somebody’s property … that’s not acceptable. There’s always a downside to this because not everybody cares about your plants and they tend to pull pretty hard and end up taking the whole bush or even the whole pot if they dare. I agree that It’s better to ask the owners, and if this is not possible well a little branch won’t hurt, just do it respectfully by just cutting a little without harming the plant or thinking to take almost the whole plant.

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