# starting vines from cuttings



## deboard (Aug 12, 2010)

I mentioned offhand in another post that I was having good success with cuttings from my cynthiana vines. Well that was short lived. The first one took off fairly quickly, but within a week the tiny new leaves shriveled up and fell off. The rest that I started later don't seem to be doing anything either. 

So, does anyone have any good tips on starting vines from cuttings? Should I start them in complete shade? Do you use rooting hormone or not? Best time of year to do it? Any other tips would be appreciated.


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## Racer (Aug 12, 2010)

Have you tried to "layer" new vines from some of your established vines with long canes? Thats another method you could try.


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## deboard (Aug 13, 2010)

I have not, but after looking it up and figuring out what it is, it does look promising.


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## DesertDance (Aug 18, 2010)

I've rooted dormant cuttings in the spring, in damp peat and perlite with 70% success, green softwood cuttings in water in summer (success rate 20%..well, they all rooted, but only 2 out of 10 grew into actual vines), and layered cuttings by burying a living cane under the dirt next to the mama vine. I've also broken canes (that would be pruned off anyway) partially through but still attached to the vine to let them callous on the vine for good rooting in the spring. 

I've dug a trench 1.5" deep in the ground, and laid uncalloused dormant cuttings on their sides, covered with loose damp soil. 30% success there. I have 4 6" wine grapes (Charbono and Alicante Bouchette) fully growing and making their way up their little bamboo poles. They will take off after pruning next spring.

Rooting cuttings is not only a challenge, it is a lot of fun! They become your "children."

Good luck!
Suzi


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## myakkagldwngr (Sep 5, 2010)

I've seen hibiscus growers take a branch and skin it slightly, then wrap that spot with peat moss and aluminum foil. The branch roots into the peat moss and then can be cut off, already rooted.
Think something like that might work with grapes?


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## jet (Sep 5, 2010)

My buddy is looking at planting some Norton (aka Cynthiana) vines. At least one vineyard recommended that he buy rooted plants, saying that Nortons are hard to start from cuttings (and no, they weren't trying to sell anything).


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## DesertDance (Sep 5, 2010)

myakkagldwngr said:


> I've seen hibiscus growers take a branch and skin it slightly, then wrap that spot with peat moss and aluminum foil. The branch roots into the peat moss and then can be cut off, already rooted.
> Think something like that might work with grapes?



I'm sure it will work with grapes. It's called air layering. I do it with my figs. I don't need any more rooted cuttings of grapes I currently own, but I do have my order for dormant cuttings of varieties that I don't have on order from UC Davis.. I do currently have one long cane that was close to the ground, anchored into the dirt with a few rocks, and when pruning time comes, I'm sure those will have rooted. That vine is a Touriga Nacional. Many of my vigorous Tempranillo vines drag vines clear to the ground also, but I have enough Tempranillo.

Here is a shot of one of this year's dormant cuttings from UC Davis. It is 3 months old and in a 3 gallon container. It's a Zinfandel. All my dormant cuttings that survived are this big too, but they are on the drip system next to the in-ground vines and they have co-mingled with them, so it's impossible to distinguish which is the container cutting.
<a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=mk9g7p" target="_blank"><img src="http://i51.tinypic.com/mk9g7p.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>


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