growing minature trees from cuttings

Garden Railroading
1

Does anyone know a reliable method for growing new trees from cuttings, or a good place to buy a variety of good tree seeds? I want more of some of the trees I already have on my railroad, but I don’t really have the money to buy enough of them. I live in Kansas City, zone 5 ,and I need trees for a 1:29 scale railroad. Help?

2

I’ve never done it before but I found a site that has some info. Often, you can find small junipers growing in the wild. I think they have those in the midwest. Seeds seem like a bit of a wait. I’m not that patient.

http://co.essortment.com/treegrafting_rdge.htm

3

I’ve been planting dwarf alberta spruce trees on our railroad . Here in Chicago (zone 5) we get them for $3.33 each at Home Depot . Thats pritty cheap .

4

I’m considering trying to grow some seedlings that have blown off my neighbors Dwarf Alberta Spruces and are now popping up in his lawn by the thousands. They keep pulling them or mowing them over but said that I could pull as many as I want.

If it works, I could literally have a hundred or more trees in a couple of years populating my railway. AND FOR FREE! Can’t beat that price. If it works, I’ll name it Buyers’ Woods. (my neighbors last name)

Mark

5

Check out Gardening by the Yard with Paul James on HGTV (Cable). I saw a program on it about a month ago about starting plants from cuttings. http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/shows_gby http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_plants_propagation/article/0,,HGTV_3611_4169962,00.html

6

wow. thats amazing :o I get mine for $7.95 at Ace Hardware.

7

There’s some information on DIY network too: http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/pf_planting_maint/article/0,2029,DIY_14171_2277681,00.html

8

Take a look at the cross section of the plant. A tree, rose, etc. will have a ring of bark, then a thin band of green, and then the remaining 80% of the trunk will be white, or any single color, in various shades. That thin green band is the growing medium of that plant, the rest is still alive but is a structural member, like a bone. If the cross sectional cut shows a solid green (in various shades) mass then you just might be able to root that cutting.