How to Make Clones from Tree Clippings

The idea of planting a tree is one that gives many people peace, especially if that particular individual enjoys spending time outdoors in the first place. There are times when a certain tree is very special to an individual, such as when it reminds them of a specific location they have been to or when the tree itself symbolizes something special.

Trees Can Have Special Meaning

Think about it this way. Imagine growing up in a specific place, somewhere that you dearly loved. After spending the majority of your life there, you’re then forced to move because of a job offer, family concerns or something else that forces you away from the place that you’d really like to be. One of the ways that you can bring a little bit of home with you is to clone a tree from that specific area. This gives you an opportunity to have something from a place that means a great deal to you in a new area where virtually everything else seems unfamiliar. On the other hand, you might consider cloning the tree because it comes out of the yard of someone who is very special to you that has either passed away or is geographically living far away from you. It’s an opportunity for you to have a small part of home with you. If you never thought about the possibility of cloning a tree, you might be surprised at just how easy it truly is, especially if you have a little bit of skill with growing things.

Can All Trees Be Cloned?

If you really want best results, it’s a good idea to choose tree clippings that are relatively small in size. You can accomplish this in a number of different ways. If the tree drops seeds every year, you can cut those seeds and then grow a clone from them. On the other hand, you can take tree clippings and clone a tree in that manner. Think about pruning a small branch from the tree, something that is small in size and relatively young. Typically, you want it to be something that has been sprouted for less than a year. You can carefully prune the tree and then use that tree clipping, or sapling, to clone the tree in question. This effectively gives you the opportunity to have a number of trees in your yard that are clones of a particular tree that represents something very special to you.

Caring for the Tree Clippings

If you want to clone a tree, what exact steps are you supposed to take in order to make it work? As previously mentioned, it’s not as hard as you might think. The first thing you have to do is find a suitable branch. Again, make sure that it’s relatively young. Choose one that is at least eight inches long, but not longer than 10 inches. Clippings of this size provide you with the best opportunity for success and are also easier to manage. Carefully prune the clipping from the tree and then remove the leaves from it. Have a jar or a glass of water with you. After removing the leaves carefully, place the end of the branch that you pruned in the water. This gives you time to prepare the potting soil without causing damage to the new branch. When you’re ready, carefully move the branch into the soil and plant the branch as you would anything else. You’ll need to support it, so it’s a good idea to find a couple of small sticks or something similar that you can use to tie it to each side. This allows it to develop its root system more accurately because it’s under less stress when it’s adequately supported. Of course, you’ll water it just as you would anything else that you have planted.

How Long Does It Take?

You might be surprised how fast a newly cloned tree can grow. Granted, it depends largely on the tree from which the branch was cloned. That’s because the two will be identical as far as genetics are concerned. It also means that the new branch will grow at the same pace as the tree from which it was cut. That said, it takes about two to three months for the root systems to fully develop. After that, you can begin to watch the newly cloned tree flourish. Before you know it, you could have one or a dozen of these cloned trees in such close proximity that you have to do nothing more than look out your window in order to see them. It may not be exactly like being home, but it certainly is better than nothing. Since the cloned trees are genetically identical, it really is like bringing a piece of home with you, no matter where you go.

Virtually Anyone Can Successfully Clone a Tree

Even if you haven’t had a great track record with growing things in the past, you shouldn’t let that deter you from trying to clone a tree. It’s so easy that almost anyone can do it, even those who consider themselves to be horrible with plants. It really is a matter of having enough patience to take it step by step. More than anything else, you have to be both patient and gentle when gathering the tree clippings and planting them. From there, it requires vigilant care and making sure that the new clippings have enough water. Nature pretty much takes care of the rest.

People have been cloning trees for years. As previously mentioned, it sometimes comes down to pruning a tree from a special place. Sometimes it is the tree itself that holds special meaning and people want to take a little part of it home with them. Whatever your reasons are for cloning a tree, it’s good to know that it can be done without harming the tree from which the tree clippings come. It’s actually a near perfect solution, especially if that tree is going to be pruned anyway. It gives you an opportunity to plant some new trees, maintain the existing tree and do something positive for the environment all at once.