I have a maple tree in the front yard that the boys planted as a Mother's Day present about thirty years ago. I am going to take several cuttings and grow a tree for each of them and one for us just in case we move sometime. I am not sure the exact species, but definitely not Trident or any kind of Japanese maple. It does not have the red stems I associate with red maple and it turns glorious yellow in the fall, so whatever that would be.
The guide to propagating from cuttings on the Empire here says to use a layer of pumice and then "Bonsai soil" which is sort of non-specific. Is that Akadama and the usual mix of lava rock? It doesn't seem that that would be what the cutting needs to grow roots. Other online sources give about every combination of potting soil, peat moss, sand, perlite, etc., you can imagine, but I sort of want to go with what the Empire recommends, or rather what people here actually do.

What soil mix have you used that has grown lots of cuttings, particularly maple? If you wanted 5 cuttings to live, how many would you make?

Maple cuttings can be dificult. I have tried winter cuttings in the past, which worked reasonably. Last year I did some mid-summer cuttings of maples, with mixed success. Yesterday I was thinning out some of my trees and potted cuttings.

I used a fine grain mixture of my regular substrate (The fines I normally keep aside, and I filter out the real fine sand). I mixed this with 50% perlite. Dipped the cuttings in rooting hormones before putting them into the pots. Watered well and let the excess drain. Then I placed the whole thing in a ziplock bag.

Not sure about the success rate. I think it can be very high if you know what you are doing. But last year I had maybe 30% success..Air layering will be more guaranteed success.

I'll try your way LB as i was thinking about trying some maple cuttings.

You realize this is also trying for me, right?

Hi all... I’m also trying to get roots from cuttings I’ve got after pruning my Trident... I potted them in akadama, covered the soil with some moss to keep humidity and wrapped them in a plastic bag...
That was at the very end of Feb...
Leaves have opened and grown but no sign of roots yet...

leatherback wrote: You realize this is also trying for me, right?

I've been doing the same (different soil mixture tho) in the last couple of year to try to get some new plant out of cuttings I'd do anyway. My success rate is indeed disappointingly low (way below your 30%m if you ask me), but trying costs nothing so why not...

A thirty years one Maple! I am sure it have a few branches that needs to be tanken of from time to time. Just air layer it and you Will have a thicker trunk and bigger tree to start from.

Contrary to what some people think, trees can grow in organic soil. If fact far more trees in the world grows in organic soil than in inorganic. If you wish to grow in shallow pot and water it every day, then inorganic has its benefits. But if you just want to save a tree for future moves, just put it in a big pot with organic soil, and you just have to water if it hasent rained for a week or so.

leatherback wrote: You realize this is also trying for me, right?

... the things you try always turn out great

Tropfrog wrote: A thirty years one Maple! I am sure it have a few branches that needs to be tanken of from time to time. Just air layer it and you Will have a thicker trunk and bigger tree to start from.

The tree is taller than the house right now, and in the front yard, so I don't think it would be real popular for me to try air layering it. I know what happened when I air layered the cherry in the back yard, and I think that the reaction in the front yard would not be positive. Cuttings it will have to be.

leatherback wrote: You realize this is also trying for me, right?

I would rather try what you try than what comes out of a random web site. That's why I asked.