Underground Insulation (Need Ideas)

[ross]

Hello everyone,

I'll be burying my 85% of my cuttings tomorrow underground for the winter using the method below. It's a nice storage method, but I'm trying to figure out a way to get some roots out of it when I dig these up in May.

Temperature will be key. The problem is, my climate is pretty cold during the winter months and 0 root growth will occur. It won't be until May that the ground will warm up enough to see any root growth at all, and that's still a longshot. But my question is: what if I insulate? Is it possible to raise the ground temperature around the 5 gallon bucket enough to see roots when I dig them up in May? If so, does anyone have any insulation suggestions or suggestions to raise the temperature?

-Ross

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-pymQCQTx4

[Gardencrochet]

Maybe wrap them in burlap, leaves, thick carpet or even a frost blanket? You can always use a combination of all. If you bury them close to your home that will be a plus. Outside near your dryer wall vent.

[Taverna78]

Dig deeper hole Ross. Past freeze line. I would no try to get root while stored because if you get a warm snap of weather and they start to root then cold again no sure would be good for them. I think either store as cutting or root them.

[fitzski]

I might do something similar with some extra cuttings after I received some advice from Herman2 on the other site.

He said, "Bury the cuttings right next to the foundation on the south side of your house. And then dig them up in the spring and plant them"

He didn't talk about cutting direction but in looking at some other sites it looks like the butt end should be pointed up like the video says.

I had planned to lay a few bags of mulch over the cuttings to protect them a little more from the cold.

And then in spring, remove the bags as it gets warmer.

Hope this helps.

[AscPete]

Use a large piece of extruded foam insulation (usually R-Value ~ 5 / inch) 4 feet by 4 feet minimum with a thickness at least equivalent to your local frost line. Place on the leveled ground center over the bucket then cover and "seal the edges to the ground" with mulch or shavings.

The foam acts as "Wing insulation" and raises the frost line / temperature below it, http://www.huduser.gov/Publications/PDF/FPSFguide.pdf . One inch of extruded Foam has an equivalent R value of 3 feet of "Organic soil" or over 4 feet of "Sandy Clay", http://www.ourfigs.com/filedata/fetc...0&d=1446340034 , http://www.bae.uky.edu/publications/aees/aees-13.pdf

I will also be trialing this method with several cuttings. Good Luck.