- 1). Place a damp paper towel in a plastic bag. By wrapping the cutting in the paper towel and enclosing it in the bag, you will avoid it drying out prior to planting it.
- 2). Choose from a healthy maple tree a shoot that is less than 1 year old. Take the cutting from the tip of the shoot, and back 8 inches. Place the cutting in the bag.
- 3). Fill a planter with three parts perlite and one part pea stone gravel. Water the planting medium until it is soggy and allow the pot to drain completely.
- 4). Cut off any flower buds on the cutting and remove all leaves with the exception of two at the tip. Under running water, cut 3 inches from the bottom of the cutting. Cut two 1-inch strips of bark off the bottom of the cutting, on adjacent sides, with a sharp razor blade or knife.
- 5). Pour rooting hormone into a small container and dip the cut end of the maple cutting into it until the bottom 2 inches is covered with hormone. Discard the excess hormone in the container.
- 6). Poke a pencil into the planting medium to create a planting hole and stick the cutting into the hole until the leaves are 2 inches above the medium. Pack the medium around the cutting and place it in a brightly shaded area.
- 7). Fill a misting bottle with an all-purpose, water-soluble fertilizer and water solution at the rate suggested on the package. Spray the foliage on the cutting with the solution twice a week. Keep the planting medium moist but not soggy. The maple cutting should develop roots within eight to 10 weeks.
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