Ethylene Bananas & Cuttings

Inglezinho

I recently read in a very learned botanical article that ethylene gas promotes the growth of "adventitious roots".  Ripe bananas produce ethylene. Does this mean I can add banana skins to my cuttings water and they will root quicker?
:-)

Bee witched

Hi @Inglezinho,

I don't know about bananas, but I always put a couple of small branches of willow into cuttings jars. 
I've plenty of willow here as one of our garden boundaries is a river.
They seem to have a beneficial effect on the cuttings .... and I also end up with little willow plants which I just bung back on the river bank.
Don't know the science .... but is does seem to work.

Bee x

Silver surfer

Inglezinho said:

I recently read in a very learned botanical article that ethylene gas promotes the growth of "adventitious roots".  Ripe bananas produce ethylene. Does this mean I can add banana skins to my cuttings water and they will root quicker?
:-)

Do please do an experiment to see.
Use identical plants/size cutting.
Try one in just water and the other with a banana skin in the water.
Do please report back with what you find.

Pete.8

I guess the key question is - does ethylene gas dissolve in water?
A good idea to try it and see what happens - I'd be keen to know too

steephill

I think that the ethylene is produced by the cutting and being submerged in water means it builds up in the plant tissues and this promotes adventitious root growth. Water acts as a barrier to ethylene release. That would imply that adding banana skins wouldn't help as the ethylene needs to be inside the plant tissue.

Obelixx

I think banana skins are best used for planting holes or on compost heaps. 

The active ingredient willows produce is salicylic acid which is a plant hormone.   If you haven't got willow bark or stems handy try some soluble aspirin in the cuttings water.

Lyn

I have to agree with @Obelixx on this one. 

Nollie

I wonder if placing a bowl of rotting bananas next to your cuttings would work better, but I suspect, being Inglezinho, it’s a bit of a wind-up!

Another very learned botanical source, youtube, recommends steeping onion skins in water overnight and using the liquid on your roses. Can’t help thinking planting some chives next to them would work better.

Obelixx

Me too.  I plant ornamental alliums and thunbergia near mine.

Inglezinho

As I suspected, no really definitive answers. I think the idea of putting the banana skins NEXT to the cuttings is the probably the best. The ethylene released would then be released  and absorbed through the air rather than the water. I will write back in a year's time to let you know if it works, though how I could determine this 'scientfically', Lord only knows.
Nollie, how dare you suggest I enjoy winding people up? It is fun, though.