Locate a healthy stem on the catalpa
tree that has flexible new growth at the tip and firm wood several
inches from the tip. Make sure that the stem you select is free of
disease, insect damage or other problems.
- Sever
the stem four to eight inches back from the tip. Strip any leaves from
the bottom half of the catalpa stem cutting, leaving at least two leaves
on the end of the stem. Prepare a potting mixture made from equal parts
peat, perlite and coarse sand.
- Fill your plant pot with potting mix
until there is an inch between the rim of the plant pot and the soil.
Use a knife to make two vertical incisions an inch long up the bottom of
the catalpa stem. Cover the cuts in the stem with rooting hormone and
then gently shake the stem to dislodge any excess material.
- Monitor
your catalpa cutting and water it lightly until it begins to develop
its own root system. Pull upwards lightly on the stem to check for
resistance from the root system. Remove the plastic bag and water the
soil around the base of the stem regularly once it has developed roots.
Water the soil often enough to keep the soil moist without saturating
the roots.
- Continue
watering your catalpa cutting regularly until it has doubled in size
and then move it to an area that receives direct sunlight for at least
part of the day. Keep your plant pot and cutting indoors at room
temperature during the winter until after the final frost of the spring.
- Select
a spot for transplanting your catalpa that has soil with a mildly
acidic pH rating between 6 and 7 and does not become waterlogged after a
heavy rain. Make sure that the location you choose has enough room for a
tree that reaches up to 60 feet in height with foliage that spreads up
to 50 feet out from the trunk.
- Dig
a planting hole at the location you chose that is several inches
broader than your planting pot and just as deep. Loosen the soil at the
bottom of the hole and then carefully remove your seedling from the
plant pot. Shake loose any dirt clinging to the roots of your seedling
and then place it in the hole you prepared.
- Adjust
the catalpa roots in the hole so that they radiate outwards from the
stem without bending or pointing upwards. Cover the roots with soil from
the hole you dug until the level of the soil in the hole is an inch
higher than the ground around it. Lightly water around the base of the
seedling to settle the soil and irrigate the root system.
- Water
your catalpa seedling often enough to keep the soil moist in between
rainfalls. Apply a layer of mulch around the seedling to help retain
moisture in the soil if your soil has a heavy sand content that does not
retain moisture well or you live in a dry climate.
Question and answer time
How fast do catalpa trees grow?
It has moderate to fast growth, tending to grow rapidly when juvenile, but slowing with maturity. The height at 20 years is about 20 feet.
How do you harvest catalpa seeds?
The threshing process used to remove catalpa seeds
from their pods is simple: just spread the pods out in a single layer
on a concrete floor and walk on them until the pods break open. Sweep up
the broken pods and seeds and place them in a bucket.
When to take cuttings?
If you have a favourite shrub, it's easy to make more plants by taking cuttings.
From late June to early August, many plants produce fresh, firm shoots
that can removed from the plant with a pair of secateurs and will
readily root when put into damp compost.
How long does it take for a cutting to root?
Be sure to add fresh water as needed until the cuttings are fully rooted. Rooting will generally occur in 3-4 weeks but some plants will take longer. When the roots are 1-2 inches long or longer the cutting is ready to be potted up. This plant has heavy rooting and is ready to be moved to a pot with potting soil.
Catalpa worms
Pronounced “catawba,”
its common names include “cigar tree,” because of its long seed pods,
and “fish-bait tree,” because the caterpillars that feed on its large
leaves are collected by fishing enthusiasts. Catalpa trees are the sole plant hosts for catalpa caterpillars, commonly called catalpa worms.
Life Cycle and Emergence
They remain in the soil all winter long and emerge as adults in the
spring, around May. When new caterpillars appear depends on when females
lay their eggs. Usually it is as soon as they emerge. They can lay up
to 1,000 eggs and the eggs hatch in 10 to 14 days.
.
The broad leaved catalpa, or cigar tree, is a caterpillar's playground. Its large, dinner-plate size leaves provide food for the catalpa sphinx moth caterpillar, sometimes called the catalpa worm.
Grow and harvest catalpa worms and have a bountiful supply of fishing bait.
- Plant catalpa seeds in a garden area. ...
- Transplant catalpa seedlings in the winter. ...
- Fertilize the seedlings and water them frequently. ...
- Allow catalpa worms to nest in the trees. ...
- Harvest catalpa worms from April to November
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