HELP PLEASE (Pear Tree Cuttings)
Hello!! I am urgently trying to find out what I can do to salvage these pear tree cuttings from my late grandmother's tree!
Background:
The original tree is at least 15 years old (she had bought the house about 9 years ago and the tree was about 10-15 feet tall and fruiting abundantly in a 7a zone.
She took excellent care of it and the fruit was delicious, despite her battles with the local squirrels.
She passed away a little over a year ago and we just sold the house a few days ago. A little less than a week ago I went and grabbed 12 cuttings (presuming they would not all make it) from the tree for myself and my family members to hold onto a piece of her. I tried to make sure they were all 8-15" (some a little too short) in length, cut at an angle and immediately dipped in rooting hormone and put into the little compostable planter cups with potting soil. I removed the bottom 2/3 of any leaves or any leaves that were on the large side). Unfortunately, I did not wet the soil until we got home but I hoped that would not make too much of a difference. They sat on the counter out of direct sunlight overnight in the moistened soil.
My mother has quite the green thumb and hundreds of plants in her own garden and green houses at home, so I have pretty decent experience with plants from growing up and tried to do my best to research what needed to be done. I just moved myself and am on a bit of a tighter budget so I made a makeshift greenhouse (see pictures). I used a baking tray with a drip/cooling rack for mildew/mold control and a heating pad underneath that I check the air/relative temperature of at least three times a day. This is all covered by a blue tote that my boyfriend and I had left over from moving.
I initially had the cuttings twist-tied to some popsicle sticks to hold them straight up but after a day or two they had white fuzzy mold on them so I threw them away. I took off the blue tote overnight to let some of the moisture out worrying that the cuttings would mold also.
Over next few days I kept an eye on them while covered and saw that the leaves had begun to wilt. I read online that this was a sign of them not having enough humidity, so I sprayed water on them and have left the lid on since, other than to check the temperature and humidity levels.
I am not noticing them getting any better and it is very important to me that at least half of them survive. I plan to invest in a humidity meter and a thermometer to keep a better eye on them, but am not sure if there is another treatment or better system I can use. They are in a window that I keep closed and I shut the blinds and curtains each night. I figured the direct sunlight wasn't an issue with the tote being on top.
If you have any recommendations please let me know! I really want these to thrive and I would appreciate any advice you could give!