stock shortening

[Spikylover]

Hello everyone
Can someone explain to me stock shortening? The way it was explained to me is you cut the stock to a couple of inches or less and leave it for several weeks unplanted and the stock will reroot again. Two questions here:
Will such a small reroot? I understand small cuttings usually dry up before rooting?
And will the stock actually root just like that in the air?

Now to another related subject...i hear a lot about burying the stock.
1. Is that safe to do without rot?
2. Wouldn't the buried stock die if it's not getting any light? Or will the scion feed it? (Which sounds a little counter intuitive)

Many thanks!
Rachel

[crispy224]

The only time I would stock shorten would be if I wanted the stock to be buried. Most cacti will not dry out and die in two weeks or so. I never root my cacti in air but it is doable. I'll allow them to callouse for 2 weeks then bury in a completely dry soil. Depending on the cactus roots will form in about a month. Ho safe burying a stock depends on the type of stock used and how often it will get watered. As for if it will die not getting light exposure it shouldn't since the scion will produce the sugars needed for both plants and since they are connected they will share the energy from photosynthesis. Although if you completely bury the stock on a variegated scion or some scion that can't photosynthesis then both will probably die

[Hanazono]

G'afternoon spikylover,

I have experienced this method with following 4 stocks.
Each stock needs slightly different setting.

Numbers in ( ) shows cacti which I have kept.
Myrtillocactus geometrizans (20)
Harricia jusbertii (30)
Hylocereus undatus (30)
Pereskiopsis veultina ( more than 300)

I can tell in detail if you tried to use one of them.
What stock do you try to use?

Frank