The first cuttings can be harvested in spring, when the shoots are fresh and flexible. These are the so-called herbaceous cuttings. At the end of summer, when the twigs are more mature, semi-woody cuttings are taken.They take longer to take root, but they catch on more often. Pick the young seedlings in the morning, when they still have a lot of water.For reproduction, we use shoots without flowers, because flowering hinders rooting.
Most species grow roots in the so-called nodes, i.e. places where new shoots and leaves grow. Therefore, each seedling should have at least one knot which, when inserted into the substrate, will sprout roots.The seedling must also have at least one node in the above-ground part.In practice, one, two or three pairs of leaves are left.
It is difficult to determine the length of a seedling in centimeters, as the distances from a node to a node vary depending on the species. The cuttings should not be too long, however, because then they take root less well and are more prone to drying out, especially herbaceous and semi-woody.After planting, place the plants in a bright place, but not in full sun, at a temperature of about 18-20 ° C.We usually plant them into the ground next spring.
What kind of plant propagation is the most effective?
Unfortunately, there is no method of plant reproduction that could be considered universal and at the same time the most effective. In this case, the effectiveness of reproduction depends on the selection of the right method, which in turn should be selected taking into account the species and characteristics of the plant to be propagated.And we have a lot to choose from, because we can reproduce plants by sowing them from seeds, making cuttings or layering, dividing them or using their ability to produce propagules.
- says Dr. Eng. Tomasz Mróz
Fuchsia: step by step
We can breed fuchsia at the end of August.
1. Take strong, he althy, leafy shoots.
2. Remove the lower leaves, cut off the shoot just below the knot, and coat the end of the seedling with rooting agent.
3. The seedlings are planted almost to the base of the leaves in a mixture of peat and sand or peat and perlite in a proportion of 2: 1 or 1: 1.
4. To maintain a constant humidity, place the pot in a mini-cup.Place the containers in a warm and bright place. Cuttings take 2-3 weeks to root.
Seamless boxwood
Boxwood is easily propagated by cuttings. The thin shoots take off quite well in late summer and spring before the shoot growth period. Shoots should be about 10 cm long. We plant them in containers with a mixture of coarse-grained and washed-out medium for propagation.Also in this case, it is good to cover the seedlings with a "tent" made of a transparent foil bag.In late autumn, young plants are moved to a bright but cool room, eg to an unheated staircase. In May of the following year, box trees are planted in their final position in the garden.
Planting like cloning
The great advantage of this reproduction is obtaining the offspring identical to the mother plant.This technique can reproduce deciduous plants shedding their leaves for winter (hydrangea, forsythia), deciduous evergreen (laurel, Chinese honeysuckle) , cotoneaster Dammer), coniferous (thuja, cypress, yew), heather (rhododendrons, heathers).
