What is a stalk, perhaps, every person who is fond of growing garden and home crops knows. A cutting is a separated part of a plant, for example, a shoot or a leaf, and cuttings are vegetative propagation with its help.
Plants are able to reproduce not only sexually, but also asexually, also called vegetatively, and cuttings are most often used to obtain new plants vegetatively.
In fact, obtaining new plants from cuttings is a kind of cloning of the original culture. With the help of cuttings, you can quickly and inexpensively increase your garden or home collection.
[!] The undoubted advantage of vegetative propagation is the inheritance of all the qualities of the mother plant. This is especially important for valuable varietal specimens. When seeds are used, varietal qualities may be lost.
For propagation, different types of cuttings are used. Cuttings are stem and leaf. Stem are used most often, only some plants propagate with leafy ones: cacti and other succulents, senpolia, gloxinia and some types of begonia.
Leaf cuttings can be:
- whole with petioles
- whole without stalks
- leaf fragment.
Stem cuttings can conditionally be divided into several types:
- grassy greens,
- semi-woody,
- lignified.
Grassy or green cuttings are called young growing shoots with a soft stem. With age, the shoots lose elasticity and begin to become covered with bark, becoming first semi-lignified, and then lignified.
Flower plants (chrysanthemums, dahlias, asters) are usually propagated by green cuttings, and rooting occurs very quickly, and the percentage of rooted cuttings is quite high. For propagation of trees and shrubs, semi- and lignified cuttings are most often used.
The table below provides information on the optimal stage of maturity of tissues (wood) for rooting stem cuttings of individual ornamental shrubs and trees.
By location, the cuttings are divided into
- apical,
- stem,
- basal.
Usually, a part of the stem from the middle is cut into cuttings, but sometimes the top with several leaves is also taken.
Apical and stem cutting
The root cutting is obtained from the shoot growing from the root.
The length of the cuttings can also vary. There are single-bud and multi-bud cuttings. Single-bud, as the name implies, contain a single bud or leaf and are distinguished by very short sizes. Such cuttings are used when there is a shortage of planting material and the reproduction of easily rooted plants (grapes, raspberries, currants). Multi-bud cuttings are much longer and have several nodes and internodes.
[!] A node is a section of a stem on which buds, leaves, new shoots and other lateral organs are formed. An internode is a segment between adjacent nodes.
Knots and internodes on the handle Sometimes the cutting is cut with a piece of root or bark. Such cuttings are called combined. They can be planted directly in open ground, bypassing the intermediate stages: they take root and take root perfectly. Combined cuttings are
- with a heel
- with a crutch.
The heel is a piece of root or bark with a thin layer of wood. The heel is obtained when the shoot is not cut off, but broken out from the base. The stalk is a fairly large segment of last year's shoot.
Shank with crutch and heel The only drawback of combined cuttings is their limited number. However, if cuttings are carried out in small volumes, there will be enough planting material.
How to plant cuttings
Of course, the rooting of each plant has its own subtleties, familiar to experienced gardeners and flower growers. However, there are general rules, the observance of which, if not guaranteeing a 100% result, will bring it closer to the ideal.
Timing of cuttings and selection of mother plants
The term for collecting cuttings largely depends on their maturity. It should be cut not too young, but not old shoots. You can determine their readiness by the elasticity of the tissues: the stem should spring back without breaking when bent.
For harvesting cuttings, it is important to choose the right time of year. So, green grassy shoots are cut, as a rule, in the spring, during the period of active vegetation of the plant, it is better to harvest semi-lignified cuttings in late summer or early autumn, when active growth stops. Lignified cuttings are usually cut in late autumn and winter. This division is very conditional. The timing of cuttings is very dependent not only on the time of year, but also on the rooting of the culture. Easily rooted plants can be cut almost all year round, and hard-to-root plants - only during the period of active growth of shoots.
[!] Based on practice, the optimal average term for grafting most crops in the central zone of the European part of Russia begins on June 10 and ends on June 25.
If the spring was long and cold, the dates may shift further, and vice versa, in a warm year with early spring, the cuttings are moved to the end of May.
Do not harvest cuttings during budding, flowering and the formation of ovaries, because. during this period, all the forces the plant spends on future fruiting. Cuttings are best started before flowering or postponed for several weeks. If only flowering branches are at hand, all flower buds should be carefully removed.
Not only the time of year matters, but also the time of day. It is best to cut the cuttings in the early morning when the amount of water in the plant is at its maximum and the weather should be cool and humid if possible.
It is equally important to choose a suitable mother plant. It must be healthy and mature enough. Rooting is very negatively affected by viral and fungal diseases, as well as a deficiency of mineral substances of the mother liquor. As for age, both too young and too old specimens are not suitable. Taking planting material from a young plant, you can damage it too much. At the same time, in an overly old plant, all life processes are slowed down, so the shoots will root very poorly.
It often happens that cuttings are harvested long before planting. You can store the planting material in a dark, cool place, such as in a plastic bag, in the refrigerator.
Rooting and planting cuttings
So, the time has come, the plant has been chosen, you can start cuttings. For this you will need:
- Garden shears or knife
- Mini-greenhouse (or its variations)
- substrate
- Fine pulverizer
- growth regulators
First of all, separate the cutting from the mother plant. With a sharp knife or secateurs disinfected in an alcohol solution, cut off part of the selected shoot. Pay attention to the lower cut - for more active root formation, it is better to do it at an angle. The upper cut, if the cutting is taken from the middle of the shoot, can be straight.
Leaves should be removed from the bottom of the cutting, leaving two or three on top. It is not necessary to completely get rid of the leaves, they are involved in the process of photosynthesis, thanks to which the plant produces vital nutrients. Too large sheet plates can be cut in half or carefully rolled into a tube.
Cuttings of plants that secrete milky juice should be placed in water for several hours. This is necessary in order to wash off the liquid, which can interfere with root formation. The thickened shoots of cacti and succulents, on the contrary, need to be slightly withered - slightly dried in the open air.
To make roots appear faster, the bark of the cutting can be slightly incised or scratched. Also, with a sharp disinfected knife, the kidney located near the cut should be removed.
For more successful rooting of the cuttings, many gardeners and flower growers use a variety of preparations, the so-called growth regulators. Various studies have shown that under the influence of growth regulators, the process of root formation is greatly accelerated. These preparations are used, as a rule, only on hard-to-root plants.
Growth regulators are available in various forms and apply as follows:
- Powdered - the lower part of the cutting is powdered or dipped into powder.
- Pasty - using a wooden spatula, the paste is applied in a thin layer to the lower cut of the cutting.
- Aqueous solutions - cuttings are immersed for a long time (about 12 hours).
- Alcohol solutions - the cuttings are immersed for a few seconds.
In amateur gardening, the following growth regulators are most often used: Heteroauxin, Kornevin, Krezatsin, Zircon, Epin.
[!] Many experienced gardeners advise powdering the cut of the cutting before planting activated carbon. Coal, although it does not stimulate the appearance of new roots, perfectly disinfects the shoot, preventing the appearance of rot.
Next step - preparation of a mini-greenhouse. Now many ready-made and very convenient home greenhouses are being sold, consisting of a pallet, removable cassettes and a transparent cover. There are even electric options with bottom heating and lighting. However, if there is no opportunity to purchase a compact greenhouse, containers that can be found in every home are quite suitable: a cake container or any sufficiently deep plastic container, PET bottles with a cut neck, and finally, ordinary pots for home flowers.
The selected greenhouse must be filled with a suitable substrate. The substrate for growing cuttings must be clean, nutritious and sufficiently loose. Most often, gardeners use a mixture of peat and sand in equal proportions. Peat provides moisture capacity and nutritional value of the soil, sand provides good aeration (water and air permeability).
Other ingredients are often added to the soil mixture: sphagnum moss, perlite, vermiculite, expanded clay. Moss perfectly loosens the ground, and also has an antibacterial effect, perlite is absolutely sterile, vermiculite perfectly absorbs and releases moisture. All of these materials can be mixed with the substrate or used as a drainage layer, which should be at least a quarter of the total volume of dishes.
After you fill the greenhouse with soil, thoroughly moisten the ground with a spray bottle, make shallow holes in it with a pencil or any other wooden stick, place the prepared cuttings there, deepening them by about a third, and carefully compact the substrate around the stem. Cover the greenhouse with a lid or, if one is missing, with a plastic bag.
[!] Cuttings of some plants can be rooted in water. In the aquatic environment, unpretentious fast-growing species easily take root. Water for sprouting should be boiled, for disinfection, you can add a couple of crushed tablets of activated charcoal to it.
Cutting Care
Further care of the shoots is no less important than their proper fit. For successful rooting, it is important
- temperature,
- lighting,
- humidity.
Temperature. The need for heat for different types of plants is not the same. For example, gooseberry cuttings root perfectly at 18°C, currants, raspberries and sea buckthorn - at 24°C, apple trees, cherries, apricots - at 24°C. Among decorative indoor crops, ivy is considered the most hardened, and camellia, begonia, are considered the most heat-loving. The vast majority of plants take root in the heat, and the average temperature is at least 23°C. If the temperature is slightly below the optimum, the roots will appear a little later.
Lighting. Lighting, like temperature, should be sufficient, but not excessive: cuttings are best rooted in partial shade. Too intense sunlight can cause burns, and in the shade, the process of photosynthesis will slow down and the cutting will not receive nutrients.
Humidity. Cuttings take root much better under conditions of high humidity. In order to have enough moisture, seedlings need to be watered and sprayed from time to time. It should be watered as the topsoil dries out, and sprayed every day or at least every other day. After the first roots appear, the amount of moisture must be reduced.
Under conditions of high temperature and humidity, pathogenic bacteria and fungi often develop, causing various plant diseases: gray rot, powdery mildew, leaf spot. In the fight against them, special preparations sold in gardening stores will help: fundazol (,), cuprosan (anthracnose).
Young seedlings can also be attacked by pests: aphids, nematodes. It is usually enough to remove them mechanically and rinse the leaves with shoots under running water. In case of severe damage, insecticidal formulations can be used.
From time to time, the lid or bag from the greenhouse must be removed, arranging ventilation. This is a necessary procedure, due to which the plant hardens, and excess moisture evaporates, which prevents the development of fungal infections. Airing should be regular and frequent, but short in time: it is enough to open young seedlings for 5-10 minutes 1-2 times a day. As the cuttings grow, the duration of ventilation should be increased, and then the lid should be completely removed from the greenhouse.
After the cuttings take root and begin to grow, they need to be fed. Initially, seedlings require enhanced phosphorus nutrition, later nitrogen comes to the fore.
Unusual ways of rooting cuttings
Above, you learned about the classic rooting of young seedlings, but gardeners have tried other, more exotic methods. Cuttings are rooted:
- in potato tubers
- in a decoction of willow branches,
- in peat tablets.
To germinate a seedling in a potato, they take a large healthy tuber, carefully remove all the eyes, stick a cutting into it, bury it in the ground and cover it with a plastic bag. Further care is the same as for cuttings in a conventional substrate: watering, spraying and airing. It is believed that a large amount of nutrients, and especially starch, contribute to the successful rooting of a seedling.
To make willow broth, you need to cut willow shoots, add water, boil and boil for 5-10 minutes. The resulting broth must be cooled and filtered. After that, seedlings that need rooting can be placed in it.
Peat tablets are peat or coconut fiber pressed in the form of a small washer. The tablets are filled with water to swell, and then the prepared cuttings are stuck into them. Such a substrate has undoubted advantages - sterility, water and air permeability, nutritional value.
Cuttings should be grown strictly following the technology, but, for sure, everyone knows that plants, like other living beings, respond to kindness and kindness. Plant shoots with love and in a good mood - they take root well, grow quickly and will delight you for many years.
We wrap, cut leaves, bend and etiolate shoots of valuable crops together with FORUMHOUSE participants.
Seedlings of good varieties are quite expensive, so gardeners often share cuttings with each other. Green cuttings are perhaps the best method of vegetative propagation of plants. Based on the experience of FORUMHOUSE participants, we will tell you how to properly cut cuttings and what to do so that they take root easily and quickly.
- Which crop cuttings root easily?
- How to propagate plants with green cuttings.
- How to cut green cuttings.
- What should be the green cutting.
- Leafy green cuttings.
- Techniques that improve the rooting of the cuttings.
Which cuttings root easily
Green cuttings of perennials and herbaceous shrubs take root best of all, plants of tree species, especially conifers, are worse.
Here are plants that are literally made for cuttings:
- phloxes;
- chrysanthemums;
- grapes and almost all creepers;
- action;
- spirea;
- vesicle;
- weigela;
- dogwood;
- currant;
- forsythia;
- mock orange;
- viburnum;
- hydrangea;
- all kinds of honeysuckle;
- some types of lilac;
- actinidia;
- small-leaved roses.
Green cuttings: technique
The green cutting is the part of the stem with the leaves. It is more correct to cut them from young plants, if you want to propagate the old one, then he will have to do a rejuvenating pruning. The best cuttings are obtained from last year's growths. It is not recommended to take drag shoots for cuttings, they take root poorly.
Sodmaster Agronomist, FORUMHOUSE member
Green cuttings are planted for rooting either in a greenhouse equipped with "artificial fog" or in a "cutting plant".
An ordinary glass jar can be a full-fledged stalk, you just need to cover it with a stalk planted in the ground on top.
Each culture has its own timing of cuttings. So, for example, agronomists recommend cuttings at the beginning of summer, because grassy, young cuttings take root much better, and currants can also be cut in August, using semi-lignified cuttings.
Member of our portal Irena For many years, he has been successfully cutting plants using this method:
- Cuts the cuttings with a budding knife.
- Immediately lowers them into a prepared jar with water and a drop of Epin.
- Under the same bush from which the cutting was taken, loosens the ground.
- He takes out the cuttings one by one from the jar, dips the lower end in Konevin.
- Sticks the cutting into the ground, covers it with a glass jar or plastic bottle.
Irena FORUMHOUSE Member
I cut the cuttings with 2-3 internodes, the lower cut is oblique, the upper is straight. It is better to transplant to a permanent place in the spring of next year, but some plants can be already in September.
How to cut green cuttings
Our task is to achieve successful rooting of cuttings, and we will greatly facilitate it for ourselves if we adhere to a number of rules. So, if you cut the cuttings in the early morning, they will be saturated with moisture; if you start cuttings, having previously prepared a container of water and immediately put cut cuttings into it, this will help to avoid drying out. Perhaps the cuttings will have to be transported to another place - in this case, they are placed at an angle in a container with wet sphagnum, it is not necessary to spray the cuttings with water. In a container with sphagnum, cuttings can be stored even in the refrigerator, but for a maximum of two days.
The length of the cutting should be 8-12 centimeters, each cutting should contain 2-3 internodes, if the internodes are short, then more. There are plants (lilacs, mock oranges, roses, grapes) in which leaf-bud cuttings take root best of all, that is, a very short part of the stem with a leaf and a bud, which is located in its bosom. From this bud, the stem of the new plant will emerge. Usually, the lower part of the shoot is used for cuttings, but if the optimal timing for cuttings is missed and summer is coming to an end, you can also take the upper part.
The tool with which the cuttings are cut should be as sharp as possible so as not to squeeze the shoot tissue.
The lower, oblique cut of the cutting is made 1-1.5 centimeters below the kidney, and the upper, horizontal, immediately above the kidney. The oblique bottom cut helps the cutting to absorb moisture better.
Techniques to improve rooting
Cuttings will take root better if, 2-3 weeks before cuttings, darken, wrap part of the shoot, which will be immersed in sand, with foil or non-woven material. This method is called etiolation. It is used, for example, when cutting lilacs and other crops with poorly rooted cuttings.
Sodmaster
As my friend, a candidate of agricultural sciences, said, cuttings think that they have already taken root, and give new roots.
Fig1. Before growth begins, the area of the shoot is darkened.
Fig2. The base of the escape is tied.
Fig3. The cutting "thinks" that it has already been planted and forms roots in a darkened area.
If the plant has large leaves, as, for example, in viburnum or lilac, they can be cut in half on the eve of grafting - this also contributes to a better survival rate of the cuttings. But there is one subtlety here - many forms have insufficient chlorophyll content, and by cutting the leaves, we will make it difficult for the cuttings to form roots. This applies to all crops with variegated, purple, yellow leaves.
Bending the branch or cutting the root 22 mm next to the buds also helps the cuttings take root.
The correct soil temperature will significantly improve the chances of successful rooting of the cuttings.
Grapevine FORUMHOUSE participant
Comfortable temperature for them - the process has begun! The heat pressed down - everything rotted ...
We will tell you about the successful experience of rooting some cultures by FORUMHOUSE participants.
How to cut lilac
Cuttings take root quite difficult, this culture is easier to propagate by budding. However, this is possible if cuttings are cut at a time when the lilac is just beginning to fade, subject to high humidity and a temperature of + 23-25 degrees.
Sodmaster
Some varieties (Joan of Arc, Buffon, etc.) take root well. Others (for example, the Beauty of Moscow) are very difficult, and most importantly, for a long time, sometimes even for the next year after grafting.
How to cut a mock orange
The mock orange reproduces perfectly with non-standard large cuttings: in spring or autumn, cut shoots up to half a meter high are simply stuck into the moist ground next to the mock orange, currant or other plants that give a lacy shade.
Sodmaster
A year later, young plants are ready for planting in a permanent place.
How to cut girlish grapes
Cuttings of girlish grapes are cut before the start of sap flow from young shoots (up to four years old), but lignified shoots at the age of one year take root best of all. The size of the handle should be 25-35 cm, while it should have 3-4 buds. Cuttings are planted in well-dug, light, loose soil to a depth of about 20 centimeters.
Plants can be propagated in many ways, each species has its own method. Rooting cuttings is an inexpensive and easy option to get new flowers from the ones you already have. This method allows you to grow a room or garden specimen that is genetically identical to its parent, which means it retains all the characteristics of the variety. Rooting plant cuttings is one of the easier methods. And you don't have to be an experienced gardener to try it.
Advantages of cuttings over seed propagation
The process is very simple and only requires a good clean and sharp cutting tool and possibly a root stimulant to help the roots begin to grow. There are several options for how to root a cutting, but this method is best suited for breeding varietal plants and preserving rare specimens. Sowing seeds does not give such a result. In addition, cuttings can get a new plant much faster. Depending on the species, one of several propagation methods is used, ranging from leaf rooting to obtaining seedlings in water. Any of them will lead to success.
Leaf cutting
For beginners, it is best to practice on plants that are easy to propagate. For example, sansevieria, also known as "mother-in-law's tongue." This unpretentious and hardy plant is familiar to everyone, because it can withstand almost any conditions of detention. It also has a special ability to purify the air from harmful impurities, which is why it is popular among lovers of useful indoor plants.
Although this flower is considered to be "grandmother's", it can be found not only on the windowsill of an elderly person, but also in offices, medical institutions and various organizations where they do not devote much time to caring for flowers. Sansevieria is distinguished by decorative foliage, but now it appearance changed thanks to the work of selectors. More than two dozen new varieties have appeared, many of them with variegated leaves. Such plants are called variegated.
Reproduction of "mother-in-law's tongue"
Sansevieria has a beautiful variety whose leaves are bordered with golden stripes. This trait is transmitted only under the condition of propagation by cuttings. It remains only to get a leaf to get a new flower. Before rooting the cuttings of sansevieria, the shoot should be divided into several parts. Having cut the sheet, it is desirable to mark with angular cuts where the lower end is located. Then you need to dip it in a root stimulator, place it in moist soil and wait patiently. Soon, young shoots will appear next to the parent leaf. You can root cuttings both in spring and at any other time of the year. This plant is unpretentious and readily reproduces even in adverse conditions. It is not necessary to cover the flower, it reproduces well at normal humidity and room temperature.
stem cuttings
But not all plants can be propagated in this way. Sometimes a leaf is not enough and a branch with a few buds and a bunch of leaves is needed. There are two common ways to root cuttings: in water or in the ground. Both options are often used, but the first method is not suitable for all plants. Rooting a cut cutting can be as simple as a leaf, but sometimes special conditions or substrate may be required. For example, for the propagation of conifers, usually at the end of winter or in spring, a shoot about 10 cm long is cut off. For this, branches of the second and third order are used.
Rules for grafting conifers
If the variety is variegated, then the cuttings are cut from the more illuminated side, and branches are taken from the pyramidal plants from the inside of the crown. This is done with a sharp object in a special way so that the so-called “heel” remains on the branch. It is necessary for successful rooting.
Shoots of conifers are placed in wet sphagnum moss or instilled into the ground, depending on the conditions and type of plant. Before rooting the cutting in this way, a healthy conifer is selected that can tolerate pruning well. But sometimes the separation of the shoot is necessary in a diseased plant that cannot be saved in any other way. So it will turn out to save a rare variety or rejuvenate your favorite conifer, whose life is coming to an end.
Rooting a cutting from a diseased plant
Weakened instances require a special approach. Before rooting a cutting from a diseased flower or tree, it must be kept in a solution with a disinfectant. It is selected, depending on the disease. For example, with fungal infections, Fitosporin and other similar fungicides are used.
After that, the cutting is placed in a solution of stimulants, such as Epin or Zircon. Such treatment helps plants cope with stress and eliminates infections. Then you should carefully remove the lower leaves and sprinkle the cut with a root stimulator. Now you will need a pencil to make a hole in the soil where you will plant the cuttings so as not to accidentally remove the powder from the tip. After that, it remains to place the stem in the hole and sprinkle the stem with earth.
Optimal conditions for successful rooting
Before rooting cuttings at home, you need to find a place where there will be no exposure to direct sunlight. Some plants need special temperature and humidity for rooting, so the shoots are placed in a greenhouse, covered with a bag or jar to create optimal conditions. For small plants, it is convenient to use special bags with a clip or a clasp for this. But ordinary cellophane will do. The shelter is slightly opened or removed every day for a few minutes to ventilate and remove drops of condensate, which can lead to excessive moisture and rotting of the plant.
Cutting care
Watering is usually not required, since water does not evaporate in a closed space. But if the earth is still dry, it can be moistened with a spray bottle. You can understand that the cuttings have taken root, if you gently pull on the stem. Resistance will mean success. But this option is not always desirable - some flowers have very delicate roots, and by constantly pulling on the tops, they can be broken off. It is best to wait until new shoots appear - this will definitely mean that the stalk has successfully taken root. Then young plants are gradually accustomed to fresh air, slightly opening the greenhouse each time for a longer period. When it gets used to it, and the foliage no longer loses turgor, the shelter can be removed.
Rooting in water
Less time-consuming and easier among inexperienced flower growers is another option for obtaining new plants, which uses a humid environment. For it, aqua soil or ordinary water is used. Many plants propagate easily this way, but there are exceptions. For example, for grafting violets, you should know a few important rules, otherwise it is very easy to lose a rare variety, seduced by an easier method of rooting.
For propagation of these indoor flowers, a leaf is most often used. But an important condition for the successful rooting of such a cutting is an oblique cut made with a sharp object at an angle of 45 degrees. You should also constantly monitor the purity of the water and not allow them to rot, which happens very often. If this nevertheless happened, the damaged part is cut off at an oblique angle, and then put back into clean water. Successfully rooted cuttings of violets are transplanted into the ground and wait for a new outlet to appear. It usually grows at the base of the leaf.
After rooting the stalk turned out, it is placed in a permanent place. But cuttings in the soil under the greenhouse are more optimal. Some varieties are able to take root if the leaf is simply placed in the soil and not covered with anything. But usually these are nondescript plants with a hardy character that are not very attractive for lovers of the exotic. Because the use of soil - The best way how to root the cuttings of such a flower. Modern varieties are more tender and more difficult to breed.
How to root cuttings of currants and grapes at home
In the first case, you can use the water method, but the liquid does not change until the roots appear, but sometimes topped up as it evaporates. The same option is used for hydrangeas. Cuttings are cut from adult healthy plants over the age of 7 years. Before placing the stems in an opaque jar of water, they are kept for a day in growth and root stimulants. Then water with neutral pH is poured and exposed to diffused light. Roots appear after about 20 days, after which the cuttings are transplanted into open ground.
The way to root grape cuttings at home is similar to the currant option. Only a transparent jar is taken for this, and cotton wool is placed on the bottom, which should protect the cuttings from drying out if the water level drops too much. To ensure that there is enough liquid in the container, you need to constantly monitor.
Another important condition: the lower part of the handle should be warm, and the upper one should be cool. The easiest way to achieve this is to put the jar on a warm window sill, but next to an ajar window. Roots usually appear after two weeks. If this did not happen, but the buds began to bloom, they are removed. When the length of the roots reaches 1 cm, it is time to transplant the cuttings into the ground.
Cuttings are one of the methods of vegetative propagation of plants, and for some plants - the only way breeding. One of the main features of cuttings is that plants grown from cuttings retain all parental properties.
Let us consider in more detail the propagation of plants by green cuttings:
Green cuttings are cut from mother plants, whose age is from 5 to 10 years. For hard-to-root plants - in two or three years old. Choose healthy and strong plants.
Cuttings are made in June - early July. But do not forget that each plant has its own characteristics and terms for the successful rooting of cuttings. The cuttings of plants such as parthenocissus, clematis, privet, mock orange, actinidia, honeysuckle, hydrangea, lilac and many others are most easily rooted.
Green cuttings are the part of the plant stem that contains one or two buds. Last year's side shoots, which are not susceptible to disease and have large and strong buds, are best suited.
Cutting cuttings is done either early in the morning, when the sun has not yet warmed the soil much, or in the evening after sunset. Do not cut cuttings in extreme heat and dry weather. The best time to do this is on a wet day after heavy rain, when the plant is at its most sap-filled.
Prepare cuttings for propagation of plants by cuttings in the following way
- Cuttings are cut, the length of which is 8-12 cm, with two or three internodes.
- With a sharp knife or secateurs, the base of the cutting is cut at an angle of 40 degrees at a distance of 0.5-1 cm from the kidney, the upper cut is made straight above the kidney. All lower leaves are cut off, and two or three leaves are left on top of the cutting. If the plant is broad-leaved, then the leaves on the cuttings are shortened by half.
- Next, the cut cuttings are placed for several minutes in a fungicide solution to a depth of 1.5-2 cm. After that, shake off excess drops from the tip of the cutting. Then the tip is lowered into the growth stimulator (for example, rooting or rooting).
Planting cuttings
- Greenhouses or greenhouses are used for planting cuttings. If there are few cuttings, then they can be planted in small pots of several pieces, depending on the size of the cuttings.
- A layer of soil (10-15 cm) mixed with sand is placed at the bottom of the pot. The second layer on top is coarse-grained clean sand (3-5 cm).
- With a thin stick (for example, a pencil), holes are made in the soil with a depth of 2.5-3 cm. Then the finished cuttings are placed vertically in them at a distance of 4-7 cm from each other. The same stick compacts the soil around the base of the cutting.
- The cuttings are carefully watered from a watering can with a fine sieve. For planting, a mini-greenhouse is built from a film. If the cuttings are planted in a pot, then you can cover it with a transparent bag on top, and secure it with an elastic band from below, at the base of the pot. Thus, you get a mini-greenhouse that can be left on the windowsill of the house.
Be sure to shade all planted cuttings !!!
Cutting Care
A suitable temperature for normal rooting is 20-25 degrees.
During rooting (and the rooting time for each plant is different, see the table below), the cuttings are periodically sprayed with warm water 2-4 times a day. When spraying, a solution of epin can be added to the water, which contributes to the faster appearance of roots.
After a certain time, callus begins to appear at the end of the cutting, and then the roots themselves.
After that, the buds of the cutting come into action, shoots begin to appear. After the shoots grow a little, the cuttings begin to harden. To do this, once a day, the greenhouses are opened for a while (if the pot is removed, then the package is removed). With normal growth of shoots, young plants air more often and for a longer time. And then they open greenhouses at all (approximately the end of August - the beginning of September).
If the cuttings are well rooted, then (in hardwoods) in the fall they can be planted in a permanent place in the garden. If not, then it is better to leave in the greenhouse until spring.
In slow-growing conifers, it is better to leave cuttings in a greenhouse for growing for 2-3 years.
Terms of cuttings of plants
| Plant | Cutting time | Rooting percentage | Duration |
| Rose | Budding - the beginning of flowering | on average, 83.9%, in some varieties up to 100% | from 10-15 to 28 |
| Lilac | flowering phase | up to 90-100% | |
| Clematis | Budding - the beginning of flowering | 40-100% depending on the variety | 25-30 |
| Chubushnik | Attenuation of shoot growth - the beginning of flowering | up to 90-100% | 15-25 |
| Spirea | Early-mid June | from 30 to 100% in different species | 12-25 |
| forsythia | First half of June | up to 70% | 20-30 |
| viburnum | flowering period | 100% | 14-21 |
| Cotoneaster | End of June-beginning of July | 100% | |
| Action | Early June-mid July | 100% | 17-25 |
| Privet | Mid June - early July | 80-90% | 14-21 |
| Deren | Mid June - early July | 100% | |
| Honeysuckle | End of shoot growth | 100% | 11-20 |
| Hydrangea | June July | 80-100% | 20-23 |
| Rhododendron | July-September | 72-76% | 50-70 |
| Actinidia | June July | 36% | |
| Skumpia | End of June-beginning of July | 100% | 20-30 |
| Barberry | June | 33-100% | |
| Kolkvitsia | Early July | 46% | |
| Weigela | 100% | ||
| Euonymus | 45% | 45 | |
| Currant | 83% | ||
| genomeles | 100% | ||
| Cotoneaster | up to 100% | up to 28 | |
| Keriya | up to 100% | ||
| Kuril tea | 100% | ||
| Juniper | 70-90% | ||
| thuja | June | 30-60% | 30-60 |
| Spruce | June July | 50% |
Video: "Plant cuttings with Sergey Glazinov"