The main thing is that before propagating the plant by cuttings, purchase sharp pruning shears or sharpen the knife better so as not to harm the mother crop. And then follow the instructions described below!
What is cuttings and what is its essence?
What is cuttings and why do gardeners resort to this agricultural technique? Cuttings are the process of obtaining young plants from pieces of the stem of the mother crop. This is probably the simplest, fastest and effective method plant propagation. There are methods of cutting with root segments or pieces of leaf, but we will put this exoticism aside: it is applicable for a very narrow range of plants. The main method for woody plants- cuttings of semi-lignified shoots in early summer.
The essence of vegetative propagation of plants by cuttings is that at a certain point in development, pieces of young shoots can form their own roots and become independent plants.
As you can see in the photo, when propagated by cuttings from a uterine (adult, large) plant, you can get many young ones:
This is especially important, for example, when creating a hedge.
When cuttings, the ability to form roots varies among different breeds. Some plants are easy to take cuttings (,), cuttings of others are always doomed to failure (pine, larch, oak). The latter are propagated by grafting or sowing seeds.
How to properly propagate plants from cuttings
- Tear off the cuttings “with the heel”.
- Carefully remove needles/leaves and side branches from the lower half.
- Bury the cuttings halfway into the soil at a slightly inclined angle.
- Water generously.
- Cover with half the bottle, pressing it firmly into the ground.
- Water according to the weather, avoiding drying out.
- In spring, remove the bottle and plant the cuttings.
Very big number garden plants cuttings are taken. Actually, that is why they are widespread: they are decorative and easy to propagate in a short time. You can take advantage of this too! It is enough to get hold of cuttings.
If this is not possible, then take a sharp knife or pruning shears in your hands and make a cut 0.5 -1 cm below the node (the place where leaves or side branches extend from the stem). Why there? The fact is that substances that provoke the formation of roots accumulate in plants in precisely such places.
The length of the cutting depends on the specific species. In general, this is 20-30 cm. Remove all leaves and side branches from the lower half. Our cutting is ready.
But even if you know how to propagate plants from cuttings, do not forget to take care to create the necessary conditions for the germination of a young shoot.
Conditions and timing of plant propagation by cuttings
Roots form in a humid environment, and the “tops” of the cutting must also be kept in 100% humidity conditions. After all, they do not have roots for some time, and in a dry environment without their support, the leaves and then the stem will dry out and the cutting will die.
The easiest way to maintain such conditions for propagating plants is by cuttings in a greenhouse. If there is no greenhouse, you can make a micro-greenhouse from half a large one plastic bottle. This is the most cost-effective way.
It is believed that loose, poor soil is required for cuttings (a mixture of sand and peat in half is recommended). However, in practice, easily-cutting species take root just as easily in ordinary garden soil.
IN shady place, which will not be an eyesore, we loosen and free from weeds required area, we make a peg in the ground inclined holes half the cuttings deep and immerse the cuttings into the holes. When all the cuttings are buried, the cuttings need to be watered generously. After this, we cover groups of cuttings with half bottles or the whole group transparent film on a rigid frame.
The optimal period for propagating plants by cuttings is June. The soil in the cuttings must be kept moist for the rest of the season (drying out = death of the cuttings). Even if the cuttings have started to grow, do not rush to plant them. It's better to wait for autumn, or even better - spring.
Using cuttings you can get, for example, hedge from thuja, bladderwort or derena, as well as a lot of others beautiful trees and shrubs for the garden. It takes one season for the cuttings to acquire roots, another 2-4 years - and you have a full-fledged bush in your garden.
Watch the video “Plant propagation by cuttings” to visualize how this agricultural technique is performed:
Shrub propagation stem cuttings.
Shrubs grown from stem cuttings - exact copies mother plants. And this is the simplest and cheap way obtaining new plants.
Stem cuttings are woody shoots of shrubs that are cut as cuttings and stuck into the ground, where they take root and subsequently produce new shoots. Stem cuttings should be cut from healthy and strong annual shoots that, if possible, have narrow space there are many buds from which new shoots will develop. In addition, the shoot must be completely lignified. Soft, green or semi-lignified shoots from the tops of branches, as well as old, darkened shoots, do not take root well and are therefore not suitable for propagation by stem cuttings.
The method of cuttings using stem cuttings is very easy to use - I’m always cutting something. So, with this method of cuttings, many shrubs, both deciduous and evergreen, can be propagated. For this purpose. For example, David's buddleia, boxwood, derain, deutzia, forsythia, keria, mock orange, privet, ornamental currant, willow, elderberry, spirea, snowberry, viburnum, tamarisk, vegeila, as well as currants and grapes are suitable. Stem cuttings should be pruned in the fall, when the shrubs enter a dormant period. One stem cutting should reach 20-25 cm in length. From long shoots you can get several stem cuttings. The middle parts of the shoots take root best.
The main thing is to observe correct method cut. It passes 1 cm below and 1 cm above the kidney, while the upper cut should be even and the lower cut should be oblique. Using an oblique cut, you can later determine where the lower end of the cutting is located and thus avoid planting upside down. In regions with harsh climates, stem cuttings should be stuck into the ground only in April next year. Until then, they must be immersed in wet sand up to the top bud and stored in the basement. In regions with a mild climate, stem cuttings can be immediately stuck into prepared holes. We choose for them a place protected from the wind in partial shade and under no circumstances plant them in the sun. Many stem cuttings root faster if pieces of bark are removed from the lower end. It is also helpful to dip the bottom end of the stem cuttings in rooting powder before planting. These products are freely available in specialized stores. So, let's take a closer look at the process of obtaining and planting stem cuttings:
In October, we cut out parts of annual shoots 20-25 cm long. cut 1cm above and below the buds. We make the lower cut oblique. In winter, we store the cuttings in the basement and immerse them in damp sand up to the top buds. Remove leaves from evergreen plants. In April we dig holes up to 20 cm deep. We stick the cuttings into the ground until the last bud. We fill the holes with earth mixed with compost and sand. We water with soft water from a watering can (soft means settled and at room temperature). If stem cuttings were pushed out of the ground due to frost, they should be stuck into the ground again. To prevent the soil from drying out in the summer, we mulch it with bark or lava granules and regularly water our cuttings. Plants with strong shoots should be carefully dug up and transplanted to the place intended for this plant. And one more thing, after planting the cuttings, the ground around them needs to be well compacted, because the shoots can only take root well if they have direct contact with the ground. We remove weeds that appear next to the newly planted stem cuttings. They deprive the soil of moisture and many nutrients, necessary for stem cuttings to root. After a year, the stem cuttings can be safely transplanted to another place. If they weakly produce new shoots, then it is better to hold off on replanting and give them another year to develop. And we plant plants in places that suit their needs. And, perhaps, the last and most important thing that needs to be said is that watering is very important, because if the soil dries out, the tender roots of the stem cuttings quickly die. First of all, on dry days it is necessary to regularly check whether the young shoots have withered and whether the soil around them has dried out. We always water with soft water and try not to pour water on the leaves, they are still young and there is additional stress from sunburn they don't need it. Well, in turn, I wish you successful cuttings and good survival of your now new stem cuttings.
The amazing ability of plant organisms to reproduce their own kind from pieces of their own roots, shoots or leaves is widely used in the technology of artificial vegetative propagation of plants.
The part of the plant from which a new full-fledged individual can be grown is called a cutting, and the process itself, accordingly, is called cutting. As a rule, a specimen grown in this way will completely repeat all the characteristics and properties of the mother plant, which is very convenient when working with varietal and hybrid forms. Among gardeners and hobbyists indoor floriculture The most widely used method is the vegetative method of propagating plants using stem cuttings. It is simple, does not require special skills, and most importantly, it gives quick and reliable results.
How to grow a new plant from a stem cutting?
It is unlikely that it will be possible to answer this question unambiguously, because stem cuttings can be three types: lignified, semi-lignified and green.
Lignified cuttings grapes, many berries and ornamental shrubs, willow, poplar, coniferous species. They are also called winter because they are prepared in early spring or late autumn - during the dormant period, when plant growth has not yet begun or has already stopped. Lignified cuttings are usually cut from annual shoots 25-30 cm long, so that each has at least 3-5 nodes with buds. When planting, leave two or three buds above the ground and wait for leaves and new shoots to emerge from them. The parts of the shoot harvested in the spring can be immediately planted in the ground for rooting, and the autumn parts can be placed in damp sand and stored in a cold room until the onset of the new season.
Semi-lignified cuttings- these are fragments of a stem not only with immature wood, but also with leaves. This is how you can propagate shrub roses, lilacs, mock orange, clematis, deutia, tamarix, etc. They are usually harvested during the budding period and immediately planted in a prepared place. They can be from 7 to 15 cm long, with at least three eyes. They are usually buried by 3-4 cm. The lower leaves - from the bud, which will be underground - are torn off. They are used if propagation using woody shoots fails. They take root, indeed better, but in open ground may not survive the winter. That's why individual species It is recommended to dig it up and replant it in a pot for the winter.
Green cuttings good to propagate herbaceous plants, which include the majority indoor flowers. Although, if you follow a certain technology, you can also grow from them not only shrubs, but also some species tree species. Harvesting green cuttings from the parent plant during the period of its most active development and growth, which for garden crops usually occurs in May - early June. It is important that the green shoot has at least one growth point. For this, green shoots with an apical bud are used, but cuttings can also be cut from the middle part of the stem with several axillary leaves. If the leaves are large and evaporate a lot of moisture, part of the leaf blade is cut off (does not apply to small and leathery leaves). It is impossible to propagate by stem cuttings palm trees, in which growth occurs only due to a single apical bud, ferns - because they do not have a stem, as well as annual flowering plants– their shoots die off after flowering.
Success in propagation by stem cuttings depends, first of all, on the characteristics of the plant itself and its ability to form additional (adventitious) roots on its shoots. In some species this feature is higher, in others lower. To enhance root formation on lignified and semi-lignified cuttings, special chemicals– rootin, heteroauxin. But they should be used exactly following the instructions, otherwise you can cause premature aging or even death of the plant.
Most common reasons Poor survival of cut cuttings occurs due to non-compliance with the rules during their preparation and rooting.
Reasons for poor survival
- To take cuttings, take only strong, healthy stems.
- Clean, disinfected tools and utensils are used for work.
- To get smooth and even cuts, cutting tool must be sharpened.
- The best substrate for rooting is peat, mixed in half with calcined river sand, and in open ground - the soil should be well water- and breathable.
- Until the cuttings develop their own roots, it is necessary to artificially maintain high humidity air, for which frequent spraying is used, as well as rooting under glass or film.
- Lighting should be sufficient, but direct sunlight is contraindicated.
- The optimal thermal regime is 20-25 degrees Celsius; it is especially important to provide heating “from below” - in the zone of formation of new roots.
Sometimes stem cuttings are rooted in water. Indeed, this way you can quickly and easily obtain a large root mass in some plants; for example, cuttings of Eschynanthus, Koleria, and Bacopa are rooted in water. But these roots are very easily damaged during planting and many of them die in the ground, finding themselves in an unusual environment.
The timing of rooting of stem cuttings is individual for each specific plant. But the fact that the “operation” was a success can be easily determined by appearance cuttings On lignified ones, dormant buds will begin to hatch over time, and on green and semi-lignified ones, first of all, the existing leaves will begin to look fresher and more elastic.
REPRODUCTION BY STEM CUTTINGS
Peonies are rarely propagated by stem cuttings due to the labor-intensive method and low yield of planting material. The reproduction rate depends very much on the variety and can reach 60-70%. Many varieties (especially interspecific hybrids) are not amenable to cuttings at all; on average they take root and produce a renewal bud of 15-25% of the total number of cuttings. The advantage of this propagation method is that it produces seedlings with a completely rejuvenated root system, while there is no need to dig up the mother bushes for a number of years and this method can be used annually on the same bushes.
The best results are obtained by stem cuttings of bushes at the age of four to ten years. Three to five days before the buds open, 30-40% of the strongest flowering shoots are cut from the mother bush and cuttings are cut from them (Fig. 8). Usually, from the lower and middle parts of one stem, two or three cuttings with two internodes are obtained. The cuttings are cut very
with a sharp knife, as shown in the picture. The lower leaf is cut off, and part of the leaf blade is removed from the upper one to reduce moisture evaporation. The lower ends of the prepared cuttings are immersed in a fresh heteroauxin solution (one tablet per 1 liter of water) for 8-10 hours and the cuttings are placed in the shade. It is better to prepare them early in the morning. After treatment with heteroauxin, the cuttings are planted in a pre-prepared greenhouse, in the lower part of which a mixture of good garden soil, compost and rotted manure is poured to a depth of 30-40 cm, and on top - a layer of washed river sand 5-6 cm thick.
The cuttings are planted obliquely to a depth of 3-4 cm so that the cut is closed bottom sheet, but the leaves would not touch each other. The distance in the row is 8-10 cm, between the rows - 15-20 cm. Before planting, the soil in the greenhouse is thoroughly watered with plenty of water.
The optimal conditions for rooting at the first stage of life during the first month are maximum humidity and temperature 20-25°C. In production conditions, maximum humidity is created by artificial fog installations. For this purpose, we used a room electric humidifier, which was turned on during the day as needed, on average for 8-10 minutes per hour (Fig. 9, a). In the first two weeks, it is advisable not to raise the frames, and in hot weather, regulate the temperature inside the greenhouse by shading if it is located in a sunny place. After two weeks, you can begin to lift the frames for ventilation for 15-20 minutes, gradually increasing the time over the course of a month to several hours a day. One to one and a half months after planting, the frames can be left open during the day and closed only at night. To prevent fungal diseases, it is better to water it once a week with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and if signs of disease appear, spray it with copper oxychloride (50 g per 10 liters of water).
For the winter, the cuttings are left in a greenhouse. At the beginning of October, their above-ground part is cut off, the soil is mulched with peat and covered with a layer of leaves, straw or spruce branches. In the spring (usually at the end of April - beginning of May), the shelter is removed and the cuttings with the formed renewal buds (Fig. 9, b) with a lump of soil are transferred to previously prepared ridges. At first, the seedlings are regularly watered and shaded; after active growth begins, they are cared for as for ordinary plantings.
Begonia (lat.Begonia) - perennial or annual plant. There are from one to two thousand varieties of begonias. Among this huge variety there are creeping species, and there are also those that grow in the form of bushes or subshrubs. Begonia can be grown not only in room conditions, but also on open ground. Common feature Begonia has a fleshy stem and unisexual flowers. It is noteworthy that the seeds of all species are very small.
Amateur flower growers divide begonias into the following types:
- decorative deciduous;
- ornamental flowering (tuberous);
- shrubby.
Exist different ways, how to propagate begonia at home and which one is suitable depends only on its variety:
- Seeds (suitable for flowering varieties).
- Leaf (suitable for creeping varieties).
- Planting tubers (suitable only for tubers).
- By dividing the rhizome (suitable for bush begonias, for example, evergreen).
Many gardeners prefer to propagate this plant by cuttings, since this method will help even a beginner to quickly and reliably preserve the characteristics of the variety of almost all types of begonia.
First you need to cut the cuttings. To do this you will need a sharp knife. Cuttings can be cut both from the top of the stem and from its middle. The length of the cutting depends on the number of buds on it and is 7–12 cm. At a minimum, each one should have two or three buds. You should carefully cut a piece of the stem obliquely under the lower bud (lower node). If there are leaves or flower buds on the cut cuttings, they must be removed, leaving only a couple of leaves on top.
To prevent the cut stem from rotting and the roots to grow faster, it must first be dried for 1-2 hours and then processed. This can be done with antibacterial solutions, growth stimulants or aloe juice. All these mixtures can be purchased in specialized stores. Provided that the water for the cuttings is settled or rained and the containers in which they stand are made of dark glass, root growth will not take long to occur.
If it happens that the cut of the cutting is rotten, it should be taken out of the water, dried again, processed and placed in fresh water.
When the length of the roots reaches 1–2 cm, the cuttings are transplanted into self-prepared soil or special soil for begonias. It is recommended to cover them with film or a jar, sometimes opening them so that the plant gets used to room temperature.
Use of seeds
The process of propagation by seeds is very labor-intensive and troublesome, it takes a lot of time, although for some such cultivation may seem very interesting. To get seeds, flowers need to be pollinated independently with a cotton swab. After pollination, the seed box will mature for another 1.5–2 months. Then, with great care, the seeds must be removed from the box.
If you decide to buy seeds in a store, then with this choice you will, of course, make it easier for yourself to sow and receive a bonus of seeds that are in a shell of nutrients. It’s better for you to buy soil there too, to be sure that there are no seeds in it. weeds and nothing will interfere with the growth of seedlings.
The sowing period will be in January-February. Place drainage at the bottom of the container for better ventilation. Moisten the soil and distribute the seeds evenly. There is no need to sprinkle soil on top. Cover the container with polyethylene or glass and ensure that the soil is always moist.
It is better to water with a spray bottle. After 1–2 weeks, the first shoots will appear. As in the case of begonia cuttings, after 2 weeks, begin to gradually accustom the seedlings to room temperature. After the leaves grow and seem to close, representing one green carpet, sprouts can be planted separately. A grown plant can be planted in a flowerbed in May.
Leaf rooting
This propagation method cannot be used for all types of begonia, but mainly for those with climbing stems. When your begonia grows at home, it is better to root it with leaves in March, if outside, then, of course, in the summer. This method may be more complicated, but some varieties of begonias are propagated primarily in this way. To do this, you will need a substrate, a warm environment, moderate ventilation and enough light.
It is necessary to cut off a strong (large) leaf using a scalpel or very sharp knife. Then place it on a hard surface and cut from the central vein to the edge of the leaf so that each resulting segment has a vein. Then plant the leaf cuttings in prepared moist soil. This can be done in different ways: either lay the segments on the soil, and pressing slightly, sprinkle the edges with sand, or deepen them by 1 cm.
After this, the container must be covered with film or a jar to create a greenhouse effect. After some time, droplets will appear on the film, and you will need to open the greenhouse every day for 2–3 minutes, and then gradually increase this time. This is done so that the plant gets used to room temperature. Begonia takes longer to take root with leaves than with cuttings, so it is not worth cleaning the greenhouse for 1–2 months.
Planting tubers
There is an effective and popular method of reproduction tuberous begonia at home. This method will also help rejuvenate your plant, return it to its former flowering splendor and bright color foliage. A 2-3 year old plant is suitable for this. At the end of August-beginning of September, you need to dig up the begonia and leave it to dry. After some time, a tuber forms. To prevent it from drying out until spring, put it in a box with sand. in the spring, when the first sprouts appear on the tubers, they can be separated using a blade or sharp knife. It is necessary to divide so that at least one sprout (bud) remains on each part.
Then the tuber pieces are planted halfway in the pot and covered with film. When the sprouts grow a little, the film should be removed and the tubers should be covered completely with soil.
Rhizome division
This method is suitable for bush species, from which gardeners distinguish ever-flowering begonia. For this mature plant you need to remove it from the pot, cut off the stems, flowers and leaves. Then rinse the roots with water and cut. For disinfection, sections should be treated with crushed charcoal. After this, the plants can be planted in separate pots.