A Comprehensive Guide to Flower Propagation Methods
This guide will thoroughly explain the related content of flower propagation, including a full list of cutting propagation methods. Let's dive into the introduction by the editor.
According to different scion materials, cutting conditions, cutting periods, and propagation purposes, various cutting methods can be divided. The following is a summary:
1. Classification by scion material: branch cuttings, leaf-bud cuttings, leaf cuttings, and root cuttings.
1) Branch cuttings: Using branches of plants as propagation material is called branch cutting, which is the most commonly used method. Among them, using the tender parts of herbaceous plants as cutting material is called herbaceous cutting; using the green tender branches of woody plants that are not fully lignified as material is called softwood cutting or greenwood cutting; using the lignified old branches of woody plants as material is called hardwood cutting or ripe wood cutting; using dormant branches for cutting is called dormant cutting; using young buds that have not yet elongated as material is called bud cutting; using the tip part of branches for cutting is called tip cutting; using branches with the tip removed for cutting is called normal cutting or de-tipped cutting, which is also the most common cutting method.
2) Leaf-bud cuttings: Using leaves with axillary buds for cutting, which can also be seen as a leaf-cutting method between leaf and branch cuttings. This method can be used when materials are limited but more seedlings are desired. For example, the cuttings of Indian rubber trees, camellias, dahlias, and green lobed vines often use this method. For tree species like Japanese red pine, cutting the top part of the tender branches to promote the activity of adventitious buds at the base of the needles, forming short branches, and then cutting them along with the needles for cutting is called leaf bundle cutting, which also belongs to leaf-bud cutting.
3) Leaf cuttings: Using leaves as material for cutting. This method can only be applied to species that can produce adventitious buds and roots from leaves, such as Sansevieria, crabapple, and tuberous begonias. Most plants that can be propagated by leaf cuttings have strong petioles, veins, or thick leaves.
Common methods of leaf cuttings include the following:
Flat placement method: Also known as whole leaf planting. First, cut off the petiole, then place the leaf flat on the sand surface, fix it with a bamboo needle, and make it adhere closely to the sand surface. For example, plants like落地生根 can produce young plants from the leaf margin. Begonias can produce young plants from the base of the leaf or the veins.
Upright insertion method: Also known as leaf-stick insertion. Insert the petiole into the sand, with the leaf standing on the sand surface, and adventitious buds will form at the base of the petiole. Leaf cuttings of tuberous begonias first form bulbils at the base of the petiole, and then roots and buds form.
Scale cutting: Lily scales can be peeled and used for cutting. After the lilies bloom in July, dig up the bulbs, dry them for a few days, peel off the scales, and insert them into wet sand. Small bulbs can form at the base of the scales within 6 to 8 weeks.
Leaf segment cutting: Also known as divided cutting. This method involves cutting a leaf into several pieces, each of which is used for cutting to form adventitious buds. Plants like Sansevieria, begonias, and pepper grass can be propagated using this method.
Root cuttings: Some plant roots can produce adventitious buds to form young plants, such as wintersweet, persimmon, peony, Chinese peony, and blood grass, which have thick roots. Root cuttings can be used and are generally carried out in autumn or early spring.
2. Classification by cutting season: spring cuttings, summer cuttings, autumn cuttings, and winter cuttings.
1) Spring cuttings: Cuttings carried out in spring. Mainly using old branches or dormant branches as materials, which have a longer growing period after survival and are suitable for various plants, so this method is widely used. Spring cuttings can use stored scions from winter.
2) Summer cuttings: Carried out during the humid plum rain season in summer, mainly using current year green branches or semi-hardwood branches. Summer cuttings are especially suitable for evergreen broad-leaved trees that require high temperatures.
3) Autumn cuttings: Generally carried out from September to October. At this time, the branches have fully matured, hardened, and have strong rooting ability, and they also have a certain resistance to decay. However, after rooting, winter is approaching, and it is impossible to have significant growth within the year, only laying the foundation for vigorous growth in the second year. Perennial herbaceous plants are generally suitable for autumn cuttings.
4) Winter cuttings: Generally carried out under artificial heating conditions in winter, such as in greenhouses or plastic greenhouses. From late autumn to early spring, the whole dormancy period of the plant can be used. Plants have strong decay resistance during this period, but the time required for rooting is also longer. Recent comparative trials have found that cutting in plastic greenhouses in the north during winter has the highest survival rate.
3. Classification by cutting substrate: soil cuttings, sand cuttings, perlite and vermiculite cuttings, peat moss cuttings, water cuttings, and mist cuttings.
1) Soil cuttings: Using soil as the cutting substrate, this is the most common method. The cutting effect varies greatly with the type of soil, with sandy loam and sandy soil being better.
2) Sand cuttings: Using sand as the cutting substrate. Uniform fine sand has better results.
3) Perlite, vermiculite cuttings: Using mineral materials such as perlite and vermiculite as the cutting substrate. This type of substrate has good breathability and water retention, suitable for various plant cuttings, and achieves the best results.
4) Peat moss cuttings: Using water-retaining peat moss as the cutting material. Suitable for tender cuttings and other special cuttings.
5) Water cuttings: Suitable for plants that root easily in water, such as willows, roses, oleanders, dahlias, and dragon blood trees. It is necessary to change the water frequently to keep it clean, and sand can also be placed at the bottom of the water to fix the cuttings.
6) Mist cuttings: Fix the cuttings in a room or container and supply water or nutrients through misting. This is a special cutting method that does not have oxygen deficiency and is easy to observe rooting conditions.
4. Classification by cutting position: vertical cuttings, oblique cuttings, horizontal cuttings, and deep cuttings.
1) Vertical cuttings: Insert the cuttings vertically into the substrate, also known as upright cuttings. This is a commonly used method, easy for cutting growth and management.
2) Oblique cuttings: Insert the cuttings obliquely into the substrate. With less ground exposure, the cuttings are not easily dried out; the base is buried shallowly in the soil, with good soil temperature and air conditions, making it easy for the cuttings to root, but the seedlings may be crooked.
3) Horizontal cuttings: Bury the cuttings horizontally (i.e., buried strips). Dormant branches without leaves can be buried completely in the soil, or the small ends or both ends can be slightly exposed. Herbs can be shallowly buried with peat moss. This method makes it easy to root near the base of new buds.
4) Deep cuttings: Suitable for large cuttings. The method is to remove the lower branches and leaves of a 0.6-1.5-meter-long large cutting, double-cut the base, dig a 0.6-1-meter-deep trench, arrange the cuttings sequentially in the trench, fill 20 centimeters of new soil around the lower cut, tamp it down, water it, and then fill the surface soil on top. For spring cuttings, fill the soil to half the depth of the trench, and for autumn cuttings, fill it to the surface. Since the lower cut is in the new soil, it is less likely to rot. For example, to cultivate large seedlings of plants like euonymus, holly, and fig trees in a short period, deep cuttings can be used.
In addition, there is potting cutting, which can be directly inserted into flower pots for plants that are not suitable for transplanting or for a small amount of material. Insert one plant per pot, and after survival, it can be cultivated directly without transplanting.
The above () introduces the specific details of the comprehensive guide to flower cutting propagation methods, hoping to bring some knowledge of flower cultivation to flower enthusiasts.