How to graft chrysanthemums
Let's share the topic of knowledge about chrysanthemum plants, how to graft chrysanthemums. The following is a detailed explanation by the editor for you.
Chrysanthemums have a cultivation history of 2,500 years in China, are famous ornamental flowers, one of China's four major flowers, and also one of the world's most in-demand cut flowers. Chrysanthemums are short-day, positive plants that prefer cool climates, are relatively cold and drought-resistant, have strong resistance to adversity, and the most suitable growth temperature is 18-21°C, avoiding waterlogging. Chrysanthemums can be cultivated in fields, gardens, and indoor potted plants. In Qinghai, due to the long daylight hours and abundant sunlight, poor water and fertilizer management can easily cause the plants to grow excessively, fall over, and produce small flowers, which to some extent limits the ornamental value of chrysanthemums. Using some Artemisia grafting techniques, this issue has been basically resolved and certain results have been achieved. The following is a summary of this technique.
I. Pre-grafting preparation
1. Selection of substrates: Use a mixture of ordinary loess and sawdust in a 2:1 ratio, then spray with a 0.2% potassium permanganate solution for disinfection. Add 5 kilograms of mature rapeseed cake and 1 kilogram of diammonium phosphate to 100 kilograms of the substrate, mix thoroughly, and then fill the flowerpots.
2. Selection of rootstocks: Use straight, branching, and perennial herbaceous stems from the Artemisia genus of the Compositae family as rootstocks, such as ABA wormwood, Ganqing wormwood, wild mugwort, etc., which are distributed at altitudes of 2,000-2,900 meters, growing in valleys, forest edges, riverbanks, field sides, and ridges.
3. Transplanting of rootstocks: In late May or early June, collect healthy, disease-free Artemisia annua, Ganqing wormwood, and mugwort growing beside ditches and field ridges and transplant them into flowerpots.
4. Collection of scions: Use the current year's tender branches of locally cultivated chrysanthemums that are strong, disease-free, have similar blooming periods, full flower shapes, and harmonious colors. After collecting, immediately trim the scions, remove the basal lateral branches and leaves, cut them into scion specifications for grafting, and soak any remaining scions in water immediately, or graft them as they are collected.
II. Grafting time and methods
1. Grafting time: After transplanting the rootstock into pots, wait for the seedlings to recover and enter the peak growth period, which is about 20 days after transplanting, then you can graft. Make sure to graft between 9 am and 4 pm on sunny days, as the survival rate is higher at this time.
2. Selection of scions: The thickness of the scion should be the same as that of the rootstock. The scion is usually 8-10 centimeters long and has 3-4 buds.
3. Grafting method: The usual method is the cleft grafting technique. Cut the base of the scion into a wedge shape, 2-3 centimeters long on both sides, with smooth and flat surfaces. On the rootstock, 8-12 centimeters away from the main branch, cut the main branch and make a 2-3 centimeter long central incision. Then quickly dip the cut scion and rootstock into 100 ml/L of No. 7 GGR, immediately insert the scion into the rootstock, align the cambium layers, bind tightly with plastic film from top to bottom, and then remove the basal buds and leaves of the rootstock branch. The shape of the graft should be according to the design, for example, if you want a spherical flower, first cut off the main top of the rootstock to promote a large number of lateral branches, and when the lateral branches reach a certain length, complete the grafting in one go according to the spherical surface; if you want a pagoda-shaped flower, graft in layers every 10 days until finished.
The above is a complete introduction to how to graft chrysanthemums, hoping it can be helpful to you. Don't forget to check out more flower cultivation experience and knowledge!