How to propagate gardenias
Today's sharing: How to propagate gardenias and the cultivation methods and timing of gardenia care, the following is an introduction by the editor.
Has your gardenia grown rapidly in April? As the temperature gradually rises, the gardenias have finished blooming and will enter a stage of rapid bud and branch growth. This is also the best time for pruning gardenias. While they continue to grow, you should continuously prune them. The pruned branches should be used for cutting, as throwing them away would be a waste. However, many people find that their cuttings do not root and the stems turn black after cutting. Today, Xiaoqi will teach you two methods that even beginners can use to root quickly. If you don't know how to do it, you can learn from these methods.
1. Water cutting method
For the water cutting method, we should choose younger branches rather than old ones, but the branches should have some firmness, not very soft terminal buds. Of course, we can also include the terminal buds when cutting. Trim the bottom of the branches to create a diagonal cut, remove all leaves from the bottom 3 to 5 centimeters, then find a thin piece of foam board and make holes in it. The holes should not be too large, just slightly larger than the thickness of the branches. Insert the branches into the foam board with some spacing, leaving at least 2 centimeters of the branch exposed at the bottom.
After all the branches are inserted into the foam board, find a large container, such as a large basin or bucket, and fill it with more than 2/3 water. Then, place the foam board directly into the water, ensuring the bottom of the branches is submerged. Do not let the water get dirty. After a month, the roots will grow. When there are four to five roots about 2 centimeters long, you can break the foam board and plant the branches in soil. This method requires a temperature not lower than 15 degrees, some light during cutting, and clean water. With the right temperature, the cuttings can root in a month with a survival rate of up to 100%.
2. Vermiculite method
The vermiculite method requires us to prepare vermiculite or perlite. If you don't have these, you can use clean river sand, which must be washed and sieved to remove powder. Find some disposable transparent cups and make holes in the bottom for ventilation and water drainage. Fill the cups with vermiculite, perlite, or river sand. Choose branches, both old and young are fine, but avoid very thin and soft terminal buds. Remove leaves from the bottom 5 centimeters of the branch and insert it into the growing medium 3 centimeters deep.
Then place the cut gardenias in a large tray or a large basin, add water to just cover the cups, and move them to a place with light. This method usually takes about a month, and you will see many roots growing on the outer wall of the transparent cups. At this point, you can remove the growing medium and transplant them into pots for normal growth.
This method is relatively easy to operate, allows direct sunlight, and has a high survival rate. However, in environments with poor ventilation, using this method can easily lead to black stems. Ensure good ventilation, light, and constant water in the tray to promote rapid growth.
After entering April, if you want to prune your gardenias without wasting branches, you can choose one of the two methods mentioned by Xiaoqi and follow the necessary steps. Both methods can promote rapid rooting with a high survival rate, even for beginners.
The above is the specific content on how to propagate gardenias and the cultivation methods and timing, if it can be helpful to you, remember to visit the Green Plant Enthusiast website often!