Two methods of rose cutting and tips for improving survival rates
Today, I will explain the knowledge topic of rose cutting to netizens, including two methods of rose cutting and tips for improving survival rates. It's some very useful experience and knowledge, and I recommend saving it for future reference!
Recently, various roses have been very popular, and many flower friends hope to propagate roses by cutting. Let's look at the methods to improve the survival rate of cuttings.
There are two rose cutting methods. The first is a pruning method to improve survival rates, which involves cutting around the bark for a week before cutting for propagation. The second method is to use the remaining branches after pruning for propagation, which involves soaking them in water and then cutting them into suitable cutting branches.
(Please note: cut rose branches with flower buds removed are not suitable for cutting because they are too tender, easily dehydrated, and infected, resulting in a low survival rate. It's July now, and the branches that sprouted between March and May are the most suitable for cutting. Very tender branches, even if they survive, will be weak and grow slower than usual cuttings. If you don't want to cut other branches, you can circle the bark after removing the flower buds and then cut them for propagation 2-3 weeks later.)
(Many people are preparing to use small knives to steal flowers from parks, which is indeed a good way to increase varieties. Online rose seedlings are expensive, and it's not certain they will survive even after spending money and effort. So this unethical behavior is also acceptable. Try to pick some useless branches and don't damage other people's seedlings. Take two plastic bags, fill them with wet paper towels, remove the leaves and excess parts from the cut branches, and put them in the wet paper towels to keep the branches fresh and avoid getting hurt by keeping them in your pocket.)
First Method: Cut branches for propagation after circling the bark for a week
1. The cutting seedlings should not be too tender nor should they use lignified branches. It's best to choose thick and dark green branches.
The green part in the middle of the picture is suitable for cutting, the top part is too tender, and the bottom part has started to lignify and is not suitable.
2. Circle the bark about 1CM below the bud eye with a diameter of 0.2-0.3CM, and cut for propagation after a week for the highest survival rate. Since my roses are still in bloom, it's not easy to do it, so I can only demonstrate with pictures.
To ensure 100% survival, you can refer to the high-pressure propagation method provided by other flower friends. That is, cover the cut area with mud, and roots will definitely appear in a month. The disadvantage is that the high-pressure propagation method is only suitable for strong branches, is less in quantity, and slow, not as fast and simple as the cutting method, because the branches used for cutting can even be the residual branches after pruning roses, which can propagate dozens of seedlings at a time.
Second Method: Using the remaining branches after pruning for propagation
The picture below shows the weak branches to be cut for propagation. Unless it's for commercial purposes or a determination to propagate at all costs, most flower friends are unwilling to prune strong branches for propagation. Weak and杂枝 branches are more suitable for practice. Success is naturally pleasing, and it doesn't hurt if they fail.
It's not suitable to propagate roses in summer because of high temperatures and humidity. Roses have difficulty sprouting above 30 degrees Celsius, and bacteria in the soil multiply rapidly, infecting the roots of the seedlings. 90% of cutting failures are not due to sunburn but to soil bacteria infecting the branches.
The result after pruning. Remember to cut underwater, and don't let the cut end show above the water surface to avoid the siphon effect, which allows air into the branches' water transport管道. Since the branches cannot metabolize on their own and cannot absorb water from the soil, the little water inside is crucial for its life before root development. Extra leaves should be cut off, leaving a little is better, but it's fine without leaves.
3. Each cutting branch should have 3 bud eyes, and the bottom of each branch should have a bud eye (the part where the branch meets the stem is the most suitable, as it's easy to root). The depth of cutting should not be too deep, otherwise the bottom will rot. If the internode is long, the soil surface should be between the bottom and middle two buds, and if the internode is short, the second bud should just touch the soil surface.
4. A tip about the matrix. I've done a few experiments during this period and found that using pure perlite for propagation has the highest survival rate. But perlite is expensive, so I found a cheaper material, which is the coal slag after burning (which I believe is easy to find). Crush the coal slag into powder and mix it with clean soil in a 1:1 ratio to make a propagation matrix, which also works well because the coal slag has a loose structure, many cavities, and can retain water to keep the soil moist while avoiding waterlogging that causes root rot. However, these two matrices have almost no nutrients, so after the seedlings are stable, they should be transplanted to a suitable matrix.
5. After cutting, water thoroughly immediately and do not touch the branches. Even if small leaves grow later, don't touch them because any movement can easily cause a gap between the bottom of the branch and the soil, turning a living branch into a dead one (that's why some people say the more you care, the faster it dies).
6. It's fine to propagate in spring and autumn in the open air, but in summer, you should avoid direct sunlight. Morning sunlight before 10 am is fine, but you must move the tray to a shaded area at noon and in the afternoon, otherwise, the branches will be sunburned. Once the branches show wrinkled skin, they are basically beyond salvation.
7. Normally, after the cutting seedlings have 2-3 leaves, they may stop growing. Don't touch them; this is the root development process. This situation will last for about half a month, after which you can transplant them with soil. The larger the area, the better. The roots of cutting seedlings grow horizontally, and if they are too close, the new roots will be damaged.
8. Avoid direct sunlight at noon for the transplanted seedlings, but they can be exposed to sunlight in the morning and evening. After about half a month, they can be placed in the open air all day to receive sunlight.
The detailed content of the two methods of rose cutting and tips for improving survival rates (with pictures) is introduced above, hoping it can be helpful to you!