What are the propagation methods for hawthorn trees?

Hawthorn is a tree species unique to China that serves as both medicine and fruit. It helps lower blood lipids and blood pressure, strengthens the heart, and counters arrhythmia. It is also an excellent remedy for strengthening the spleen and opening the appetite, promoting digestion and resolving stagnation, invigorating blood circulation and resolving phlegm, and has good therapeutic effects on chest and diaphragm distension, hernia, blood stasis, amenorrhea, and other conditions. So, how do you propagate hawthorn trees?

1. How do you propagate hawthorn trees?

Seed propagation: Ripe seeds must undergo sand storage treatment, then be dug out and sown the following year; the seeds will germinate in about 30 days.

Cuttage propagation: Select relatively robust branches and insert them diagonally into the soil; they will sprout in about 15 days.

Grafting propagation: Use seedlings grown from seed or division-propagated shoots as rootstock. Bud grafting, scion grafting, or approach grafting can be used, with bud grafting being the main method.

2. Hawthorn tree planting methods

1. Site selection

The very first step for every plant is choosing suitable land as a foundation, and hawthorn trees are no exception. Because hawthorn trees have outstanding adaptability, any site with fertile soil and good drainage is very suitable. If planting hawthorn on a large scale, it is best to choose plains or hilly areas for establishing the orchard. After the orchard is established, set up a good drainage system to facilitate future management.

2. Sowing

After site selection comes the sowing stage. For sowing, we first need to prepare the land. First plow the soil, spray pesticide to disinfect it. After disinfection, you cannot sow immediately; the land needs to be sun-exposed for about one month. This is to eliminate bacteria in the soil and give the hawthorn seedlings a sanitary environment. After sun exposure is complete, mix base fertilizer with the soil, place the hawthorn seedlings in steadily, and fill the soil level.

3. Pruning

Because hawthorn has strong branching ability, timely pruning is needed to ensure nutrients are truly absorbed. Generally, if the main trunk is too weak, it is mostly because nutrient supply has not kept up. When branches begin to show a tendency toward excessive vegetative growth, promptly cut off diseased branches and direct nutrients to the branches that truly need them. If a hawthorn tree has too many branches, it is not conducive to the growth of the main trunk.

4. Watering

Hawthorn trees need watering relatively few times. After planting is completed each year, water thoroughly once with a sufficient amount, and for the rest of the days simply follow a frequency of watering once per season.

In addition, a reminder: the area of the hawthorn seedling in contact with the soil should be large, reducing contact between the roots and air, so that it can resist the harm brought by harsh weather. The soil must be pressed firm.