How to plant redleaf plum? Detailed planting methods and techniques

AbstractGrafting method: carried out before spring bud break, rootstock can use wild peach, plum, plum, peach, apricot, etc. Layering method: select healthy branches, peel off a ring of bark 15-30cm below the top, cut a suitably sized piece of plastic film, place moist garden soil on it, then wrap and bind the girdled part. Sowing method: sowing is possible, but the survival rate is not high. Cutting method: better carried out around December, select healthy branches, and take cuttings after leaf fall.

I. Growth habits of redleaf plum

Redleaf plum likes light, is shade-tolerant and cold-resistant, and has relatively strong adaptability. It is suitable for growing in a warm and humid environment. It has low soil requirements; moist, neutral, acidic and fertile soils can all be used for planting. It has a shallow root system and relatively strong growth ability.

II. Planting methods for redleaf plum

1. Grafting propagation

(1) Redleaf plum is mainly propagated by grafting. Grafting is carried out before spring bud break. The rootstock can be wild peach, plum, plum, peach, apricot, etc., and the grafting survival rate is relatively high.

(2) After the graft survives, regular pruning must be carried out to remove long branches and overly dense, thin and weak short branches, forming a round crown, which is more conducive to growth.

2. Layering propagation

(1) First select healthy branches, peel off a ring of bark from about 15-30 cm below the top. After peeling, the wound width is about 1 cm, and the depth should be just enough to remove the outer bark.

(2) Cut a piece of plastic film about 10-20 cm long and 5-8 cm wide, place moist garden soil on it, and wrap and bind the girdled part as if wrapping a wound. Both the upper and lower ends of the film need to be tied tightly, bulging in the middle.

(3) After about 28-42 days, rooting will begin. After rooting, cut off the branch together with the root system, and a new plant is produced.

3. Seed propagation

Redleaf plum can be propagated by sowing, but the propagation quantity is relatively low.

4. Cutting propagation

First select healthy and thick 1-2 year old branches. Cutting propagation can be carried out after leaf fall. The cutting time is generally best from the end of November to mid-December.

Nutrient soil, peat soil and river sand can be used as cutting substrate. For home cuttings, it is recommended to use a prepared and sterilized cutting substrate, or medium-coarse river sand, which must be rinsed several times with clean water before use.

III. Cutting techniques

1. Nursery: The nursery land should be selected in leeward and sunny soil that is relatively fertile, well drained and flat.

2. Cuttings: When plants grow rapidly from late spring to early autumn, select relatively thick branches of the current year as cuttings. First cut off the branches, choose the sturdy parts, and cut them into sections about 5-15 cm long, but each section must have more than 3 leaf nodes.

3. Temperature: The suitable temperature for cutting rooting is 20-30°C. Below this temperature, growth will be relatively slow; above this temperature, it is easy to cause rot at the upper and lower cut ends of the branches, because the higher the temperature, the greater the degree of rot.

4. Light: Cutting propagation requires a certain amount of light, because photosynthesis is needed to produce nutrients and rooting substances for root growth. Light should not be too strong, because the higher the temperature inside the cuttings, the more vigorous the transpiration, and the greater the amount of water required, which is not conducive to the survival of the cuttings.

5. Humidity: The relative humidity of the air must be maintained at 75-85%, which is a basic requirement for cutting rooting. Before rooting, it must be ensured that the cuttings remain fresh and can carry out normal photosynthesis, thereby producing rooting substances. Because cuttings that have not rooted cannot absorb external water, artificial misting is needed to reduce water loss from the cuttings.