Planting Methods and Key Technical Points for Mahaleb Seeds

AbstractAfter harvesting the mahaleb fruit, remove the stone, then wash off the pulp sticking to the stone with clean water, place it in a cool place to dry for 1-2 days, then sow the stone in a shallow pot. It will generally take root and sprout within one month. When the seedling grows to 5-10 cm, transplant the seedling into a soft plastic pot.

I. Mahaleb Seed Planting Method

1. After harvesting the mahaleb fruit, cut apart the skin and pulp to take out the stone, wash off the pulp sticking to the outside of the stone with clean water, then place the stone in a cool place to dry for 1-2 days and wait to sow.

2. When sowing, the stone can be sown directly in a shallow pot. It will generally take root and sprout about 10-30 days after sowing. When the seedling grows to 5-10 cm, transplant the seedling into a soft plastic pot.

3. Mahaleb seeds germinate relatively easily, but seed germination is not very uniform, and the seeds produced by some plants will lack viable embryos, with the germination rate generally below about 30%. The seed planting method takes relatively long to reach fruiting age, and the quality variation among seedlings is relatively large.

II. Cutting Planting Method

1. During the spring and summer growth period of mahaleb, select semi-mature, robust branches, preferably 0.7-1.2 cm in diameter, each 15-20 cm long and with 4-6 leaves. River sand, vermiculite, peat soil, and mixtures of several of these are generally suitable as the seedbed medium. Then insert the branches into the seedbed, keeping the seedbed moist during this period and providing appropriate shading.

2. Before cutting, dip the roots with 100-fold dilution of Bika Gencongcong. About 1.5-2 months after cutting, roots will develop. After all the root groups grow vigorously, transplant them. If later management is relatively good, the survival rate of cutting propagation can reach as high as about 60-90%. The cutting planting method is relatively simple, and the success rate is also very high.

III. Air Layering Planting Method

1. Select branches that have grown for more than 2 years, and make a ring cut on the lower part of the branch near a node. It is necessary to damage the phloem at that part to help promote rooting of the cambium above that location. During this period, put moist moss into a transparent plastic bag, wrap the wound, and tie both the upper and lower ends.

2. After the branch has rooted, cut below the layered part, then pot it to become a new plant. Generally, late spring and early summer, during the vigorous growth period of mahaleb, can be chosen for planting. Branches planted in this period root easily. Although rooting is relatively easy, the effect also differs greatly among varieties.