When to sow and propagate Million Bells by cuttings?

Million Bells (Calibrachoa) is surely familiar to many people; it is a plant with high ornamental value, mainly appreciated for its flowers. Many people now want to grow Million Bells, but to make it grow well, timely propagation is key, among which sowing and cutting propagation are the most common. However, when sowing and taking cuttings, choosing the right time is very important.

When to sow Million Bells

1. Spring sowing. Although temperatures begin to warm up in spring, because early spring has more rain and less sun, Million Bells tends to grow leggy, so the best sowing period is late spring to early summer, that is, June to July.

2. Autumn sowing. The time for autumn sowing is mainly October to November. Under normal conditions, Million Bells takes about 100 days from sowing to flowering, so flowers can generally be seen the following spring. However, for flower lovers living in places without heating, sowing at this time requires caution, because ensuring that Million Bells successfully overwinters is an arduous task.

When to propagate Million Bells by cuttings

Generally speaking, the survival rate of Million Bells cuttings in spring and autumn is higher than in summer. Cuttings taken in early spring and autumn have a high survival rate, while the survival rate is low in the high-temperature season of midsummer, so that period should be avoided.

How to sow Million Bells

1. Seedling raising: The germination temperature for Million Bells seeds is 20-30°C. Sowing is generally done in late April to early May (this can be earlier in the south). Sow in rows by variety in a fine sandy soil seedbed. When humidity is moderate, germination occurs in about 10 days. After about another 10 days, the cotyledons fully open. As soon as the true leaves just begin to emerge, the seedlings should be transplanted into small pots. Too early makes the seedlings weak, and too late damages the roots; neither is good for later development. Small pots should be marked with the variety name.

2. Planting out: After the seedlings in the small pots grow two or three true leaves and the root system has developed well, they can be planted out into medium pots with base fertilizer added in advance. Million Bells is not afraid of heavy fertilizer; horse hoof and cooked hemp residue, among others, can be used as base fertilizer. The root system development of Million Bells requires temperature. According to Japanese researchers, black pots absorb heat better than red pots. The pots should be turned frequently so that sunlight is even and the root system develops fully.

Methods for taking Million Bells cuttings

1. Prepare the soil: Any nutrient soil will do; it does not have to be special peat soil. Before use, sift it; finer is better. Then mix it with perlite at a ratio of 3 to 1 (soil 3), and a ratio lower than 3 to 1 is also acceptable. Next, if using seedling plugs for cuttings, smooth the soil and moisten it finely with a spray bottle. Note that the soil needs to be sterilized; simply add chlorothalonil to the spray water.

2. Preparation of cuttings: Prepare 2 basins of water, one with diluted chlorothalonil solution, one with diluted rooting solution, and one toothpick.

3. Pruning: Note that for plants with pests or the like, even after disinfection and soaking in rooting water, the survival rate of cuttings is still very low. Take a stem section about 4-5 cm long, remove the lower 1-2 pairs of leaves, and keep the rest for inserting into the soil. Cut at a slant; it is best to cut away from the bud. Cutting away from the bud means: the place where you removed the leaves is the bud point. If the bud point is on the right side, the slanted cut surface should be low on the left and high on the right; if the bud point is on the left side, then the opposite.

4. Soak the trimmed stem sections in the chlorothalonil solution for a few minutes, then soak them in the rooting water for a few minutes, and then they can be inserted.

5. Use a toothpick to poke a hole in the soil, insert the stem section, then gather the surrounding soil. Do not press hard, to avoid making the soil too compact; keep the soil loose.

6. Water with chlorothalonil solution or carbendazim solution. Cover with a moisture-retaining film or moisture-retaining lid. In summer, when covering with a moisture-retaining film, leave ventilation holes. After rooting, first uncover the lid in place for a few days, then gradually allow sunlight. In high-temperature weather, it is best to provide half-day sun; even after surviving, do not give full sun, as young seedlings are prone to water shortage.

Million Bells can be sown in spring and autumn. Before planting, the soil ratio should be prepared well, and then sowing should be done at the right time. If choosing cutting propagation, avoiding summer is best. The cutting method is not difficult either, and it is introduced in detail above. I hope it can be helpful to everyone.