Cherry Tree Cutting Propagation Methods and Grafting Techniques
The cherry blossom is one of the ornamental flowering plants worth admiring. It is not only a symbol of fantasy but also a symbol of romance. Many people, when talking about cherry blossoms, cannot help but think of a romantic scene——a shower of cherry blossom petals. A couple stands beneath the cherry tree as pink petals dance through the air - truly a beautiful and loving scene. But nowadays many people have brought cherry blossoms into their homes, so let us learn about its propagation methods together.
Cherry Tree Cutting Propagation Methods
1. Cutting Time
The cutting time for cherry blossoms generally runs from mid-June in summer all the way to mid-September in autumn. During this period, cherry blossoms can all be propagated by cuttings.
2. Cutting Steps
First, the selection of cutting material should be based on a robust mother tree. From the crown of the mother tree, cut a branch that has already grown for more than one year, then keep the top shoot on the cut branch and cut it into a cutting about 15 cm long, then cut the base of the cutting into a slanted opening to facilitate insertion.
Next, soak the cut branch for about 3 hours. Prepare the cutting bed; the environment of the cutting bed should be sheltered from wind and facing the sun, and the bed must have good drainage. When inserting the cuttings, space them apart by plant and insert them into the soil to a depth of about 5 cm.
Finally, carry out management after cutting is finished: water first, then cover tightly with plastic film. Do this once every morning. During management, the temperature should be kept at a warm, constant level. As for watering, in the early stage give enough water - you can water generously. After rooting, ventilate once in the morning and once in the evening.
When the cuttings have grown to a certain size, transplant them. After transplanting, reduce the amount of watering; once transplanted into pots or into the field, water generously, water thoroughly, and provide shade. Alternatively, first transplant the cuttings into nutrient pots, water sufficiently, cover with plastic film, pay attention to shading and moisture retention, ventilate morning and evening, and after about 10 days open the film and expose them to sunlight. Then transplant into the field or into potting soil.
How to Graft Cherry Blossoms
1. Time
Cherry blossom grafting is generally done by cut grafting in spring, and by bud grafting in August in autumn. Both of these time periods can be used for graft propagation.
2. Steps
1. Choosing materials: use cherry as the rootstock.
2. Cultivation of bud seedlings: after grafting, if rainy weather occurs, do not water; just keep the soil moist - do not water if it is not dry. Once it grows into a seedling, untie the place wrapped with plastic to encourage the bud seedling to grow as quickly as possible. When the seedling grows to 30 cm, make a support and pay attention to tying it up. When the seedling grows to 40 cm, pinch off the growing tip to form flower buds, and it will bloom.
3. Cultivation of cut-grafted seedlings: cut-grafted seedlings should have the mounded soil removed in time. Note that cut-grafted seedlings covered with plastic bags for warmth need ventilation. Watering should depend on rainfall conditions - water less when there is a lot of rain, and water more when there is little rain. Also apply fertilizer on schedule, apply additional fertilizer, and remove weeds to prevent the seedling's nutrients from being devoured by weeds and hindering healthy growth of the seedling.
How to Grow Cherry Blossoms
1. Light and temperature
Cherry blossoms like a growing environment full of sunlight, and the climate needs to be somewhat warm. When growing them, give plenty of light and keep the temperature relatively high. Cherry blossoms can tolerate cold, but they are not very tolerant of wind, so wind protection is needed in winter.
2. Watering
During the growing period, cherry blossoms still need fairly frequent watering, and generally suffer from drought. When planting out, water thoroughly, and afterward water once every 8 to 10 days to keep the soil moist, but do not let water accumulate. After watering, it is best to loosen the soil in time. To reduce water evaporation, you can cover with grass; once it has adapted to the environment, there is no need to cover it anymore.
3. Fertilizing
Cherry blossoms do not need much fertilizer - twice a year is enough, including winter fertilizer and post-bloom fertilizer. For post-bloom fertilizing, you can apply more fertilizer such as ferrous sulfate. If it is a large cherry tree, when fertilizing you can dig holes to apply the fertilizer, which makes it easier for the roots to absorb the fertilizer.
4. Soil
Cherry blossoms do not have high requirements for soil and are suitable for growing in sandy soil or clay soil. Loose, fertile soil is best, but note that cherry blossoms are not tolerant of saline-alkali soil.
What Are the Precautions for Growing Cherry Blossoms
1. Pruning and care
Cherry blossoms need attention to pruning. In addition to pruning branches that affect growth, such as diseased and insect-damaged branches and withered branches, you also need to prune excess branches according to the growth condition. When pruning, note that the wounds should be disinfected in time to prevent bacteria from invading and causing the plant to rot.
2. Pests and diseases
During the growth cycle of cherry blossoms, there are red spider mites and scale insects. You can use pesticides such as dichlorvos to kill the insects, but be careful to prevent pesticide damage.
The cherry blossom can be considered a flowering plant with a fairly long history; it has a history of cultivation in our country and in Japan since long ago. Its blooms are very beautiful, but this beauty is also very brief, so growing cherry blossoms requires even more careful tending from gardening enthusiasts.