Eucommia ulmoides summer seedling raising methods and technical key points

Air layering propagation: from June to July each year, on superior plants select 2-3 year old, sturdy branches about 1 cm in diameter as the layer branches, choose a spot about 15 cm from the point where the layer branch emerges as the layering position, and at the layering position use a knife to peel off a ring of bark, with a width of about 6 cm. You can also use a small stick to tap the bark at that spot, with the tapping intensity such that the bark is broken but does not fall off. After exposing it to the air for 3-4 days, wrap plastic film around the layering position 2-3 times to form a cylinder. The cylinder should be 25 cm long and 10 cm in diameter. Then, at 5 cm below the layering position, tie the plastic film cylinder tightly with string, fill the plastic film with culture soil so that the layer branch is in the middle of the plastic film cylinder. After filling, tie the film cylinder tightly at the upper end of the layering position with string so that it forms a ball shape. Afterward, once a week use a large syringe to inject clean water into the culture soil once, so that the nutrient soil remains moist. After about 30 days, the wound on the layer branch will heal and new roots will grow; after about 60 days, cut the branch off from the mother tree, remove the plastic film, and it can be transplanted.

To make nutrient soil, use humus soil plus 20% decomposed human manure and urine. Softwood cuttings: from June to August, select sturdy branches of the current year, cut them into small sections with 3 lateral buds, and place them in a solution containing 50 mg per kg of ABT No. 2 rooting powder to soak for 1-2 hours. Note that the terminal bud leaves on each small section must be retained. Use a wooden awl to make holes in the seedbed, insert the branches into the seedbed, with the upper end of the branch preferably level with the bed surface, and the upper leaves may be left exposed, then build a shade frame above the seedbed. Within 1 month, spray water once each morning and evening every day. After the root system forms, gradually reduce the number of water sprays, as long as the bed surface remains moist.