Detailed Explanation of Key Techniques for Planting and Propagating Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle, also known as jinhua, yinhua, shuanghua, rendonghua, etc., is a plant of the genus Lonicera in the family Caprifoliaceae, with its flower buds and vine leaves used medicinally. Honeysuckle prefers a warm and humid climate, has relatively strong adaptability, is not demanding about soil, and is cold-tolerant and waterlogging-tolerant. It can be cultivated in mountainous areas, plains and hills across both northern and southern China. Honeysuckle is a light-loving crop, so in cultivation it is essential to use pruning and shaping to improve ventilation and light penetration in order to obtain high yields. Propagation is mainly by cuttings, but seed propagation, division and layering can also be used. 1 Cuttings propagation Cuttings period  It should be carried out in spring, summer and autumn. In spring, it is best before new buds sprout, and in autumn from early September to mid-October. South of the Yangtze River, it is best carried out in summer during the hot and humid plum rain season in June to July. Selection and treatment of cuttings  It is advisable to choose vigorous, well-filled 1- to 2-year-old branches and cut them into cuttings about 30cm long, each with at least 3 nodes. Then remove the lower leaves, keep 3 to 4 leaves at the top, cut the lower end near a node into a smooth slant, tie every 100 cuttings into 1 bundle, quickly dip the lower slant end in a 500mg per kg rooting agent solution for 5 to 10 seconds, let it dry slightly, and then insert immediately. Direct cuttings  On the prepared planting site, dig holes at a row spacing of 150cm×150cm or 170cm×170cm, with a hole diameter and depth of 40cm each, loosen the subsoil at the bottom, and apply 5kg of decomposed fertilizer per hole. Then spread the cuttings evenly, insert 3 to 5 cuttings per hole, with the depth of insertion being two-thirds of the cutting, then fill with fine soil and tread it firm, water once thoroughly, and keep the soil moist; roots and sprouts will form in about 1 month. Raising seedlings from cuttings  On a leveled and finely raked cutting bed, draw lines at a row spacing of 15 to 20cm, make guide holes on the bed surface with a small wooden stick or bamboo chopstick every 3 to 5cm, then insert the cuttings diagonally into the holes to two-thirds of their length, press firm, and water once immediately. If cuttings are taken in early spring at low temperatures, a plastic film arched shed should be built over the cutting bed to keep warm and moist. Roots and sprouts will form in about half a month, then remove the film and carry out seedling-stage management. Spring cuttings are lifted and planted out in the same year's winter or the following spring. Cuttings raised in summer and autumn are transplanted the following spring. Raising seedlings from cuttings can produce a large number of vegetative seedlings in a short time. 2 Seed propagation Around Frost's Descent, when the berries turn black and ripe, harvest them promptly, rub them in clean water, rinse away the fruit skin and impurities, pick out the plump seeds that sink to the bottom, and dry and store them for later use. They can also be sown immediately after collection. If sowing in spring the following year, take the seeds out 40 days before sowing, soak them in 40℃ warm water for 24 hours, then remove them and stratify them with 3 times their volume of wet sand to promote germination. When 50% of the seeds have cracked open and shown white, sieve out the seeds and sow them in drills. On the bed surface, open horizontal furrows at a row spacing of 20cm, 3 to 5cm deep and 10cm wide. Sprinkle the germinated seeds evenly into the furrows, cover with soil and press firm, cover with grass to keep warm and moist, and seedlings will emerge in about 10 days; after the seedlings are uniform, remove the grass and strengthen routine seedbed management. When the seedlings are 15cm tall, pinch off the terminal buds to promote branching. They can be lifted and planted out in the same year's autumn and winter or the following early spring. Use 1 to 1.5kg of seed per 667m2. 3 Division propagation In winter during the dormancy period of honeysuckle, dig up the mother plant, prune the root system and aboveground stems appropriately, then dig holes for division, planting 1 to 2 plants per hole; flower buds can appear in the second year after planting. 4 Layering propagation Carry out in autumn and winter during the plant's dormancy period or before sprouting in early spring. Choose honeysuckle that is more than 2 years old, has already flowered, and is vigorous and high-yielding as the mother plant. Bend 1-year-old branches near the ground and bury them in the soil, wound the part of the branch entering the soil, cover with 10 to 15cm of fine fertile soil, then fix and press it firmly with forked branches, leaving the branch tip exposed above the ground. If the branch is relatively long, it can be bent and pressed into the soil continuously; after layering, water and fertilize frequently. In the following spring, the rooted layers can be cut away from the mother plant and planted separately.