How to Propagate Tree Peonies (Four-Season Peonies)? A Detailed Guide to Common Propagation Methods
Peony flowers are rather well-known bouquets, and these often include many varieties. Today, the editor wants to introduce exactly one of them, the four-season peony that many people like. So what are the propagation methods for four-season peonies? Let's take a look!
Propagation Methods for Four-Season Peonies
1. Division: The mother plant used for peony division is generally a vigorous clump. The mother plant used for division propagation should retain as many root suckers as possible, and all the roots on the new seedlings should be kept, so that after 5 years of growth they can produce more new shoots. Seedlings divided this way are easy to establish after planting and grow rather vigorously; the more roots retained, the more vigorous the growth.
2. Grafting: The grafting propagation of peonies is divided into two types according to the rootstock used, one being wild peony and the other being herbaceous peony root. The commonly used peony grafting methods mainly include three types: the splice grafting method, the side grafting method and the bud grafting method.
3. Cuttage: First cut off the cuttings to be used, separate them from the mother plant, and then insert them into soil or another substrate so that they take root and become new plants. For the branches, choose current-year soil buds sprouting from the peony roots, or, when shaping and pruning the peony, choose branches with solid stems and plump terminal buds and no pests or diseases as cuttings, 10-18 cm long.
4. Sowing: Before sowing, the soil must be fairly carefully prepared and disinfected; the land should be deeply plowed and finely worked, with sufficient base fertilizer applied. Then build small beds 70-80 cm wide; either hole sowing or drill sowing is fine. Do not sow too deeply, with 3-4 cm as the limit. After sowing, cover with soil level with the surface. Then gently firm the soil and water thoroughly immediately.
5. Layering: The peony layering method is a propagation method that makes use of the principle that branches can produce adventitious roots. Press the branches down or bury them with soil while still on the plant, without separating them from the mother plant, and keep the soil moist. The buried part of the branch takes root, and then it is cut off and planted to become a new plant. This also belongs to the asexual propagation methods of peonies.