Which is better for osmanthus, seedling plants or grafted plants? A detailed explanation of the differences

There is a saying: good land produces good seedlings, and good seedlings bear good fruit. The pros and cons of seedling plants and grafted plants have always been a key issue for garden nursery buyers. So which is better, seedling plants or grafted plants, and where do their differences lie? Is native osmanthus better or grafted osmanthus better?

Overall, seedling plants have relatively good disease resistance, while grafted plants, whether forestry oil-tea camellia seedlings or agricultural fruit tree seedlings, tend to have better fruiting performance and a better rate of superior fruit quality. Therefore, seedling plants and grafted plants each have their own strengths. In practical production, if seedling plants are used for grafting, the original advantages of the seedlings will be retained.

Seedling plants and grafted plants are the same for cucurbits as well. For example, in watermelon, cucumber and tomato cultivation, soil-borne diseases are relatively serious. To improve disease resistance, we use pumpkin rootstocks, rootstocks of other cucurbits, and then graft watermelon seedlings onto them, thereby improving their disease resistance.

1. Propagation methods

Seedling plants include sown seedlings, wild seedling plants, and transplanted seedlings obtained by transplanting the above two types of seedlings. Seedling plants obtained by seed propagation are different from cutting plants, grafted plants and others obtained by asexual propagation.

Grafted plants: a branch or bud of a certain variety is grafted onto the branch, trunk or root of another plant, and after the graft union heals, it grows into a seedling.

2. Quality pros and cons

Seedling plants have the characteristics of vigorous growth, a well-developed root system and a relatively long lifespan; when used as propagation material, they have abundant sources, simple methods and low cost. The disadvantages are that variety purity is not high, variants are very likely to appear, and flower color is not pure.

Grafted plants can maintain the excellent traits of the mother tree, have strong adaptability and bear fruit at an early age, and are widely used in fruit tree cultivation. The disadvantages are high cost and, compared with seed propagation, neither propagation speed nor propagation quantity is as good.

3. Survival rate

Among nursery plants on sale, the survival rate of all grafted plants is better than that of seedling plants, including various fruit trees and precious ornamental flowering bonsai.

4. Price

Among nursery plants, most price factors are determined by the quality of the saplings and the scarcity of stock. There are exceptions. For example, if some people think seedling plants are better than grafted plants, then they are willing to pay a high price to buy them. Even if the overall quality of grafted plants is very high and the price is cheap, they still stubbornly believe that seedling plants are better.

Therefore, seedling plants and grafted plants each have their own advantages, and the specific choice should be made according to one's own actual situation.

Is native osmanthus better or grafted osmanthus better?

Native osmanthus can grow tall and large, suitable for courtyard planting, and takes three or four years to bloom. Grafted osmanthus has a good shape and grows fast, has strong disease and cold resistance, can basically bloom in the same year, and the plant is short, suitable for indoor potting in the north.

Graft propagation

For graft propagation, spring is best. Osmanthus seedling plants, privet or water wax and others can be used as rootstock, and side grafting has a high survival rate. Transplanting is suitable in spring and autumn; large seedlings need to be moved with a soil ball, with sufficient base fertilizer applied, and a sunny location should be chosen. Never transplant in winter. Graft types are distinguished by scion and can be divided into branch grafting and bud grafting; branch grafting can be divided into hardwood grafting and softwood grafting. For example, in rose cutting propagation techniques, according to the cutting and joining methods of rootstock and scion, they can be divided into cut grafting, cleft grafting, approach grafting, bud grafting, side grafting and so on. According to the grafting period, they can be divided into growing-season grafting and dormant-season grafting. Generally, branch grafting can be carried out 2 to 3 weeks before buds sprout in spring, that is, in early to mid-March. It can also be carried out from mid-October to early December. After grafting, the scion and rootstock first heal, and by the next year the scion sprouts and grows branches. For approach grafting and softwood grafting, it is suitable to carry out in May to June. Bud grafting is generally chosen in July to August. Practice has proved that among grafting methods, side grafting has the highest survival rate. Side grafting is also called root-collar grafting. It is a branch grafting method that does not cut off the rootstock crown. Its specific operation is to first cut the scion into small sections, then make one slanted cut (about 2 cm long), and cut the opposite side into a small slanted surface. The cutting method is the same as cut grafting. After selecting the rootstock, digging it up and pruning it, make one slanted cut at a straight and smooth place on the stem at the root collar, deep enough to reach the xylem, so that it is suitable for inserting the scion. Insert the scion into the rootstock, align the cambium, quickly tie the joined part tightly with a plastic band, cover it with a bag and replant it.