How to Propagate Azaleas? A Full Breakdown of the Latest Propagation Methods
The azalea is a flower with very high ornamental value, and it was originally a wild flower in our country. However, due to its value and its certain medicinal effects, artificial cultivation has gradually begun. After entering spring, it is also exactly the good season for azalea seedling raising and propagation, so how should we propagate azaleas when growing them? Below, the editor brings you the propagation methods for azaleas, let's take a look!
1. Cutting propagation
Cutting propagation is the most commonly used propagation method for azaleas. We should reasonably choose the cutting time according to the variety being grown. Then we should select branches of the current year that are not fully lignified, or that have just lignified not long ago. After cutting them off, remove the leaves at the base of the cutting, keep about 4 leaves at the top, and place them in water ready for cutting. Then use soil rich in humus as the cutting medium, keep the cutting surface smooth, and insert it about halfway. After cutting, water thoroughly and cover with film to improve the soil's moisture retention capacity and promote rooting of the cuttings.
2. Layering propagation
Azalea layering propagation is mainly air layering, generally carried out around Qingming Festival. First, select sturdy branches about two years old with no pests or diseases. Then, at a point about 11 cm above them, girdle the branch and strip off the phloem to prevent nutrients from continuing to be transported downward, concentrating the nutrients at the girdled area and promoting the sprouting of root buds. Then wrap moist soil in a plastic bag or film, wind it around the girdled area, and tie both ends of the bag tightly. Then place it in a place without direct sunlight for management, keeping the soil in the bag moist to promote wound healing and rooting. After about 3 months, once the roots have grown to about 3 cm, it can be separated from the mother plant to form an independent plant.
3. Grafting propagation
Grafting propagation is generally carried out around May each year, choosing azalea plants grown within two years as the rootstock, and the thickness of the rootstock should not differ too much from the scion. Then cut a tender shoot of about 4 cm from the mother plant, keep about 4 leaves at the top, and cut the base of the tender shoot into a wedge shape. Then, when the new shoot of the rootstock has grown to about 3 cm, cut it short, remove the leaves, make a vertical cut of about one cm, then insert the scion, ensuring the cambium layers align. Wrap and tie the joint tightly with grafting film, then cover it with a plastic bag to retain moisture, and place it in a shaded place. After about a week, if water droplets are found inside the bag, there is a high probability of survival. Remove the plastic bag after 60 days, and then untie the string in the spring of the following year.
4. Seed propagation
When the azalea seeds gradually turn brown, the top of the fruit splits open, and the seeds fall out, they should be harvested in time. Those that have not split open should also not be kept; place them in a cool, ventilated place for storage to encourage splitting. After picking out the seeds, remove the impurities on the seeds. Then sow around March each year, do a good job of disinfecting the soil, and when sowing, appropriately mix in fine soil to increase the seed germination rate. When sowing, pay attention to the sowing density, and after sowing cover with a layer of fine soil and do good management work to increase the seed germination rate.
The above is a brief introduction to how to propagate azaleas; there are many propagation methods for azaleas. But different growing directions have different propagation methods; for example, for potted growing, seed sowing is mainly used, while for large-scale growing, cutting is mainly used. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you everyone for reading and supporting.