A Detailed Guide to the Latest Methods for Propagating Crape Myrtle by Cuttings
The crape myrtle flower is also called the itch flower, purple gold flower, and so on, and is a very traditional ornamental flower in our country. The crape myrtle tree has a graceful shape, a smooth and straight trunk, and a very long flowering period. Nowadays, more and more flower growers in our country are cultivating crape myrtle on a large scale, and the crape myrtle market is also growing. Many flower growers expand their production through cutting propagation when planting, so how exactly should it be done? Below, the editor will introduce the cutting propagation techniques for crape myrtle!
1. Choosing a Nursery
Before cutting, you must first choose a good cutting nursery, selecting deep, soft, wind-sheltered, well-lit, fertile sandy soil. Then control the area of the nursery according to the number of cuttings, and leave rows of about 50 cm in the nursery to facilitate planting and management. Then disinfect the soil. One week before cutting, evenly sprinkle ferrous sulfate and similar substances over the entire nursery. Or about three days before, spray the bed surface soil with diluted formalin to a depth of about 4 cm, then cover with plastic film to prevent the chemicals from evaporating. After about 7 days, the film can be removed and you can wait to cut.
2. Treating the Cuttings
Each winter, select sturdy, pest-free, wound-free, one-year-old lignified thick branches and cut them into pieces of about 13 cm. Then choose a shady spot with high terrain and normal drainage and irrigation, and dig a trench with a depth of about 70 cm. Spread a layer of wet sand on the bottom, bundle the cuttings, and place them in the trench in layers. Then fill the trench level with wet soil and pack it down, piling it into a mound, and insert branches in the middle to promote ventilation. Then dig them out in spring ready for cutting. Softwood cuttings can also be used in summer, with treatment methods similar to spring cutting.
3. Cutting at the Right Time
To improve the rooting rate of the cuttings, one week before cutting we should place the cuttings in running water; if there is no running water, then change the water regularly every day. Alternatively, soak them in a sucrose solution for about 1 day, which can effectively improve the rooting rate. Then prepare the land well, ensuring the soil is soft and has sufficient moisture, make the cutting holes, insert the cuttings into the holes, pack the soil down, and then carry out the cutting. Keep the cutting depth at about 10 cm, water thoroughly after cutting, leave about 1/3 of the above-ground part of the cutting exposed, and control the plant and row spacing at about 10 cm * 14 cm.
4. Management After Cutting
After all cuttings are successfully inserted, cover the seedbed with plastic film, then pack soil around the edges to seal it tightly, and take shade measures. Usually after about 20 days the cuttings will root, and after rooting remove the film in batches. After cutting, keep the soil moist. When watering during the seedling stage, do not flood-irrigate; letting a small amount of water seep into the soil is enough, usually once every 4 days or so. Then after about a month, appropriately apply nitrogen fertilizer as a top dressing, controlling the amount according to the growth of the seedlings, following the principle of applying fertilizer in portions. Then do a good job of loosening the soil and weeding, controlling the depth of soil loosening according to the size of the seedlings, to avoid damaging the seedling roots and affecting the growth of the crape myrtle.
The above is a brief introduction to the cutting propagation method for crape myrtle. No matter what propagation method is used, when raising seedlings, you must pay attention to doing a good job of pest and disease prevention and control. Carry out different corresponding preventive measures for different pests and diseases, enhance the disease resistance of crape myrtle, reduce the incidence rate, and avoid unnecessary losses. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and we hope it can help everyone!