How to Do Cherry Blossom Tree Cuttings? Latest Technical Method Tutorial
The cherry blossom tree is a deciduous small tree of the genus Cerasus in the rose family (Rosaceae). In China, varieties such as early cherry, late cherry, weeping cherry, and Yunnan cherry are commonly found. The late cherry is relatively widely used in domestic planting and landscaping, and is widely used for garden ornamentation. In production, it is mainly propagated by sowing, cuttings, and grafting. Now let us take a look at cherry blossom tree cutting techniques!
Selection of Cherry Blossom Tree Cuttings
For the cherry blossom tree, choose a young and robust mother tree. From the outer part of the middle and upper crown, cut one-year-old thick branches, keep the top shoot, and cut them into cuttings 30-40 cm long. Sharpen the lower part into a slanted cut. Cuttings cut on the same day must be planted the same day to prevent water loss from the cuttings, bruising of the cut, and tissue necrosis. Be sure to note that thin and weak cuttings will reduce the survival rate, and short cuttings will delay the seedling stage.
Making the Cherry Blossom Tree Cutting Bed
For the cherry blossom tree cutting bed, choose a site that is sheltered from the wind, faces the sun, and has good drainage, and make it into a bed 1 m wide and 30 cm high. Place a 15 cm thick layer of somewhat fertile sandy loam at the bottom of the bed, then cover the upper layer with 10 cm of yellow-hearted sandy loam (prepared with 8 parts yellow-hearted loam and 2 parts yellow sand), and carry out sterilization treatment.
Time for Cherry Blossom Tree Cuttings
The best time for cherry blossom tree cuttings is from early to mid-June to early to mid-September, mainly because the cherry blossom is a deciduous tree species. Cuttings of one-year-old large branches should be carried out before the tree buds sprout, and the cuttings begin to root when the soil temperature reaches above 16°C.
Cherry Blossom Tree Cutting Techniques
When making cherry blossom tree cuttings, use a small stick slightly thicker than the cutting and insert it vertically into the cutting medium to a depth of 5-6 cm with a spacing of about 10 cm. Then insert the cutting, and press it firmly with your hand. After inserting, water thoroughly with a fine-nozzle watering can so that the cutting and soil are tightly combined.
Management After Cherry Blossom Tree Cuttings
1. Moisture retention and heat preservation: Usually the temperature in early to mid-March is generally unstable, rising and falling unpredictably. If the temperature drops greatly, emergency measures can be taken by covering with plastic film. If the daily maximum temperature reaches above 15°C, spray once at noon. Later, as the temperature steadily rises, spray 3-4 times a day, preferably so that the surface soil does not turn pale. To improve the soil condition and help it form callus tissue as early as possible, 15-20 days after cutting, apply a foliar topdressing of 2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate. After about one month, they will gradually callus and root.
2. Build a shade shed: After cutting, the cherry blossom tree should have a shed frame set up and shade preparation done. The shed frame should be slightly taller than a person for easy operation. This is good for ventilation and helps create a small climate in the cutting bed. When the daily maximum temperature is above 16°C, cover with curtains or use shade netting for shade, with a shading rate of 50-70%, and it is best to cover by day and uncover at night.
3. Remove tillers and wipe out buds: The thick cuttings of cherry blossom are themselves very rich in nutrients, and when sunlight is sufficient and the temperature is too high, the buds and leaves will begin to sprout in large numbers before rooting. At this time, except for retaining the terminal bud, all the rest should be wiped off to avoid excessive consumption of nutrients.
4. Timely topdressing: To meet the growth requirements of the cuttings, one week after rooting, apply a light fertilizer promptly once, and thereafter apply once every 15 days (stop application during severe heat). After three to four such fertilizations, the root mass of the cuttings becomes well developed and growth is vigorous, and they can absorb nutrients from the lower layer in advance. In the same year, the growth height can reach more than 1 m, and in early spring of the following year they can be moved out of the bed for transplanting and cultivation into large seedlings.
5. Disease and pest control: Cherry blossom seedlings are susceptible to damage by diseases and pests, and their leaves are prone to leaf spot disease. Carbendazim at 800 times dilution can be sprayed once every half month. Their terminal buds and tender shoots are prone to tender shoot borers and aphids. Once newly hatched larvae are found, spray pesticide promptly for control, so as to avoid damage to the seedlings.