How to Propagate Podocarpus? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Methods
Podocarpus is also known as Luohansong, evergreen Podocarpus, Tuoshan, and Money Pine, among others. It is an evergreen coniferous tree of the genus Podocarpus in the family Podocarpaceae. It prefers a warm and humid climate and has weak cold tolerance. In North China it is grown in pots for ornamental purposes and has extremely high ornamental value. In China it is distributed in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Anhui and other places. Now let us take a look at how Podocarpus is propagated!
Propagating Podocarpus by Seed
Podocarpus begins to bear fruit at around 10 years of age, and the alternate bearing phenomenon is not obvious. Seeds are best sown immediately after collection and cannot be stored through the summer. Before sowing, soak the seeds for several days first, and once the seeds have fully absorbed water and swollen, sow them in drills or in spots. The sowing depth should be just enough to cover the seeds. After sowing, cover with grass to retain moisture and spray water once a day. If sown in the open field, in the southwestern region it is also necessary to cover with grass to protect it through the winter. In other regions, it must be sown in pots, and after sowing moved into a low-temperature greenhouse to overwinter. The seedlings emerge in 8 to 10 days. After emergence, remove the covering grass and shade them immediately; never expose them to blazing sun. For plants intended for pot culture, the terminal bud can be removed after 1 year to encourage multiple branches to sprout. Generally, 1.5- to 2-year-old seedlings can be potted and planted, and branch bending for shaping can begin. For field-planted plants, generally only 3-4-year-old large seedlings are suitable for being lifted from the nursery with a soil ball.
Propagating Podocarpus by Layering
Layering propagation of Podocarpus is best carried out around the Jingzhe solar term in spring (that is, early March). Using a dwarf Podocarpus ball, select a branch slightly smaller than a chopstick that is close to the ground, and make a slanting cut one-half of the way through the branch on the side of the base facing the ground with a small knife. Take a prepared 1-cun-long (about 3.3 cm) bamboo strip and insert it crosswise into the cut, and insert a small wooden stick beside it to support the branch. Bind it gently with a plastic band, then cover the cut with loose soil, press it gently firm, and cover with dry grass to keep it moist. After March, the branch will take root at the cut. After the Autumn Equinox solar term, cut it off from the base of the branch with pruning shears and transplant it.
Propagating Podocarpus by Cuttings
1. Softwood cuttings: For softwood cuttings of Podocarpus, in the first half of the year they are taken from mid-to-late May to early July, and in the second half of the year from mid-to-late August to mid-to-late September. For cuttings taken in the first half of the year, attention must be paid to preventing high-temperature scorching and disease; for cuttings taken in the second half of the year, attention must be paid to heat preservation and frost protection in the middle and later stages. The shading net is removed in late November; in drought years the time for removing the shading net can be postponed to late December.
2. Hardwood cuttings: Hardwood cuttings refer to the method of taking sturdy, fully lignified branches from the previous year and rooting them as cuttings in the dormant stage of early spring from February to March, before the sap begins to flow. For early-spring hardwood cuttings, attention must be paid to raising the soil temperature and controlling the air temperature inside the shed. In short, whether softwood cuttings or hardwood cuttings, the disinfection of the cuttings and the soil must be carried out thoroughly, and the temperature, humidity and light of the seedbed must also be well regulated. In addition, to increase the survival rate of the cuttings, some measures to promote rooting should also be appropriately adopted.