How to sow wintersweet seeds? A detailed guide to the latest sowing method

Wintersweet propagation is generally based on grafting, though of course division, sowing, cuttings and layering are also possible. Seeds of wintersweet grow into goumei (the wild seedling form), which can be used as rootstock for grafting wintersweet; its flowers differ from those of wintersweet, with narrower and longer petals. Simply sow them around April, and you will need to wait a very long time before wintersweet blooms. For ornamental wintersweet, sowing is generally not used for propagation, because seedlings struggle to retain the superior characteristics of the parent plant; division, cuttings and other vegetative propagation methods are used more often. So grafting is generally used, as it is not only fast but also preserves the superior traits of wintersweet.

Collecting wintersweet seeds

Harvest in July—August when the fruit turns yellow, remove the seeds and store them dry.

Sowing wintersweet seeds

1. Spring sowing: In spring, first soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours, place them in a germination box to sprout, then sow them in rows in sandy loam soil, water thoroughly, and seedlings will emerge in 15~20 days. In South China and Central China, they can germinate normally by early April, and 2 weeks after germination a light fertilizer can be applied to promote growth. After germination, plant them in soil, and they can bloom after 2-3 years. Sow from February —March of the following spring, covering with about 4~5 cm of soil. If the seeds are soaked in warm water before sowing, germination can be promoted. After the seedlings emerge in April, take care to prevent damage from cutworms, and strengthen management; shading is not necessary. Seedlings grow slowly, reaching only 10—15 cm in height in the first year, producing suckers only after 2—3 years, and becoming usable as rootstock for grafting wintersweet only after 4—5 years; they generally begin to bloom after 5—6 years. Sowing can be used to raise wintersweet rootstock in large quantities, but it requires a relatively long growing period.

2. Autumn sowing: Harvest after the fruit ripens in July~August, take the seeds out of the fruit receptacle, and sow them at once; seedlings will emerge in just over 10 days, and the seedlings can reach 20 cm in height in the same year. The cultivation method after emergence is roughly the same as for spring sowing, so it is not described in detail here.

Watering for seed propagation

Water sparingly; wintersweet fears waterlogging, and excessive soil moisture makes wintersweet grow poorly, affecting flower bud differentiation and opening. For potted plants, keep the soil at half moisture; in open ground, especially in the rainy season, prevent water accumulation. In spring, water once every ten days to half a month; if spring is dry and windy, water once every 2-3 days, keeping the soil moist; in summer, appropriately increase watering to keep the soil absolutely moist; in autumn and winter, the soil only needs to be slightly moist.

Pest and disease control

1. Pests: When generally planted in dark, damp places, in the rainy summer, due to high temperature and stuffiness, wintersweet is prone to scale insects, which can be controlled manually. At the turn of spring and summer, tender buds are prone to aphids, which can be sprayed with 50% pirimicarb 3000 times dilution to eliminate this pest.

2. Diseases: 1) Black spot occurs in hot seasons and can be treated by spraying with 65% zineb 500 times dilution or 0.3 Baume lime-sulfur mixture. 2) Anthracnose also occurs in hot seasons and can be treated by spraying with thiophanate 800 times dilution.