Can potted osmanthus be propagated by cuttings in high summer temperatures? A detailed guide to care methods

Potted osmanthus can indeed be propagated by cuttings in summer, but when summer temperatures are too high, some osmanthus varieties enter a semi-dormant state, their metabolism slows down, and the cambium becomes inactive, so after cuttings are taken they need double the care. For summer osmanthus cuttings, it is recommended to follow the method below:

Selecting cuttings. The first step in taking osmanthus cuttings is to choose suitable cuttings. When selecting cuttings, choose osmanthus branches that are already semi-lignified, and at the same time pay attention to the young buds at the top of the branch; try to choose ones with relatively lush young buds, as the cambium of such branches is relatively more active and they root more easily. If the young buds at the top of the branch are thin and weak, their activity is low and they will not root easily after being taken as cuttings.

Air-drying. Cut off the excess lower leaves from the selected osmanthus cuttings and place them in a cool, ventilated place to let the wounds dry. If you have rooting powder, it is best to soak them in rooting powder. This step of drying the wounds must be done, because bacteria are relatively active in summer, and if the wounds are not dried they are very easily infected and turn black.

Taking the cuttings. Insert the osmanthus cuttings with dried wounds into a loose, breathable medium. The medium can be coarse sand, nutrient soil, vermiculite or the like; in short, it must have good water permeability and air permeability.

Care. Whether the osmanthus cuttings survive depends on care. Right after taking the cuttings, water once thoroughly and place them in a cool, ventilated place for two days to let some of the water in the potting soil evaporate, then cover the pot with a plastic bag, without tying it shut at the bottom, to retain moisture. Do not question whether covering with a plastic bag is superfluous; it has a great deal to do with whether the cuttings survive. In summer, temperatures are high and water evaporates quickly, so the surface of the potting soil dries easily while the bottom of the pot dries with difficulty. Water too much and the osmanthus branches soak and turn black; water too little and they dry out and die, making the right amount of watering very hard to judge. Especially in northern regions, where it is both hot and dry, after a few days the cuttings will shrivel from lack of water. With a plastic bag, water evaporation is greatly reduced and the potting soil can stay moist for a long time.

Alternatively, when taking cuttings, use a large cola bottle: cut it open in the middle, put moist sand in the lower part, and after inserting the cuttings seal the bottle back together with clear tape, then place it in a cool, ventilated place for care; this also makes rooting very easy. In summer, under conditions of high temperature and high humidity, osmanthus roots very quickly, with root hairs appearing in about 30 days; let them grow for another 20 days or so, and once the root system is fuller they can be transplanted.