Detailed Explanation of Cutting Propagation and Layering Propagation Methods for Honeysuckle

I. Cutting Propagation

Honeysuckle cutting propagation can be carried out in spring, summer, and autumn; for autumn, it is suitable to do so from early September to mid-October.

The nursery site should be flat terrain with deep soil, and sandy loam or loam soil that is convenient for drainage and irrigation. Before propagation, apply 3-5 cubic meters of decomposed organic fertilizer per mu, and 50 kg of superphosphate or calcium magnesium phosphate; after plowing, promptly rake level and rake fine, and prepare the land into beds.

For cuttings, select robust, well-filled 1-2 year old branches. According to the length of the selected cuttings, they can be divided into short-branch cuttings and long-branch cuttings. Short-branch cuttings are often used for mass propagation of seedlings, while long-branch cuttings are often used for direct planting to establish a plantation or for propagating semi-finished large seedlings. The length of long-branch cuttings is 30-40 cm, the length of short-branch cuttings is about 25 cm, and the thickness of the cuttings is 0.5-1.5 cm. Each cutting should have at least 3 nodes. Remove the lower leaves and keep 2-4 leaves on the upper part, cut the lower end near the node into a smooth slant, tie every 50-100 cuttings into 1 small bundle, dip the lower slant of the honeysuckle cutting into 500 ppm indolebutyric acid solution for 5-10 seconds, let it dry slightly, and immediately insert it into the leveled and finely raked cutting bed. For long-branch cutting propagation, open furrows at a row spacing of 30 cm and a furrow depth of 25 cm, use a small wooden stick or bamboo chopstick to make guide holes on the bed surface every 3-5 cm, then insert more than 2/3 of the cutting length obliquely into the holes, press firmly and compact. This method can propagate about 11,000 seedlings per mu. Short-branch cutting propagation is roughly the same as the above method, and the row and plant spacing can be reduced to 15-20 cm, with about 18,000 seedlings propagated per mu.

On the same day or the next day after cutting, water thoroughly once to keep the soil moist, promote rooting and sprouting, and carry out timely intertillage and weeding. Roots and sprouts will appear in about 20 days. Cuttings propagated in summer and autumn are transplanted in the following spring.

II. Layering Propagation

Layering propagation is often carried out in summer and autumn. Select 3-4 year old honeysuckle that has already bloomed, grows robustly, and has high yield as the mother plant. Bend 1-year-old branches near the ground and bury them in the soil. Wound the part of the branch that enters the soil, cover it with 10-15 cm of fine fertile soil, and be careful to keep the soil at the buried part moist. Then fix and press it firmly with a forked branch, so that the branch tip is exposed above the ground. If the branch is relatively long, it can be bent and pressed into the soil continuously. After layering, water and fertilize frequently. In the following spring, the layered seedling that has already rooted can be cut off from the mother plant and planted separately. Compared with traditional vine-cutting propagation, this method can not only bloom 2-3 years earlier and maintain stable yield and promote increased yield, but also has the advantages of convenient operation and a high survival rate.