Detailed Guide to Propagating Queen's Crape Myrtle by Air Layering
Queen's crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia speciosa) originated in India and is now widely distributed in our country as well. A mature plant can reach up to 25 m tall and is a large tree; artificial cultivation is not difficult, and it can be propagated by air layering. Let me introduce the air layering propagation method and precautions for Queen's crape myrtle; friends who like Queen's crape myrtle should not miss it.
Queen's Crape Myrtle
New plants are generally raised by air layering. Layering is usually done from November each year to February of the following year. First, on the prepared nursery bed, open trenches 20 cm to 30 cm deep at a row spacing of 40 cm, and apply 2 cm to 3 cm of cow dung or horse dung in the trenches as base fertilizer. In combination with winter and spring pruning, select healthy mother plants with excellent varieties, large and brightly colored flowers, and no pests or diseases, and take well-developed one-year-old or two-year-old branches with a diameter of 1 cm to 4 cm and unlimited length. After soaking in clean water for 2 hours, bury them obliquely along the trenches, then cover with soil and firm the roots. Press the upper parts down along the trenches, cover with 10 cm to 15 cm of soil, and water thoroughly once. Cover closely with plastic film to increase temperature and retain moisture, and cover with 2 to 3 layers of straw mats to prevent freezing. On clear days, the straw mats can be removed during the day to increase temperature and put back in the evening. With such treatment, they generally sprout and grow in mid-March, and in April tender buds can be seen emerging from the ground. At this time, a small arched shed can be made again and covered with plastic film, and the straw mats removed. If the temperature inside the shed exceeds 30°C, ventilate to cool it down.
Starting from mid-March, the film should be uncovered and soil should be banked along the trenches once every 20 days, for a total of 3 to 4 times, so that the base of the seedlings changes from the original height into a 10 cm high ridge, prompting the production of a large number of adventitious roots. At the end of May, remove the arched shed and cut the seedlings into sections according to their budding situation; each sprout then becomes an independent young seedling. At this time, pinch the tips to promote side branches, and apply one topdressing of farmyard manure, such as dilute cake fertilizer water or urea water, and bank soil along the trenches again to promote growth. After that, apply topdressing 3 to 4 more times. If flower buds appear, thin them out in time. Generally, in the same year they can become plants with a full crown and luxuriant branches and leaves. After autumn, choose a rainy day to lift the seedlings out with soil, trying to avoid damaging the fine roots, and move them to a place with sunlight and sufficient water and fertilizer for planting. After they survive, control water and fertilizer to enhance their adaptability. Through comparison, under the same conditions, crape myrtle seedlings propagated by this method not only have well-developed root systems and a high survival rate after transplanting, but are also clearly superior to other propagated seedlings in terms of crown shape and other aspects.
Detailed Guide to Growing Queen's Crape Myrtle!
Queen's crape myrtle is often cultivated in courtyards for ornamental purposes. Its wood is hard, highly decay-resistant, red and bright, and is often used for furniture, boats and carts, bridges, utility poles, sleepers, and construction, etc.; it can also be used as underwater timber. Its wood economic value is said to be comparable to that of teak. The bark and leaves can be used as a purgative. The seeds have narcotic properties. The roots contain tannin and can be used as an astringent. Today I will briefly introduce the growing methods for Queen's crape myrtle.
Growing Methods for Queen's Crape Myrtle
Choose semi-lignified small seedlings to transplant to the field, and apply sufficient base fertilizer in the planting holes before planting. During the growth period of young trees, fertilize once a month, and pay attention to pinching off buds and training the trunk. After the plant matures, fertilize twice a year; during the flowering period, apply compound fertilizer mainly based on phosphorus to promote abundant flowering. After leaf fall and dormancy in winter, prune once. Cut off remaining flower branches, fruiting branches, overly dense branches, and diseased and pest-damaged branches, and apply base fertilizer around the base (mainly organic fertilizer), which can promote growth and vigorous flowering the following year. Pests and diseases are uncommon. Pests include scale insects, etc., which damage the branches, and should be controlled early or by spraying pesticides such as dimethoate.
Select mother trees 5 to 20 years old, requiring good growth, robust development, a straight and thick trunk, and no pests or diseases. When the capsules change from green to yellow-red or light brown but have not yet split open, they are mature, and seeds can be collected at this time. Seed collection is usually best from October to November each year. Generally, the collected seeds can be classified and stored according to the flower color of the mother tree. The seeds are relatively small, so broadcasting can be used; spread the seeds evenly on the seedbed at a sowing rate of 2 g/m2 to 3 g/m2. Before sowing, the seedbed should first be watered thoroughly. The seeds can be sown directly.
After sowing, cover with fine sand or dried rice straw, with a thickness such that the seeds are not visible. Sowing can be done in both spring and autumn; generally, sowing and raising seedlings from March to April is most suitable, as the time needed for seed germination is shorter at this time, and they can sprout in 15 to 20 days. New plants are generally raised by air layering. Layering is usually done from November each year to February of the following year. First, on the prepared nursery bed, open trenches 20 cm to 30 cm deep at a row spacing of 40 cm, and apply 2 cm to 3 cm of cow dung or horse dung in the trenches as base fertilizer.
In combination with winter and spring pruning, select healthy mother plants with excellent varieties, large and brightly colored flowers, and no pests or diseases, and take well-developed one-year-old or two-year-old branches with a diameter of 1 cm to 4 cm and unlimited length. After soaking in clean water for 2 hours, bury them obliquely along the trenches, then cover with soil and firm the roots. Press the upper parts down along the trenches, cover with 10 cm to 15 cm of soil, and water thoroughly once. Cover closely with plastic film to increase temperature and retain moisture, and cover with 2 to 3 layers of straw mats to prevent freezing. On clear days, the straw mats can be removed during the day to increase temperature and put back in the evening.
Precautions for Growing Chinese Lantern
With such treatment, Queen's crape myrtle generally sprouts and grows in mid-March, and in April tender buds can be seen emerging from the ground. At this time, a small arched shed can be made again and covered with plastic film, and the straw mats removed. If the temperature inside the shed exceeds 30°C, ventilate to cool it down. Starting from mid-March, the film should be uncovered and soil should be banked along the trenches once every 20 days, for a total of 3 to 4 times, so that the base of the seedlings changes from the original height into a 10 cm high ridge, prompting the production of a large number of adventitious roots. At the end of May, remove the arched shed and cut the seedlings into sections according to their budding situation; each sprout then becomes an independent young seedling. At this time, pinch the tips to promote side branches so that Queen's crape myrtle can bloom more.
And apply one topdressing of farmyard manure, such as dilute cake fertilizer water or urea water, and bank soil along the trenches again to promote growth. After that, apply topdressing 3 to 4 more times. If flower buds appear, thin them out in time. Generally, in the same year they can become plants with a full crown and luxuriant branches and leaves. After autumn, choose a rainy day to lift the seedlings out with soil, trying to avoid damaging the fine roots, and move them to a place with sunlight and sufficient water and fertilizer for planting. After they survive, control water and fertilizer to enhance their adaptability. Through comparison, under the same conditions, crape myrtle seedlings propagated by this method not only have well-developed root systems and a high survival rate after transplanting, but are also clearly superior to other propagated seedlings in terms of crown shape and other aspects.
Propagation Methods for Courtyard Flowers in March
Propagation Methods for Courtyard Flowers in March
March marks Awakening of Insects and Spring Equinox. This month's highest temperature is 27.6°C, the lowest is -4 to -5°C, and the average is 6.4°C. It is exactly a time of alternating cold and warmth.
Propagation of Courtyard Flowers
1. Sowing
Courtyard flower species that can be sown in March include: crape myrtle, redbud, wintersweet, summersweet, red maple, and tulip tree. For the latter five, the seeds need to be soaked in cold water for 24 to 36 hours before sowing, until they have absorbed water thoroughly. Flower and tree species that can be sown and raised after sand storage to promote germination include: sago palm, ginkgo, Chinese podocarpus, Buddhist pine, Chinese fan palm, purple magnolia, Michelia species, osmanthus, horse chestnut, heavenly bamboo, holly species, pomegranate, and Chinese snowball. Herbaceous flowers that can be sown include: garden balsam, marigold, globe amaranth, zinnia, scarlet sage, cockscomb, ornamental pepper, winter cherry, fairy primrose, mallow species, four-o'clock, Strelitzia, clivia, and asparagus fern. Some cold-intolerant species should be sown inside plastic shed covers.
Propagation Methods for Courtyard Flowers in March
2. Cuttage
Flower and tree species that can be propagated by cuttage in March include: Chinese hibiscus, geranium, epiphyllum, night-blooming cereus, portulacaria, graptopetalum, echeveria, hydrangea, heavenly bamboo, Japanese quince, silver willow, Hypericum, Buddhist pine, pomegranate, fig, Japanese aralia, gardenia, forsythia, winter jasmine, Chinese cypress, Daphne, and firethorn. Cold-sensitive flowers should be cut in a shed or indoors.
3. Grafting
Flower and tree species that can be propagated by grafting in March include: using 1- to 2-year-old black pine seedlings as rootstock, side-grafting to propagate five-needle pine, Osaka pine, and Nishiki pine; using 1- to 2-year-old white magnolia and purple magnolia seedlings as rootstock, cut-grafting to propagate Michelia and Erqiao magnolia; using 1-year-old peach and apricot seedlings as rootstock, cut-grafting to propagate plum blossom, longevity peach, ornamental peach, and red-leaf peach; using finger-thick seedling wintersweet as rootstock, and when its leaf buds grow to the size of wheat grains, selecting superior-variety wintersweet scion shoots, carrying out cut grafting and giving bagging for moisture retention, resulting in a relatively high survival rate; using triangular cactus as rootstock, grafting to propagate Christmas cactus and various cactus balls, preferably in a greenhouse. In addition, camellia, cherry blossom, osmanthus, red maple, etc. can also be grafted in March.
Propagation Methods for Courtyard Flowers in March
4. Layering
Flower and tree species that can be propagated by layering in March include: camellia, sasanqua, plum blossom, wintersweet, red maple, Buddhist pine, Chinese cypress, upright cypress, Michelia, Japanese quince, snowball, gardenia, osmanthus, and purple magnolia.
5. Division
Flower species that can be propagated by division in March include: orchid species, bleeding heart, Aspidistra, asparagus fern, sago palm, heavenly bamboo, Mahonia, Japanese quince, snake plant, purple triangular wood sorrel, large-flowered canna, shell ginger, dahlia, and Strelitzia.