How to Propagate Nasturtium by Cuttings? Key Points Explained in Detail

For the artificial propagation of nasturtium, you can choose either seed sowing or cuttings. In fact, there is nothing particularly special about propagating nasturtium by cuttings. Nasturtium has relatively strong adaptability, so the survival rate of cuttings will be somewhat higher than that of other flowers and plants.

Nasturtium

1. Selection of containers and medium

For the cutting container, you can choose a smaller one, as this makes it easier to control the humidity of the medium and less likely to cause root rot. It is recommended to use a disposable plastic cup. As for the medium, the choices are fairly broad: peat, vermiculite, and perlite are basically the standard mix.

2. Time for nasturtium cuttings

For successful cuttings, the choice of time is very important. According to a survey of flower enthusiasts who succeeded with cuttings, it was found that the success rate of cuttings in May, October, November, and December is very high. Other months have not been tried, but based on feedback from flower enthusiasts, as long as the temperature is above 18°C, the success rate is very high.

3. Selection of branches: just cut top bud branches about 5-7 cm long for cuttings. Generally speaking, rooting takes about 1 week. After cutting, place them in a spot with diffused light and keep the soil moist, but do not let water accumulate. A thousand words are not as good as one picture. Below is a process picture of nasturtium cuttings. Flower enthusiasts can just imitate the cutting method; it is very easy.

Key Cultivation and Management Techniques for Nasturtium

    Nasturtium, also known as Indian cress and lotus-leaf flower, is a perennial herbaceous flower in the Tropaeolaceae family, Tropaeolum genus. Its leaves resemble bowl lotus, and its flowers are mostly orange-yellow. It can be used for potted decoration on balconies and windowsills, or placed indoors on desks and shelves for enjoyment. The leaves are alternate, with long petioles, round or nearly kidney-shaped and peltate, with wavy obtuse angles along the edges. Flowers are solitary in leaf axils. When cultivated in the open ground, it blooms in summer and autumn. Horticultural varieties include dwarf nasturtium, double-flowered, semi-double, and variegated-leaf types. This flower is native to Peru, Chile, and other places. It prefers a warm, humid environment with ample sunlight. The suitable growth temperature is 18°C to 24°C. It fears high summer temperatures, and growth is inhibited above 35°C. It is also not very cold-tolerant and can endure short-term low temperatures of 0°C. In the north, it is often cultivated as an annual or biennial flower.

    Nasturtium is commonly propagated by sowing, and can also be propagated by softwood cuttings. Generally, sowing in March results in flowering from July to August; sowing in June results in flowering at National Day; sowing in September results in flowering at Spring Festival; sowing in December results in flowering at "May Day." Before sowing, soak the seeds in warm water at 40°C to 45°C overnight, then sow them individually in a shallow pot filled with plain sand, covering with fine sand about 1 cm thick. After sowing, place in a sunny spot and keep moist. Seedlings emerge in about 10 days. When the seedlings have 2 true leaves, transplant them into pots. Cuttings are taken in spring when the room temperature is 13°C to 16°C. Cut 10 cm-long stems with 3 to 4 leaves, keep the top leaves, insert into sand, and keep moist. Rooting begins in 10 days, and they can be potted after 20 days. Nasturtium has trailing stems and must be supported with trellises. When the seedlings grow to 3 to 4 true leaves, pinch them to encourage more side branches. Before training onto the trellis, besides keeping the main branch and strong side branches, it is also necessary to pinch and evenly tie them to the trellis, forming various decorative shapes. When the stems reach 30 cm to 40 cm in length, spray the leaves with 100 mg/L paclobutrazol to promote dwarfing. After flowering, cut off the old branches and wait for new branches to bloom. For already aged plants, when the temperature reaches above 10°C, cut off the upper branches and leaves at the base, apply 20% decomposed human manure, and place in a greenhouse at about 7°C to encourage new branches and form a new clump.

    For nasturtium cultivation, choose sandy loam rich in organic matter, with a pH of 5 to 6. Generally, during the growing period, apply 10% to 15% cake fertilizer water once every 3 to 4 weeks. Before flowering, switch to applying chicken manure liquid fertilizer or 1% potassium dihydrogen phosphate once to twice every half month. After flowering, apply 25% cake fertilizer water or 20% livestock manure. In late autumn, apply 30% complete-element compound fertilizer once as wintering fertilizer. After each fertilization, loosen the soil in time to improve aeration and promote root development. Nasturtium likes moisture and fears waterlogging. Keep soil moisture at about 50%. During the growing period, water frequently but lightly. In spring and autumn, water once every 2 to 3 days. In summer, water once a day, and spray the leaves once in the evening to maintain relatively high humidity. After flowering, reduce watering to prevent excessive branch growth. Nasturtium likes ample sunlight and is not shade-tolerant. In spring and autumn, place it in a sunny spot for cultivation. In summer, provide appropriate shade. In midsummer, place it in a cool, ventilated place. In the north, move it indoors in mid-October; in the south, move it indoors in early November. Keep it in a sunny spot for maintenance, maintain room temperature at 10°C to 15°C, and appropriately control fertilizer and water. In addition, if aphids and whiteflies occur during growth, promptly control them with pollution-free pesticides such as imidacloprid, buprofezin, and deltamethrin.

Key Points for Home Flower Growing in August

    Flowers suitable for courtyard display in August. August has high temperatures, strong light, and low humidity. It is the second hottest and driest period of the year after July. The average monthly temperature in most parts of the country is between 24°C and 28°C.

    Potted ornamental plants suitable for display in courtyards are those that like sunlight or tolerate high temperatures.

    Among them, woody flowers mainly include: Norfolk Island pine, black pine, Japanese white pine, five-needle pine, golden larch, Japanese umbrella pine, lacebark pine, Japanese fir, armand pine, Buddhist pine, Chinese juniper, sago palm, Canary Island date palm, Chinese fagraea, cinnamon tree, orchid tree, pomegranate, rubber tree, variegated ficus, Chinese hibiscus, lantana, coral tree, Dutch iron plant, croton, Brazilian wood, bamboo palm, money tree, octopus tree, frangipani, four-season osmanthus, oleander, Washington palm, palm, bottle palm, leatherleaf mahonia, Japanese fatsia, etc.; rose, etc.

    Herbaceous flowers include: garden balsam, large-flowered canna, variegated shell ginger, scarlet sage, dahlia, China aster, bamboo begonia, dragon's mouth flower, marigold, peacock flower, phlox, ornamental pepper, California poppy, cockscomb, pot marigold, lycoris, periwinkle, globe amaranth, sulfur cosmos, four-o'clock, zinnia, etc. In addition, there are also aspidistra, Guangdong evergreen, Philodendron selloum, Monstera deliciosa, pothos, and silver queen aglaonema, etc.

    Propagation of Courtyard Flowers

    1. Sowing. In August, woody flowers that can be sown include: tree peony, elm-leaved spirea, red-flowered camellia, summer sweetshrub, American summer sweetshrub, Buddhist pine, etc. They can be sown as collected, or the seeds can be stored in wet sand until they crack and show white, then sown in the ground. Canary Island date palm can be bag-sown after sand storage for germination. Ornamental pomegranate is harvested after the fruit ripens and cracks; rub and wash off the fleshy layer outside the seeds, store in sand until germination, then sow. Herbaceous flowers that can be sown include: baby's breath, rice button aster, dwarf petunia, snapdragon, purple coneflower, oxalis species, yarrow, nasturtium, pyrethrum, etc. Greenhouse flowers that can be sown include: calceolaria, cyclamen, cineraria, wax begonia, Chinese primrose, coleus, pot marigold, etc.

    2. Cuttings. Use a mixed medium prepared from alkaline-leached rice husk ash and wet fine sand at a ratio of 2:1 for moisture-retaining bed cuttings or pot cuttings. The following flowers and trees can be propagated: firethorn, mahonia species, wintersweet, banana shrub, bougainvillea, coral tree, orchid tree, spotted aucuba, Chinese snowball viburnum, snowball, Chinese hibiscus, jasmine, pearl orchid, rubber tree, sweet osmanthus, Buddhist pine, schefflera species, ti plant, hydrangea, purple magnolia, etc. Using yellow subsoil, sandy loam, etc. as the medium, you can take cuttings of boxwood species, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, French holly, golden privet, red-leaf barberry, nandina, fig, oleander, crape myrtle, serissa, spiraea, bridal wreath spirea, gardenia, etc. In addition, herbaceous flowers such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, and sulfur cosmos can also be propagated by cuttings this month.

    3. Grafting. In August, the following flowers and trees can be grafted: in northern regions, use fringe tree as rootstock for approach grafting osmanthus; use purple magnolia and white magnolia as rootstocks for bud grafting Yulan magnolia; use potted purple magnolia as rootstock for approach grafting white orchid; use current-year seedlings of wild peach as rootstock for bud grafting plum, ornamental peach, longevity peach, purple-leaf peach, double-flowered dwarf cherry, elm-leaved spirea, etc.; use cherry seedlings as rootstock for bud grafting Japanese cherry; use wild rose, pink cluster rose, etc. as rootstock for bud grafting superior rose varieties; use seedlings of Siberian crabapple, Chinese pearleaf crabapple, Hupeh crabapple, etc. as rootstock for bud grafting Midget crabapple and hall crabapple; use green maple as rootstock for crown replacement grafting red maple and feather maple; use single-trunk rubber tree as rootstock for cleft grafting variegated weeping fig; use single-petal camellia as rootstock for cleft grafting superior camellia varieties; use seedling wintersweet as rootstock for cleft grafting and approach grafting superior wintersweet varieties. In addition, cleft grafting can be used to propagate large-flowered wisteria.

    4. Layering. In August, ornamental plants that can be propagated by layering include: honeysuckle, Chinese trumpet creeper, banks rose, climbing rose, weigela, hydrangea, Chinese snowball viburnum, snowball, oleander, gardenia, broom, winter jasmine, forsythia, Chinese quince, hall crabapple, Midget crabapple, osmanthus species, purple magnolia, jasmine, pearl orchid, banana shrub, Chinese hibiscus, Buddhist pine, coral tree, rubber tree (air layering), orchid tree (air layering), red maple (air layering), etc.

    5. Division. In August, ornamental plant species that can be propagated by division include: ribbon grass, hosta, purple hosta, dwarf umbrella tree, multi-head green king, bromeliad, Solomon's seal, aspidistra, umbrella plant, Adina pilulifera, red (green) gem, iris, blackberry lily, purple triangular oxalis, Guangdong evergreen, Dutch aster, fine-leaf sweet flag, sword fern, silver queen aglaonema, arrowroot species, Syngonium, Haworthia, etc. In addition, lycoris, calla lily, freesia, etc. can also be divided and replanted as small bulbs this month. Management of Courtyard Field-Grown Flowers

    1. Transplanting. In August, for some flowering shrubs, when transplanted with large soil balls and supplemented by heavy pruning, shade, watering, and spraying management should be strengthened after transplanting to achieve a relatively high survival rate, such as golden-leaf privet, red-leaf barberry, golden-edge thuja, golden-heart (edge) boxwood, hypericum, mahonia, Japanese fatsia, rose, azalea, gardenia, Buddhist pine, banana shrub, dragon juniper ball, Chinese juniper ball, boxwood ball, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, aucuba, French holly, etc. In the courtyard, herbaceous flowers can also be transplanted and established, such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, marigold, cockscomb, peacock flower, dragon's mouth flower, etc., which can be expected to bloom in September and October.

    2. Pruning. In August, for courtyard hedges such as boxwood, small-leaf privet, privet, golden-leaf privet, French holly, and Photinia davidsoniae, pruning should continue. For field-grown ball plants such as photinia, dragon juniper, Chinese juniper, bayberry, firethorn, pittosporum, Chinese holly, and wintergreen, pruning must also be done again. For field-grown flowering plants that bloom continuously for a long time, such as rose, pomegranate, rose of Sharon, crape myrtle, Chinese hibiscus, bougainvillea, and lantana, remove spent flowers in time and moderately shorten the branch tips. For field-grown herbaceous flowers such as scarlet sage, globe amaranth, early chrysanthemum, peacock flower, and marigold, pinch off the tops.

    3. Watering. In August, for flowering shrubs transplanted in spring and established herbaceous flowers, watering and spraying management should be strengthened. For plants with straw ropes tied around the trunks, the straw ropes should be sprayed wet to ensure that new shoots and young leaves do not wilt. Spray more and water cautiously to ensure no water accumulates at the roots.

    4. Fertilizing. In August, for field-grown red-flowered loropetalum, golden-edge (heart) boxwood, red-leaf barberry, golden-leaf privet, purple-leaf dwarf cherry, croton, red mulberry, spotted aucuba, variegated shell ginger, etc., in order to keep the leaf color bright for a long time, apply quick-acting fertilizer with a relatively balanced ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. For species that continue to bloom, such as rose, fragrant osmanthus, four-season osmanthus, flowering pomegranate, rose of Sharon, crape myrtle, bougainvillea, dahlia, and lantana, as well as species about to bloom, such as osmanthus, chrysanthemum, cotton rose, and autumn anemone, promptly apply an appropriate amount of quick-acting phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. For camellia, sasanqua, plum, and wintersweet that are in flower bud differentiation, a small amount of potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution can be sprayed as foliar fertilizer.

    5. Pest and disease control. In August, for scale insects occurring on plants such as deodar cedar, privet, pittosporum, osmanthus, crape myrtle, photinia, and camellia, promptly spray 40% Supracide 1500 times solution for control. For chrysanthemum beetles and aphids occurring on field-grown chrysanthemums, spray 90% trichlorfon crystal 1000 times solution to kill them. For larvae such as rose sawflies and tobacco cutworms that chew rose leaves, promptly spray 10% fenvalerate 1000 times solution for control.

    6. Seed collection. In August, woody flowers from which seeds can be collected include: tree peony, elm-leaved spirea, red-flowered camellia, Buddhist pine, summer sweetshrub, etc. Herbaceous flowers from which seeds can be collected include: Chinese peony, moss rose, four-o'clock, phlox, California poppy, snow-in-summer, etc. Management of Courtyard Potted Flowers

    1. Watering. In August, water between 9 and 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m., keeping the water temperature basically consistent with the soil temperature and air temperature. For ornamental plant species that like acidic conditions, add 0.1% ferrous sulfate to the irrigation water. It is worth noting that for ornamental plants with dense hairs on the leaf surface, such as calceolaria, gloxinia, iron cross begonia, and hairy-leaf begonia, water droplets on the leaf surface do not evaporate easily and can easily cause leaf rot, so only a small amount of misting can be done; the flower buds in the leaf clusters of Gerbera jamesonii (African daisy) and the center of the leaf cluster of clivia cannot be splashed with water either, as dirty water flowing into the leaf cluster can cause heart rot; for bromeliads, water less and spray more, and inject water into the leaf tube to meet their needs. This month, while watering and spraying potted plants, be sure to loosen the soil, once every 10 days, otherwise repeated watering will cause the potting soil to become compacted. For flower species in dormancy or semi-dormancy, control watering and spraying, maintaining only slight moisture in the potting soil, and create a relatively cool and moist environment by spraying the small environment around the flower pot.