Detailed Explanation of Red Maple Cutting Propagation Techniques

The red maple tree is native to the East Coast of the United States, also known as red maple, northern red maple, North American red maple, etc. It mainly comes from the northern United States and most of Canada. It is a large deciduous tree of the genus Acer in the family Aceraceae. It grows relatively fast, with adult trees reaching 12-18 m in height and a crown width of 12 m. It can adapt to a wide range of soil types. Let us take a look at red maple cutting techniques below!

Red Maple Cutting Time

Red maple cutting propagation is usually carried out in late winter and early spring when the dormant buds have not yet sprouted, in mid-to-late February after the temperature rises. Select healthy, pest-free one-year-old red-back osmanthus branches. Each cutting is cut to 8-10 cm in length, with the upper end cut flat and the lower end cut into a slanted surface, with smooth cuts and no tearing. Each cutting retains 1-2 upper axillary buds, and the base is cut into a flat cut with a sharp blade.

Red Maple Cutting Techniques

1. Cutting bed preparation: One week before red maple cutting, disinfect the substrate with a 0.5% potassium permanganate aqueous solution, level the cutting bed box surface, and cover it with plastic film for later use. The cutting bed is 10 m long, 1.20 m wide, and 35 cm high. The surface layer is padded with 5 cm thick river sand, and then 3 cm thick clean yellow soil is spread on top.

2. Cutting method: The red maple rooting agent uses indolebutyric acid-naphthaleneacetic acid mixture + glutamic acid + inositol, prepared in a mass ratio of 4.1:0.02:1, with a use concentration of 1000 mg/L. Mix vitamin C and water at a weight ratio of 1:2000, soak the base of the cuttings for 2 hours, then add the rooting agent aqueous solution to yellow soil and stir into mud. Dip the lower cut end of the cuttings into the mud and then insert them for cutting.

3. Cutting density: When cutting, use a 10*10 cm plant-row spacing. First make a small hole with a wooden (bamboo) stick, then insert the mud-dipped cuttings into the small hole. The insertion depth is 1/2 of the cutting. Cover with substrate and press firmly, water thoroughly with a fine-hole watering can, then build a small arch shed and cover it with plastic film.

Red Maple Cutting Management

1. Temperature: Control the temperature at 20-28°C. When the air temperature inside the shed is higher than the substrate temperature of the seedling bed, uncover the film at both ends of the arch shed for ventilation and air exchange to let the air temperature drop.

2. Humidity: Maintain relative air humidity at 80-90% through misting, 2 times per day. On sunny days with high temperatures, mist twice; on cloudy and rainy days with lower temperatures, mist less or not at all, keeping the substrate moist.

3. Light: 7-10 days after red maple cutting, the light transmittance inside the shed reaches about 60%. At 7 days, 80% of the cuttings have rooted. When the roots are 2-3 cm long, remove the shade net before 11 a.m. and after 5 p.m. on sunny days, and remove the shade net all day on cloudy days.

4. Nutrients: After the red maple cuttings root, apply foliar fertilization with 0.5% urea and 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate aqueous solution once every 10 days.

5. Disinfection: After red maple cutting, spray 600-fold carbendazim solution once every 15 days.

6. Outplanting: Red maple begins to root 15-20 days after cutting. After 50-60 days of seedling bed cultivation and management, when the seedlings reach 10-15 cm in height and have 5-7 leaves, they are outplanted for field planting.