How to sow wintersweet seeds? Detailed explanation of sowing methods and precautions

Wintersweet propagation is generally mainly by grafting, though division, sowing, cuttings and layering are also possible. Wintersweet grown from seed is Goumei (a wild relative), which can be used as rootstock for grafting wintersweet; its flowers differ from those of wintersweet, with narrower and longer petals. Simply sow the seeds around April, and you will need to wait a very long time before wintersweet blooms. Ornamental wintersweet is generally not propagated by sowing, because seedling plants struggle to retain the fine characteristics of the mother plant, so vegetative propagation such as division and cuttings is more commonly used. Therefore grafting is generally used, which is not only fast but also preserves the fine traits of wintersweet.

Collecting wintersweet seeds

Harvest when the fruit turns yellow from July to August, take out the seeds and store them dry.

Sowing wintersweet seeds

1. Spring sowing: In spring, first soak the seeds in warm water for 24 hours, place them in a germination box to sprout, then sow them in rows in sandy loam soil and water thoroughly; seedlings emerge in 15 to 20 days. In South China and Central China, they can germinate normally by early April, and two weeks after germination a light fertiliser can be applied to promote growth. After germination, plant them into soil, and they can bloom after 2 to 3 years. Sow in the following spring from February to March, covering with about 4 to 5 cm of soil. Soaking the seeds in warm water before sowing can promote germination. After the seedlings emerge in April, take care to prevent damage from cutworms and strengthen management; shading is not necessary. The seedlings grow slowly, reaching only 10 to 15 cm in height in the first year; they produce suckers only after 2 to 3 years, can be used as rootstock for grafting wintersweet only after 4 to 5 years, and generally begin to bloom after 5 to 6 years. Sowing can produce wintersweet rootstock in large quantities, but requires a relatively long growing period.

2. Autumn sowing: Harvest after the fruit ripens from July to August, take the seeds out of the fruit receptacle, sow them at once, and seedlings emerge in just over 10 days; the seedlings can grow up to 20 cm tall in the same year. The cultivation methods after emergence are roughly the same as for spring sowing, so they are not described in detail here.

Watering for seed propagation

Water sparingly; wintersweet fears waterlogging, and excessive soil moisture causes poor growth and affects flower bud differentiation and opening. For potted plants, keep the soil at half moisture; for open ground, especially prevent water accumulation during the rainy season. In spring, water once every ten days to half a month; if the spring is dry and windy, water once every 2 to 3 days to keep the soil moist; in summer, appropriately increase the amount of watering to keep the soil absolutely moist; in autumn and winter, the soil only needs to be slightly moist.

Pest and disease control

1. Insect pests: It is generally planted in dark, damp places, and in rainy summers, due to high temperature and stuffy heat, wintersweet is prone to scale insects, which can be controlled manually. At the turn of spring and summer, young buds are prone to aphids, which can be eliminated by spraying with a 3000-fold dilution of 50% pirimicarb.

2. Diseases: (1) Black spot occurs in the hot season and can be treated by spraying with a 500-fold dilution of 65% zineb or 0.3 degree Baume lime-sulphur mixture. (2) Anthracnose also occurs in the hot season and can be treated by spraying with an 800-fold dilution of thiophanate.