Blueberry Propagation by Cuttings and Key Points for Seedling-Stage Management

There are many propagation methods for blueberries, such as cuttings, seed propagation, and division. At present, blueberry cultivation in China mainly relies on propagation by cuttings in production, while other methods such as raising seedlings from seed, rhizome cuttings, and division are also used. The propagation method varies by species. Highbush blueberry is mainly propagated by hardwood cuttings, rabbiteye blueberry by softwood cuttings, and lowbush blueberry by either softwood or hardwood cuttings. Hardwood cuttings are mainly used for highbush blueberry, but rooting ease differs by cultivar. For example, Blue Line, Rubel, and Jersey root easily from hardwood cuttings, while Bluecrop is difficult to root.

Seedbed Preparation for Blueberries

1. Substrate selection: River sand, sawdust, peat, and rotten moss can all be used as cutting substrates, but when river sand and sawdust are used as the cutting substrate, the plants need to be transplanted after rooting, which is labor-intensive and affects seedling development. The ideal cutting substrate is rotten moss, or a mixed substrate of peat and river sand (1:1).

2. Seedbed selection: Cuttings can be taken directly in the field, with the cutting substrate spread into a bed 1 m wide and 25 cm thick, and the length determined as needed. However, because air and soil temperatures are low with this method, the rooting rate is relatively low. The most widely used and relatively inexpensive option is a wooden raised bench. Make a wooden box about 2 m long, 1 m wide, and 40 cm high, with a hard board with 0.3-0.5 cm mesh nailed to the bottom of the box. The wooden box is raised off the ground on round logs. This method can effectively increase the substrate temperature and improve the rooting rate.

Blueberry Cutting Methods

1. Cutting selection: Cuttings should be cut from vigorous, pest- and disease-free trees. It is best to choose healthy branches with high wood hardness and good maturity, and try to avoid water sprouts, branches with a large pith, and branches damaged by freezing in winter. If viral disease occurs in the orchard, the tree from which cuttings are taken should be at least 15 cm away from diseased trees. The best cutting wood is 1-year-old vegetative shoots. If there are not enough cuttings, 1-year-old flower-bud shoots can be selected, and the flower buds should be removed when taking cuttings; however, flower-bud shoots often have a lower rooting rate and poorer root quality. The position of the cutting on the branch also has a very significant effect on the rooting rate. Whether vegetative shoots or flower-bud shoots are used, cuttings taken from the base of the branch have a markedly higher rooting rate than those taken from the upper part. Therefore, the middle and lower parts of the branch should be selected for cuttings as much as possible.

2. Cutting time: When only a small number of plants are being propagated, cuttings are taken before spring budbreak (generally March-April) and inserted immediately after cutting, which saves the need to store the cuttings. However, when propagating on a large scale, cuttings need to be taken in advance. Generally, branch budbreak requires 800-1,000 hours of cold, so the cutting time should ensure that the branches have already accumulated sufficient chilling. Generally speaking, February is more suitable.

3. Preparing the cuttings: The cutting tool must be sharp and the cut surface smooth. The length of the cuttings is generally 8-10 cm. The upper cut is flat and the lower cut is slanted, with the lower cut positioned right below a bud, which can increase the rooting rate. After cutting, tie the cuttings into bundles of 50-100 and temporarily bury them in wet river sand or similar material.

4. Cutting method: Once everything is ready, water the substrate thoroughly to ensure moisture but without standing water, then insert the cuttings vertically into the substrate, leaving only one terminal bud exposed, at a spacing of 5×5 cm. Do not insert the cuttings too densely. Excessive density first causes poor seedling development after rooting, and second makes bacterial infection more likely, causing the cuttings or seedlings to rot. When taking hardwood cuttings of highbush blueberry, rooting hormone treatment is generally not needed; many rooting hormones have little or no effect on rooting of hardwood cuttings.

Post-Cutting Management for Blueberries

1. Water management: After cuttings are inserted, they should be watered frequently to maintain soil moisture, but overwatering or underwatering should be avoided. If the water has been left in the sun too long and its temperature is high, let it cool before watering to avoid injuring the seedlings. The most critical period for water management is from early May to late June, when the leaves have already expanded but the cuttings have not yet rooted; insufficient water can easily cause the cuttings to die. When the terminal leaves begin to turn green, it indicates that the cuttings have begun to root.

2. Fertilizer management: Do not apply any fertilizer to the substrate before cutting, and do not fertilize after cutting before rooting. Begin applying fertilizer after the cuttings have rooted to promote seedling growth. Fertilizer should be applied in liquid form, using a complete fertilizer such as 13-26-13 or 15-30-4 at a concentration of about 3%, once a week. After each fertilization, spray water to wash the fertilizer off the leaf surfaces to avoid damaging the leaves.

3. Transplanting method: Rooted seedlings generally overwinter in the seedbed, or they can be transplanted for tending in September. If rooted seedlings overwinter in the seedbed, soil should be banked up on both sides of the seedbed before winter.

4. Pest and disease management: During the rooting and seedling-raising period, diseases are mainly controlled by ventilation and removing diseased plants. When raising seedlings in a plastic tunnel or greenhouse, ventilate promptly to reduce fungal diseases and lower the temperature.

How Do Blueberries Propagate? Blueberry Cutting Propagation Methods and Key Post-Cutting Management Points

Blueberry can be said to be one of the fruits with the greatest development potential, attracting many farmers to grow it. However, to successfully grow blueberries, doing a good job of propagation can be said to be the foundation of the foundation. In fact, there are many propagation methods for blueberries, including cuttings, division, and sowing. However, at present, blueberry cultivation in China usually uses the cutting propagation method. So, how do blueberries propagate? The blueberry cutting propagation methods and key post-cutting management points are introduced below.

Image: Blueberry

I. Seedbed Preparation for Blueberries

1. Substrate selection:River sand, sawdust, peat, and rotten moss can all be used as cutting substrates, but when river sand and sawdust are used as the cutting substrate, the plants need to be transplanted after rooting, which is labor-intensive and affects seedling development. The ideal cutting substrate is rotten moss, or a mixed substrate of peat and river sand (1:1).

2. Seedbed selection:Cuttings can be taken directly in the field, with the cutting substrate spread into a bed 1 m wide and 25 cm thick, and the length determined as needed. However, because air and soil temperatures are low with this method, the rooting rate is relatively low. The most widely used and relatively inexpensive option is a wooden raised bench. Make a wooden box about 2 m long, 1 m wide, and 40 cm high, with a hard board with 0.3-0.5 cm mesh nailed to the bottom of the box. The wooden box is raised off the ground on round logs. This method can effectively increase the substrate temperature and improve the rooting rate.

Image: Blueberry

II. Blueberry Cutting Methods

1. Cutting selection:Cuttings should be cut from vigorous, pest- and disease-free trees. It is best to choose healthy branches with high wood hardness and good maturity, and try to avoid water sprouts, branches with a large pith, and branches damaged by freezing in winter. If viral disease occurs in the orchard, the tree from which cuttings are taken should be at least 15 cm away from diseased trees. The best cutting wood is 1-year-old vegetative shoots. If there are not enough cuttings, 1-year-old flower-bud shoots can be selected, and the flower buds should be removed when taking cuttings; however, flower-bud shoots often have a lower rooting rate and poorer root quality. The position of the cutting on the branch also has a very significant effect on the rooting rate. Whether vegetative shoots or flower-bud shoots are used, cuttings taken from the base of the branch have a markedly higher rooting rate than those taken from the upper part. Therefore, the middle and lower parts of the branch should be selected for cuttings as much as possible.

2. Cutting time:When only a small number of plants are being propagated, cuttings are taken before spring budbreak (generally March-April) and inserted immediately after cutting, which saves the need to store the cuttings. However, when propagating on a large scale, cuttings need to be taken in advance. Generally, branch budbreak requires 800-1,000 hours of cold, so the cutting time should ensure that the branches have already accumulated sufficient chilling. Generally speaking, February is more suitable.

Image: Blueberry

3. Preparing the cuttings:The cutting tool must be sharp and the cut surface smooth. The length of the cuttings is generally 8-10 cm. The upper cut is flat and the lower cut is slanted, with the lower cut positioned right below a bud, which can increase the rooting rate. After cutting, tie the cuttings into bundles of 50-100 and temporarily bury them in wet river sand or similar material.

4. Cutting method:Once everything is ready, water the substrate thoroughly to ensure moisture but without standing water, then insert the cuttings vertically into the substrate, leaving only one terminal bud exposed, at a spacing of 5×5 cm. Do not insert the cuttings too densely. Excessive density first causes poor seedling development after rooting, and second makes bacterial infection more likely, causing the cuttings or seedlings to rot. When taking hardwood cuttings of highbush blueberry, rooting hormone treatment is generally not needed; many rooting hormones have little or no effect on rooting of hardwood cuttings.

Image: Blueberry

III. Post-Cutting Management for Blueberries

1. Water management:After cuttings are inserted, they should be watered frequently to maintain soil moisture, but overwatering or underwatering should be avoided. If the water has been left in the sun too long and its temperature is high, let it cool before watering to avoid injuring the seedlings. The most critical period for water management is from early May to late June, when the leaves have already expanded but the cuttings have not yet rooted; insufficient water can easily cause the cuttings to die. When the terminal leaves begin to turn green, it indicates that the cuttings have begun to root.

2. Fertilizer management:Do not apply any fertilizer to the substrate before cutting, and do not fertilize after cutting before rooting. Begin applying fertilizer after the cuttings have rooted to promote seedling growth. Fertilizer should be applied in liquid form, using a complete fertilizer such as 13-26-13 or 15-30-4 at a concentration of about 3%, once a week. After each fertilization, spray water to wash the fertilizer off the leaf surfaces to avoid damaging the leaves.

Image: Blueberry

3. Transplanting method:Rooted seedlings generally overwinter in the seedbed, or they can be transplanted for tending in September. If rooted seedlings overwinter in the seedbed, soil should be banked up on both sides of the seedbed before winter.

4. Pest and disease management:During the rooting and seedling-raising period, diseases are mainly controlled by ventilation and removing diseased plants. When raising seedlings in a plastic tunnel or greenhouse, ventilate promptly to reduce fungal diseases and lower the temperature.

[Editor's Closing Notes]Cutting propagation has the characteristics of being simple and easy to carry out, convenient to manage, and fast-growing, and is one of the most important propagation methods in blueberry cultivation and production. The above introduced the blueberry cutting propagation methods and key post-cutting management points for everyone. Has everyone learned them?

How to Propagate Blueberries by Cuttings

Selection of Blueberry Cuttings

Take cuttings between February and April before spring budbreak, and insert them immediately after cutting. It is suitable to choose vigorous, pest- and disease-free 1-2-year-old branches. Be careful to avoid water sprouts, branches with a large pith, and freeze-damaged branches. When taking cuttings, choose the middle and lower parts of the branch as much as possible, and the cutting length is about 30 cm.

Cutting Medium for Blueberries

You can use a mixture of rotten moss, peat, and river sand. Do not add base fertilizer. Before cutting, the substrate needs to be watered thoroughly but without standing water, and the cutting container should be slightly deeper.

Taking Blueberry Cuttings

Use a sharp blade to make a slanted cut at the end of the cutting, then insert it vertically into the medium, leaving only one terminal bud exposed, then spray water once. The cutting spacing should generally be no less than 5 cm. If the cuttings are too dense, it easily causes poor seedling development after rooting.

Post-Cutting Management for Blueberries

Water Management

Water frequently after cutting to keep the soil moist, and at the same time be careful to avoid standing water, otherwise it will cause root rot. Early May to late June is the critical period for water management. At this time, although the leaves have already expanded, the cuttings have not yet rooted, and insufficient water can easily cause the cuttings to die. When the terminal leaves begin to turn green, it indicates that the cuttings have begun to root.

Fertilizer Management

Do not fertilize before rooting. After the cuttings have rooted, fertilizer can be applied to promote plant growth. Fertilizer should be applied in liquid form, once a week, using a complete fertilizer at a concentration of about 3%. Note that after fertilizing, water should also be sprayed promptly to wash off any fertilizer remaining on the leaf surfaces and avoid damaging the leaves.

Pest and Disease Management

During the rooting and seedling-raising period of blueberries, diseases are mainly controlled by two methods: ventilation and removing diseased plants.