How to cultivate assorted peonies? Key points for post-grafting management

Growing Techniques Jan 1, 1970 0 views

As peony grafting techniques gradually mature, horticulturists have been exploring how to make a single peony plant bloom in multiple colors. How can a single peony plant bloom with multiple colored peony varieties? Read on with the editor of Huinong Network to learn.

1. Cultivation

Assorted peony uses peony grafting techniques to graft scions of different peony varieties onto different branches of the same peony plant. After they survive, a single peony plant can bloom in 3 to 9 colors.

2. Rootstock selection

When selecting the rootstock for assorted peony, factors such as variety, plant age and growth vigor should be considered. Good peony varieties in cultivation have high ornamental value and are not suitable for assorted peony. Assorted peony is often used in production with inferior varieties or seedlings aged 5 to 10 years with strong growth, especially so that the thickness of the rootstock branches and the scions are basically equivalent.

3. Scion selection

When selecting scions for assorted peony, consider the variety, growth vigor, length of the current year's branches and the matching of flower colors. Different peony varieties differ greatly in growth vigor and length of the current year's branches. For the same assorted peony, scions with basically consistent growth vigor and current-year branch length should be selected, so that when blooming, flowers will not hide or block each other. Improper selection of scion varieties will lead to failure after several years of planting, as strong-growing branches cover or suppress weak-growing ones, making the strong stronger and the weak weaker. In the first few years of blooming there may be multiple colors, but after a few years only 2 to 3 colors remain, the crown shape becomes worse and worse, and the ornamental value is lost.

4. Grafting time and method

From mid-September to the end of October each year, use the side-veneer grafting method on the selected rootstock. The grafting point is chosen 6 to 10 cm above the upper part of branches at 5 to 9 branching points. Make an oblique cut on the branch from bottom to top, leave 5 to 6 cm of the scion and make an oblique cut at its lower end. Both cut surfaces should be 3 to 4 cm long, and the cuts should be smooth. Press the two cut surfaces tightly together, with the cambium of at least one side aligned. Wrap tightly with cling film and fix with tape. Note that the positions of the grafting points should be basically at the same height, and the scions should be used immediately after collection.

5. Management

Cultivating assorted peony is not difficult, but later maintenance is demanding. In production, it is easy to produce but hard to maintain. If management cannot keep up, after a few years it will basically degenerate into inferior peony.

6. Post-grafting management

After the grafting work is completed, when buds sprout and germinate the next year, successfully grafted ones can sprout normally. Remove the cling film in May, and act carefully to avoid accidental damage. If the buds are wilted and shriveled, the grafting has failed. If 1 to 2 branches on the same plant do not survive, they can be cut off directly at the branch point. If more than 3 branches do not survive, mark them and graft again in autumn.

7. Establish records

After grafting, all assorted peonies should have planting records established, including planting location, number of plants, scion varieties, survival rate, etc., for future management. The pruning management of assorted peony is more demanding than that of single-variety peony.

8. Management of finished plants

After grafting survives, each peony plant must have at least 3 or more flower colors to count as a finished assorted peony plant. Spring management mainly involves removing all sprouts on the branches below the grafting point and cutting off soil sprouts. Bud removal and pruning are very important for assorted peony. Since the buds of the rootstock have stronger growth vigor than the grafted buds, if bud removal is not done carefully, the sprouts on the branches will affect the growth of grafted buds after 2 to 3 years. Likewise, if soil sprout branches are not pruned in time, it will also cause the growth of assorted peony to decline. Soil sprout branches can surpass grafted branches in 4 to 5 years, losing ornamental value. In autumn, mainly cut off soil sprout branches. On branches above the grafting point, keep 1 to 2 branches year-round. Especially for varieties with strong branching ability, control the number of branches to avoid top-heavy damage to the grafting point.

Finally, the editor of Huinong Network reminds everyone that the water and fertilizer management of assorted peony is the same as that of ordinary peony, mainly avoiding waterlogging. Do a good job on pests and diseases. Diseases include anthracnose, root rot, leaf blight, gray mold, root-knot nematode disease, powdery mildew, etc., mainly based on prevention. Pests include cottony cushion scale, white grubs, longhorn beetles, etc. Prevent them in time, and strengthen control in the early stage of damage. Once severe, treatment is difficult and will cause serious losses.

Cultivation methods and precautions for Chinese lilac

Chinese name: Chinese lilac

Latin scientific name: Syringa × chinensis Willd.

Kingdom: Plantae

Phylum: Angiosperms

Class: Dicotyledons

Order: Lamiales

Suborder: Oleineae

Family: Oleaceae

Subfamily: Oleoideae

Genus: Syringa

Species: Syringa vulgaris and Syringa laciniata

Hybrid species: Syringa × chinensis

Naming authority and year: Willd., 1794

English name: Chinese Lilac

Chinese lilac (scientific name: Syringa × chinensis Willd.): a shrub with gray bark. Branches slender, spreading, often arched, branchlets yellow-brown, sometimes four-angled, hairless, with lenticels. Leaves ovate-lanceolate to ovate, 2-6 cm long, 0.8-3 cm wide, apex acute to acuminate, base cuneate to nearly rounded, dark green above, glaucous green below, hairless on both surfaces; petiole 0.5-1.5 cm long, hairless. Anthers yellow, borne at the throat of the corolla tube or about 1 mm from the throat. Flowering in May. Native to Europe, bred in 1777 at the Rouen Botanical Garden in France by crossing Syringa vulgaris and Syringa laciniata; cultivated in China.

1. Morphological characteristics

Chinese lilac is a shrub up to 5 m tall; bark gray. Branches slender, spreading, often arched, branchlets yellow-brown, sometimes four-angled, hairless, with lenticels. Leaves ovate-lanceolate to ovate, 2-6 cm long, 0.8-3 cm wide, apex acute to acuminate, base cuneate to nearly rounded, dark green above, glaucous green below, hairless on both surfaces; petiole 0.5-1.5 cm long, hairless. Panicle upright, arising from lateral buds, 4-13 cm long, 3-10 cm wide; inflorescence axis, bracts, pedicels and calyx all hairless; pedicels 2-5 mm long; calyx 2-2.5 mm long, calyx teeth often triangular, apex acuminate or acute; corolla purple or light purple, corolla tube slender, cylindrical, 0.6-1 cm long, lobes spreading at right angles, ovate, oblong-elliptic to obovate, 5-9 mm long, apex acute or obtuse; anthers yellow, borne at the throat of the corolla tube or about 1 mm from the throat. Flowering in May.
(Original species one) Syringa vulgaris is a shrub or small tree, 3-7 m tall; bark gray-brown. Branchlets, petioles, both surfaces of leaves, inflorescence axis, pedicels and calyx all hairless, or glandular-hairy, falling off when old. Branchlets brown, slightly four-angled, sparsely lenticellate. Leaves ovate, broad ovate or long ovate, 3-13 cm long, 2-9 cm wide, apex acuminate, base truncate, broadly cuneate or cordate, dark green above, light green below; petiole 1-3 cm long. Panicle nearly upright, arising from lateral buds, broadly pyramidal to narrowly pyramidal, or nearly cylindrical, 10-20 cm long; inflorescence axis sparsely lenticellate; pedicels 0.5-2 mm long; flowers fragrant; calyx teeth acute to shortly acuminate; corolla purple or light purple, 0.8-1.5 cm long, about 1 cm in diameter, corolla tube slender, nearly cylindrical, 0.6-1 cm long, lobes spreading at right angles, elliptic, ovate to obovate, apex slightly hooded, or not incurved; anthers yellow, located 0-1(-2) mm from the throat of the corolla tube, rarely exserted. Fruit obovate-elliptic, ovate to long elliptic, 1-2 cm long, apex acuminate or abruptly convex, smooth. Flowering April-May, fruiting June-July.
(Original species two) Syringa laciniata is a small shrub, 1-2 m tall, or up to 3 m. Branches slender, spreading, upright or slightly arched, gray-brown, hairless, with lenticels, branchlets hairless. Leaves lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, 1.5-6 cm long, 0.8-2 cm wide, apex acuminate or acute, base cuneate, entire, rarely with 1-2 small lobes, hairless; petiole 0.5-1.3 cm long, hairless. Inflorescence arising from lateral buds, 3-10 cm long, usually in many pairs arranged on the upper part of branches in a terminal panicle-like form; inflorescence axis hairless, with lenticels; pedicels about 1.5-3 mm long, hairless; flowers fragrant; calyx hairless, about 2 mm long, with shallow and acute teeth, or calyx teeth triangular; corolla light purple, corolla tube slender, nearly cylindrical, 0.6-1 cm long, corolla lobes spreading at right angles, broad ovate, ovate or elliptic, 4-7 mm long, hooded, apex acute or obtuse; anthers small, sterile, pale yellow-green, borne below the throat of the corolla tube. Fruit not seen. Flowering in May.

2. Distribution range

Native to Europe, bred in 1777 at the Rouen Botanical Garden in France by crossing Syringia vulgaris and Syringa laciniata; cultivated in China.

3. Growth habits

Sun-loving, slightly shade-tolerant, likes warm and humid climates, also cold-tolerant and drought-tolerant.

4. Cultivation techniques

The suitable time for planting lilac is before the plant buds in early spring or when it is dormant, for bare-root transplanting. According to the thawing conditions of the soil in different regions, transplanting in early to mid-March is generally suitable. If for some reason the seedlings must be dug up in autumn, it must also be done during the dormant period after leaf fall in late autumn. Lilac grown in the open field requires no special management during the growing season. As long as proper irrigation, fertilization and pruning are grasped, the cultivated lilac can be promoted to grow and develop well, with abundant inflorescences and bright flower colors, showing good ornamental characteristics. The pruning period for lilac is best before sap flow in early spring or when it has just begun to flow.

In Beijing and North China, April to June is a period of dry climate and high temperatures, and it is also the season when lilac is in full bloom and new branches grow vigorously. At this time, the plants need to be watered thoroughly 2 to 3 times a month; after July, the rainy season begins, so artificial irrigation should be stopped, and attention should be paid to drainage and waterlogging prevention. From October to November until before winter, water thoroughly 3 times. After watering, loosen the soil so that the plant and soil have sufficient moisture. After lilac is planted, generally no fertilizer or only a small amount of fertilizer may be applied. Applying an appropriate amount of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer and a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer after flowering is beneficial to the growth and development of lilac plants. When fertilizing, hole application can be adopted according to the size of the plant, that is, with a radius of 30 to 50 cm from the trunk, dig a circular shallow hole 10 to 15 cm deep around the plant, spread the fertilizer evenly into it, then cover with soil. After fertilizing, water thoroughly once, and loosen the soil in time to preserve moisture.

Making assorted chrysanthemum bonsai

Rootstock treatment for assorted chrysanthemum

When making assorted chrysanthemum bonsai, first prepare the rootstock. Choose Artemisia sieversiana as the rootstock. Collect the seeds of Artemisia sieversiana in autumn and sow them in spring. As the plant grows, transplant it in time. When the plant is less than 30 cm, remove the axillary buds. When it grows above 30 cm, keep the axillary buds until more than 30 axillary buds have grown out. At this point, remove all the axillary buds to make it grow side branches.

Cutting and grafting of assorted chrysanthemum

After the rootstock is treated, grafting can be carried out. Choose chrysanthemum varieties with relatively close flowering periods, full flower shapes and relatively coordinated flower colors for grafting. When grafting, it is generally done from the first ten days of June to the first ten days of July, choosing a sunny and windless morning. When grafting, graft from bottom to top in sequence.

The scion is generally a 10 cm long terminal bud. Cut the lower end of the scion into a shape with one side thin and one side thick. Make a downward cut on the angled part of the rootstock. Then insert the scion into the cut so that the two are tightly combined. It is best to tie them with plastic film and water. They can survive in about 10 days.

After the grafting survives, first remove the side buds growing on the rootstock. After the grafting survives, pinching can be carried out.

Shaping of assorted chrysanthemum

When maintaining assorted chrysanthemum, pay attention to shaping management, carry out treatments such as pulling and tying the branches, remove excess branches and weak or damaged branches, and use bamboo poles to support the assorted chrysanthemum plant to prevent it from lodging. Pay attention to water and fertilizer management.