A detailed guide to sowing Virginia creeper seeds, easy enough for beginners to get the hang of
1. Sand storage and sprouting of seeds.
In September, when the berries ripen and turn purplish-blue, pick them immediately, wash them, dry them in the shade, disinfect the surface with a 0.05% carbendazim solution, drain them, and then store them in stratified moist sand. By early March of the following year, soak the seeds in 45°C warm water for two days, changing the water twice a day, then mix them evenly with moist sand at a seed-to-sand ratio of 2:1, place the mixture in a sunny, sheltered spot, cover it with a straw bag, and spray with a fine mist of water frequently to keep it moist. After about 20 days, when 20% of the seeds have split and shown white, they are ready to sow.
2. Sowing.
First, rake the sowing bed fine and level, water it thoroughly, and sow the seeds together with the sand on the surface of the bed at a sowing rate of 100 g per sq m. Cover with 1 cm of loose humus soil from under the trees, then set up a small arched frame over it and cover it with polyethylene plastic film.
3. Seedling management.
After the cotyledons emerge, the film should be uncovered during the day and put back on at night on sunny days, and kept on all day during overcast and rainy weather, to raise the soil temperature, encourage uniform emergence, and prevent damage from scarab beetles. In addition, water frequently to keep the soil moist.
4. Transplanting and later management.
After three true leaves have unfolded, choose an overcast day or a time after three in the afternoon and transplant at a spacing of 1 x 1 chi. Water immediately after planting with one application of diluted manure water (1:8). During the plum rain season, never let water accumulate for too long. After two months, the vines generally grow to more than 60 cm, at which point the first pinching back can be done to prevent the vines from tangling around each other and blocking light, and to encourage the seedlings to grow thick and strong. Pinch back once a month, combined with supplementary feeding. With the above measures, by the leaf-fall period the average thickness of the seedling vines can reach more than 0.5 cm, and they are then ready to leave the nursery for planting. That is all we have to share about how to grow Virginia creeper seeds and the sowing method for Virginia creeper. Virginia creeper tolerates pruning, and during growth you can trim and tidy the branches and vines around doors and windows as needed to keep things neat, attractive and convenient.
Propagation methods for Virginia creeper, and the difference between Virginia creeper and Boston ivy
Virginia creeper has cymes and blooms in June, and is distributed in the Northeast and North China regions. You have already learned how to grow Virginia creeper, so next Xiao Qi will introduce the propagation methods for Virginia creeper and the difference between Virginia creeper and Boston ivy. Let's take a look together.
I. Propagation methods for Virginia creeper
1. Cutting propagation: in early spring, cut 20-30 cm lengths of stem vine and insert them into an open-field seedbed, water them, and keep them moist; they will quickly send out vines and take root. You can also use softwood cuttings with leaves in summer or autumn, shading them and watering to maintain them, and they will also quickly send out new shoots. The survival rate of cuttings is fairly high, so this method is widely used. Hardwood cuttings are done in March to April: cut hardwood stems into 10-15 cm sections and insert them into the soil, water thoroughly, and keep moist. Softwood cuttings use new shoots of the current year and are done in summer.
2. Seed propagation: after harvesting, rub off the fruit skin and flesh from the seeds, wash them, dry them in the sun, and then store them in moist sand at low temperature for one winter; keeping them warm and moist helps to sprout them. In early spring of the following year, in early to mid-March, they can be sown in the open field and covered with film, and seedlings will emerge in early May. After 1-2 years of growing, they are ready to leave the nursery.
3. Layering propagation: a wavy layering method can be used, carried out during the rainy season on overcast, humid, cloudless days; the survival rate is high, and by autumn they can be separated and transplanted, then planted out the following year. Use cuttings, layering and seed propagation. Cuttings can be taken anytime from after leaf fall to before bud break. Collect seeds in October, and they can be sown in winter or the following spring. Transplanting or planting out is done during the leaf-fall period. Virginia creeper is usually propagated by cuttings, and facts have shown that seed propagation is also a good method, with an emergence rate of up to 80%, and seedling management is also fairly convenient.
II. The difference between Virginia creeper and Boston ivy
Virginia creeper: also known as American ivy, with palmately compound leaves and long petioles, 5 leaflets, fairly hard in texture, ovate-oblong, with pointed tips and wedge-shaped bases. The cymes are gathered into a panicle shape. The berries are nearly spherical, about 6 mm in diameter, blue-black when ripe and slightly covered with a white bloom. The flowering period is July to August, and the fruiting period is September to October. It mainly climbs building walls, rocks and old tree trunks by means of tendrils; it grows vigorously, but its climbing ability is relatively poor, and the effect is somewhat messy, and in the north it is often blown down by strong winds.
Boston ivy: that is, Boston ivy, with simple leaves; the leaves are broadly ovate with heart-shaped bases, usually 3-lobed; young leaves are smaller and mostly not lobed; the lower leaves are often divided into 3 leaflets. The cymes usually grow between the two leaves at the tip of short branches; the flowers are pale yellow-green; the berries are spherical, 6 mm to 8 mm in diameter, blue-black when ripe and covered with a white bloom; the flowering period is June, and the fruit ripens in October. It mainly climbs walls or rocks by means of suckers; its branches are lush and layer upon layer densely cover the surface, its climbing ability is strong, and the vertical greening effect is good.
The above isthe propagation methods for Virginia creeperandthe difference between Virginia creeper and Boston ivy. Friends who want to propagate Virginia creeper themselves may want to take a look, and we hope it is helpful to everyone.
Virginia creeper prices
Virginia creeper prices vary according to plant height; generally prices are around 0.2-15 yuan per plant. Of course, because of differences in place of origin, season, appearance and purchase quantity, prices can also fluctuate considerably. For specific prices, please consult your local nursery market; the prices provided in this article are for your reference only.
That concludes the introduction to Virginia creeper prices. Virginia creeper is cold-resistant and drought-resistant, and prefers shady, moist environments. It is not demanding about soil and adapts to a wide range of climates, and can be propagated by sowing, cuttings and layering. So, how do you grow Virginia creeper seeds? Below, we will introduce the sowing method for Virginia creeper.