What are the propagation methods for lilac? Beginners can easily learn them too
1. Cutting propagation
We select robust branches of lilac that have grown for 1 to 2 years for cuttings. Usually we carry out cutting 1 month after flowering in spring. For the cuttings, select branches 15 to 20 cm long, choose branches with buds, and it is best to choose 2 to 3 pairs of bud nodes, with one pair of bud nodes buried in the soil. At 25°C, they can take root in about one month. When the young roots change from white to yellow-brown, begin transplanting the seedlings for planting.
2. Branch grafting
This is generally carried out in early spring before budbreak. The scion is 8 cm to 10 cm long, with 2 pairs of bud nodes. Cut the lower two sides of the scion into slanted surfaces. Use 1- to 2-year-old lilac seedlings as the rootstock. Cut off the top at 5 cm to 10 cm above the ground, then split a vertical slit downward from the cut surface of the rootstock, and then insert the scion. The slanted surface of the scion must fit tightly with the rootstock, and bind it well with plastic strips. To prevent excessive water loss at the graft wound, cover it with moist soil. After the buds on the scion sprout, remove the covering soil.
3. Bud grafting
Select robust leaf buds on the branch. Use 1- to 2-year-old lilac seedlings as the rootstock. Usually we choose to graft in August. We must note that when grafting, only the leaf stalk is needed, and the leaf blade must be cut off. Make a horizontal cut 1 cm above the bud, and cut flat upward at the lower part. We need to peel off the xylem inside the bark layer. Make a horizontal cut on the rootstock at 5 cm to 10 cm above the ground, then make a vertical cut downward about 3 cm long from the middle of the incision, making it look like a "T" shape. Then gently peel open the bark, insert the scion into the "T" opening, and the scion and rootstock must fit closely together. Finally, bind it with plastic film strips.
4. Approach grafting
Approach grafting means joining the scion branch of lilac together with the rootstock, cutting both respectively into matching cuts of the same size, then binding them together. After some time, once the wound heals, cut off the top branch and a plant can grow! This method is easy to operate and has a high propagation success rate!
How to grow lilac
1. Planting method
We need to plant lilac in a sunny place with good ventilation and good light. We choose spring as the planting time. The spacing between each lilac is about 3 m, and the plants should have been grown for more than 2 years. Dig the planting holes larger, about 65-85 cm, and 55-65 cm deep
Apply 100 g of fully decomposed organic fertilizer and 100-150 g of bone meal to each hole, and mix thoroughly with the soil as base fertilizer
2. Watering
Water promptly after planting, then water once every week afterward. Watering differs according to different regions and climates. In North China, April to June is the season when lilac grows vigorously and blooms, so water thoroughly 2-3 times each month. After July, when the rainy season begins, pay attention to drainage and waterlogging prevention. We should note that lilac is not drought-tolerant, so we must water promptly.
3. Pruning
Pruning is generally carried out before the vigorous spring growth period, mainly pruning fine, weak branches and overly dense branches.
4. Fertilizing
Lilac does not have high fertilizer requirements. Generally we choose not to fertilize, as too much fertilizer will affect the normal growth of lilac. However, after flowering we may apply some phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen fertilizer to ensure the normal growth of the plant after the flowers fall.
How to grow lilac
Lilac is the collective name for deciduous shrubs or small trees of the genus Syringa in the olive family Oleaceae. Many of its species have flowers that are raw materials for extracting essential oils and preparing high-grade fragrances. Its branches and leaves are lush, and its flowers are elegantly colored and fragrant, so it is widely cultivated in gardens for ornamental purposes and is a treasure among gardens. Now let us take a look at how to grow lilac!
Growth habits of lilac
Lilac likes light and prefers warmth, moisture, and sufficient sunlight. It is slightly shade-tolerant; in shady or semi-shady places it grows weakly and blooms sparsely. It has a certain cold tolerance and relatively strong drought tolerance. It is not strict about soil requirements, tolerates poor soil, and prefers fertile, well-drained soil. It avoids being planted in low-lying areas, where water accumulation can cause disease and even death of the whole plant. Bare-root transplanting is done after leaf fall and before budbreak, choosing a fertile, well-drained, sunny place for planting. It is mainly distributed in subtropical subalpine areas, slopes at forest edges and under forests from warm temperate to temperate zones, and sunny shrublands in cold temperate zones.
Propagation methods for lilac
1. Grafting: Grafting is the main propagation method. Bud grafting or branch grafting can be used. The rootstock is often common lilac or Chinese privet. In North China, bud grafting is generally carried out from late June to mid-July. Select plump dormant buds on robust current-year branches as the scion, and use the shield bud grafting method without xylem, grafting onto the rootstock trunk at 5-10 cm above the ground.
2. Sowing: This can be done indoors in pots or in outdoor seedbeds in spring and autumn. In the north, spring sowing is better. Carry out cold-frame pot sowing in late March, maintaining the temperature at 10-22°C, and seedlings emerge in 14-25 days, with an emergence rate of 40-90%. If sowing outdoors in spring, it can be done from late March to early April. Before sowing, the seeds need to be stratified in sand at 0-7°C for up to 2 months, and seedlings emerge half a month after sowing.
3. Cutting: One month after flowering, select robust semi-lignified current-year branches as cuttings. The cuttings are about 15 cm long. Treat them with a 50-100 PPM indolebutyric acid aqueous solution for 15-18 hours. After inserting, cover with plastic film, and they can take root after 1 month, with a rooting rate of 80-90%. You can also take lignified branches as cuttings in autumn and winter, generally burying them outdoors and cutting in the following spring.
How to grow lilac
1. Planting: Lilac should be planted in a sunny place with loose, well-drained soil. Generally, bare-root planting is done in spring before budbreak, with a plant spacing of 3 m. For 2- to 3-year-old seedlings, the planting hole diameter should be 70-80 cm and the depth 50-60 cm. Apply 100 g of fully decomposed organic fertilizer and 100-150 g of bone meal to each hole, and mix thoroughly with the soil as base fertilizer.
2. Watering: After planting lilac, water thoroughly, then water once every 10 days, and loosen the soil after each watering to preserve moisture. Irrigation can differ by region. In North China, April to June is the season when lilac grows vigorously and blooms, so water thoroughly 2-3 times each month. After July, when the rainy season begins, pay attention to drainage and waterlogging prevention. By mid-November, before winter arrives, water thoroughly.
3. Pruning: For large 3- to 4-year-old lilac seedlings planted, the aboveground branches and trunk should be heavily pruned, generally cutting the trunk at 30 cm above the ground, and in the second year they can bloom abundantly. Pruning is carried out before spring budbreak, mainly removing fine weak branches and overly dense branches, while reasonably retaining good renewal branches. After flowering, remove the remaining flower spikes.
4. Fertilizing: Lilac is generally not fertilized or only lightly fertilized. Never apply too much fertilizer, otherwise it will cause excessive vegetative growth, thus affecting flower bud formation and instead reducing flowering. However, after flowering, some phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen fertilizer should be applied.
5. Pests and diseases: Lilac diseases include bacterial or fungal diseases, such as wilt disease, leaf blight, and fusarium wilt, as well as diseases caused by viruses. Diseases generally occur in summer during periods of high temperature and high humidity. Pests include caterpillars, nettle moths, leaf-mining moths, large hornets, scale insects, and others, and attention should be paid to their control.