How to propagate wintersweet? Grafting is the easiest way to keep it alive
It is well known that wintersweet has a great many uses and benefits, so more and more people are growing it, and once wintersweet blooms, propagation often comes into the picture. As a rather unusual plant, how is wintersweet best propagated? Today let us look at the propagation methods for wintersweet.
How to propagate wintersweet
The propagation methods for wintersweet include grafting, division, sowing, cuttings and layering, of which grafting is the most commonly used because it is easier to carry out; the other methods are also fairly common and each has its own features. Let us look at the specific methods below.
1. How to graft wintersweet
1. Grafting time
The time is generally chosen in March to April, that is, after the flowers fade, when the buds swell to the size of a wheat grain; at this point grafting is most likely to survive and is also better for the sprouting of flowering branches. If the buds are too large, the success rate of grafting will be lower.
2. Method
One month before grafting, choose relatively thick and longer one-year-old branches from a vigorous mother tree, then cut off the top shoot so that nutrients are concentrated in the middle section of the branch, which can provide sufficient nutrients after grafting.
Cut the leaf buds into scions of about 6 cm, then prepare 5-year-old wintersweet seedlings as rootstock. The cut on the rootstock should be slightly longer; join the scion to the rootstock, then coat it with mud.
Cover the prepared joined plant with soil; after one month you can uncover the soil and cultivate the ones that have survived. After cultivation, the grafted seedlings should be pinched back in time, as this promotes their growth and budding.
Note: if you use grafting among the propagation methods for wintersweet, once it has survived you should first cut the scion off below the joint, then cut off the rootstock shoot above the cut, and that is done.
2. Propagation by sowing
1. Sowing time
The fruit is harvested in June to July of that year; after picking the fruit, shell out the seeds, then store them in damp sand until March of the following year, when seed propagation is carried out.
2. Specific method
When using the sowing method, how is wintersweet propagated? First take out the stored seeds, then rinse them together with the sand in water, washing off the waxy coating as well, then spread them evenly on a sand bed. During the seedling stage, pay attention to fertilizing and weeding; after 2 years of cultivation they can be transplanted.
3. Propagation by division
1. Division time
Division is usually carried out in February to March; if the flowering period is delayed, then you need to wait until after the flowers fade before dividing.
2. Specific method
When the leaf buds have just emerged, division propagation can be carried out. At this point, how is wintersweet propagated? First dig out a vigorous mother plant and split the stems with a knife, leaving at least three or more stems on each piece.
Plant the divided stems into prepared pots with fertile soil, then water lightly; once the plants begin to grow normally, manage them according to the cultivation methods for wintersweet.
4. Propagation by cuttings
Cuttings of wintersweet are usually taken in November rather than in spring as with other plants; wintersweet has strong cold resistance, so cuttings taken in November still survive easily. Summer softwood is generally best; choose relatively vigorous branches as cuttings. After dipping the cuttings in 1×10-4α-naphthaleneacetic acid for 1 min, inserting them in a shaded plastic film shed makes rooting easier.
How to grow wintersweet seedlings - growing methods and precautions
Wintersweet is a plant loved by many people. Wintersweet blooms in winter, and its flowers have a special fragrance; it can withstand severe cold, and many people like to grow wintersweet in their courtyards. Wintersweet can be planted in the ground or grown as a potted plant at home, but potted care is rather troublesome. Wintersweet has fairly strong adaptability, and later management is also relatively extensive, but it has certain requirements for fertilizer and nutrients. Below are the growing methods and precautions for wintersweet.
Planting wintersweet
(1) Ground planting. For ground planting, wintersweet should be placed in a sheltered, sunny spot. Transplanting is mostly done in winter and spring, and the seedling roots must be kept with a ball of soil. Before planting, apply plenty of manure, stable manure or decomposed bean cake etc. as base fertilizer in the planting hole. After applying the base fertilizer, cover the fertilizer with a thin layer of soil to separate it, then place the seedling and fill in soil. After planting, water promptly and prune appropriately.
(2) Pot planting. For potted wintersweet, the growing medium should be loose, fertile sandy loam rich in humus. After potting, water thoroughly promptly, and place it in a shaded shed to recover for about one month, then keep it in a courtyard or on a balcony in a spot with plenty of sunlight.
Fertilizing
Ground-planted wintersweet can be managed somewhat extensively. Generally from June to September each year, apply liquid fertilizer once every 20 days (you can soak bone meal and cake fertilizer in water and apply it after it has fully decomposed); this ensures good development of branches, leaves and flower buds.
Watering
For ground-planted wintersweet, water once before early winter, apply fertilizer once after the flowers fade and water once; normally no watering is needed, and only when the weather is too dry may you water an appropriate amount.
For potted wintersweet, watering should follow the principle of watering only after the soil has dried out; do not water too much, and the potting soil should not be too wet. But it should not be too dry either, for if it is too dry the flowers will not open uniformly.
Temperature and light
For potted wintersweet, move it indoors in December. If the room temperature is high, it may bloom before New Year's Day; but if the room temperature is low, the flowering period may be delayed until around the Spring Festival. After flowering, it should be moved to a cool place to prevent it from sending out new shoots and leaves too early, which would affect flower bud differentiation and be unfavorable for flowering the following year.
Shaping and pruning
Wintersweet has strong sprouting ability, so it should be pruned promptly after flowering. Generally, cut off the part of the flowering branch above 20 cm, and shorten the elongated branches from the previous year, leaving 1-2 pairs of buds. This concentrates nutrients on sending out new branches and creates favorable conditions for producing brightly colored, large flowers the following year.
Propagation
Wintersweet can be propagated by sowing, layering, grafting, division and other methods. The sowing method is generally not used because it does not easily preserve the original fine characteristics of the plant. Grafting is used more often; grafting includes cut grafting and approach grafting, and cut grafting is the most commonly used.
What is introduced above are the growing methods for wintersweet. Generally wintersweet is grown outdoors; for indoor growing it is best to give it special cultivation and move it indoors only after it has survived. Wintersweet does not have very high water requirements; just keep the soil moist during drought, as too much watering is also bad for root growth. Wintersweet has a rather graceful form, but its sprouting ability is very strong, so after flowering it must be pruned appropriately, otherwise it is very likely to affect the quality of the flowers the next year.
Appreciating wintersweet tree pictures
Introduction: Wintersweet has always been a favorite of many literati and refined scholars, not only today; in past eras, many poets and talented scholars loved plum blossoms very much. Some loved them for their charm, some for their character. Whatever the reason, wintersweet always leaves a noble impression in people's minds. Spring has peach blossoms, summer has lotus flowers, autumn has chrysanthemums, and winter naturally has the coldly beautiful plum blossom. So how many people understand the wintersweet tree? Hence the question: is the wintersweet tree the same as the plum blossom tree? Today's article by the editor introduces the wintersweet tree for everyone.
“A branch of plum by the corner of the wall, blooming alone in the cold. From afar I know it is not snow, for a subtle fragrance comes drifting by.” This is a poem written about plum blossoms by the famous ancient poet Wang Anshi, in which one can see the implication that the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold. The wintersweet tree is somewhat different from this: the wintersweet tree is fairly cold-tolerant, but it likes to grow in places with plenty of sunlight, and to keep a wintersweet tree alive you also need to pay attention to some issues.
Planting the wintersweet tree
To plant a wintersweet tree, the first issue is the soil. If the soil is poor, then the wintersweet tree that grows will also be malnourished. It is best to choose a neutral or slightly acidic soil, as this kind of soil can promote the growth of the wintersweet tree. But note that the soil must have good drainage, and its water absorption should not be too strong.
In planting trees, the next thing to note is the issue of temperature. Wintersweet is cold in nature and can survive as long as the temperature is above minus fifteen degrees. It does not need much water to grow and is fairly drought-tolerant. So the soil is generally sandy soil. Wintersweet trees can be grown by sowing, grafting, layering and many other methods, which are simple and easy.
Precautions for planting the wintersweet tree
Although the wintersweet tree is cold-tolerant and does not need much water to grow, in the hot summer days a certain amount of nutrients is needed by all tree species, and wintersweet is no exception. You can use some rags or cotton wadding and other cotton materials, wet them with water and place them in the flower pot, which can help retain moisture.
Another method is like nesting a small pot inside a large pot: put an appropriate amount of water in the large pot and place the flower pot with the wintersweet tree into the large pot containing water. Be careful with the amount of water, otherwise the wintersweet tree will absorb too much water, which will restrict its growth. In fact, the simplest method is to move the wintersweet tree to a shaded spot when the light is too strong, avoiding direct sunlight.
The medicinal uses of the wintersweet tree
Some experts point out that the branches, leaves and flowers of the wintersweet tree can all be used medicinally, with effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting fluid production and relieving cough. In many regions it is used to invigorate blood and dissolve stasis, and to relieve asthma.
The wintersweet tree has diverse uses and effects, and growing it is not troublesome either; as long as you are patient and careful, cultivating a good wintersweet tree is very simple. The above is what the editor has introduced to readers about the wintersweet tree and its planting precautions, and I hope it can be of help to readers.