When is the best month to propagate bougainvillea by cuttings? A 4-step method for March

Growing Techniques Jan 1, 1970 0 views

The beauty of bougainvillea needs little description; anyone who has seen it will surely be impressed. Its emerald-green leaves and vivid flower colors are truly gorgeous. And besides its beauty, bougainvillea has many other benefits and uses, so it is widely propagated. Cuttings are the most common method of propagating bougainvillea, so when is the best month to take bougainvillea cuttings?

1. The best months for bougainvillea cuttings are March to June

Bougainvillea can be propagated by cuttings, air layering, and grafting, but cuttings are undoubtedly the most convenient. However, if you want a high survival rate with bougainvillea cuttings, the timing is key. As for the best months to take bougainvillea cuttings, based on the personal experience of many flower growers, the conclusion is: March to June is suitable, generally at a temperature of around 25°C, and roots will form in about 30 days.

2. Bougainvillea cutting method

Materials: one flower pot, one bottle of rooting solution

1. Selecting cuttings

Bougainvillea is toxic and has thorns on its branches, so it is best to wear gloves when taking cuttings. Cuttings are generally taken from sun-facing branches; new branches are best taken with a bit of old wood, leaving a few leaves at the top and cutting off all the rest. If you are not taking cuttings at the optimal time but after June, then you should choose semi-lignified new branches as cuttings.

Cutting treatment: After selecting the cuttings, we still need to do some treatment. Soak the base of the cuttings in rooting solution for a period of time.

2. Cutting medium

Before taking bougainvillea cuttings, you need to prepare the medium. According to the growth habits of bougainvillea, the commonly used cutting media are: river sand, vermiculite, perlite, plain sandy soil, peat soil, floral foam, etc. As for me, it can be simpler: choosing plain sand and perlite is enough. Then pour the medium into the flower pot.

Soil selection: After pouring the medium into the flower pot, you should also spread a layer of 7-8 cm of soil on top. As for soil selection, you can follow the soil requirements in bougainvillea cultivation methods and choose a nutrient soil that contains humus, is loose, and drains well.

3. Starting the bougainvillea cuttings

Once the above preparations are done, the bougainvillea cuttings can officially begin. First, insert the cuttings into the pot soil, leaving only the upper leaf-bearing part exposed. Pay attention to the distance between the cuttings; do not make them too crowded. After the bougainvillea cuttings are done, cover the flower pot with a layer of plastic wrap, and poke some holes in the plastic wrap with a needle for ventilation, paying attention to the spacing of the holes.

After that, move the flower pot to a place with light but not direct sunlight. Then spray a little water onto the plastic wrap to keep it moist, so the bougainvillea can absorb water better. After completing the above steps, the bougainvillea cuttings are basically done, and what follows is the later care.

4. Care and management

Care after taking bougainvillea cuttings is also very important. About 5-7 days after the cuttings are completed, you can uncover the plastic wrap once to let the bougainvillea breathe. Then observe the moisture of the pot soil; if it is dry, water appropriately, and each time spray a mist onto the branches and leaves. After about 30 days, the bougainvillea will have rooted, and at this point you can completely remove the transparent film and care for it normally!

That is all for the bougainvillea cutting propagation method. Although there are also methods such as grafting and air layering for propagating bougainvillea, cuttings are still the most suitable for flower growers. So friends who want to turn one pot of bougainvillea at home into many pots, hurry and try the above method! The timing is just right now; if you miss it, you will have to wait another year~

Ordinary bougainvillea cutting method

Soil treatment

First, prepare the cutting medium. (Vermiculite, perlite, peat, 1:1:1. Sand, plain sandy loam, etc. can also be used.)

Add a small amount of cinder to the culture soil. Before cutting, the cinder should be sieved, selecting particles of about 2 to 5 mm, soaked in boiling water, and disinfected. After controlling the water and air-drying until it no longer drips, stir and mix thoroughly and set aside.

Preparing flower pots

If you need to take cuttings for many pots, you can use simple plastic pots, and pot them up after successful rooting. After choosing the flower pot, you need to fill it with soil. A thin layer of elastic cotton was placed at the bottom of the flower pot.

After the soil is loaded, water it thoroughly, place it in the sun, and let it dry for later use.

Cutting branches

Cut sun-facing branches as cuttings; new branches are best taken with a bit of old wood. After June, semi-lignified new branches do not need to be taken with old wood.

Cut the cuttings; old branches should be thick, and new branches with leaves should be used.

Use a sharp knife to cut off the cuttings. For large leaves, leave half a leaf each on two leaves; for small leaves, leave two leaves and one bud. The length is about 7-10 cm. The base of the cut branch has an uneven cut and damaged tissue, so use a sharp knife to cut away the damaged tissue and make the base into a slanted surface with one cut. The picture below shows the prepared branches.

Soaking the branches

Prepare the rooting powder according to the instructions, and soak the base of the cuttings.

Cutting method

Use a clean (sterilized) wooden stick to make holes diagonally, 7-8 cm deep, then bury the cuttings, leaving the leaf-bearing node exposed.

After planting a pot, pour a little cold boiled water or bottled water so that the medium closely contacts the base of the cuttings. If conditions allow, you can place a pot outside for easier management.

Cover with plastic wrap to retain moisture. There are ventilation holes on top, and place it in a spot with sparse sunlight for care.

By mid-June the seedlings have survived and are divided and potted up.

Bougainvillea floral foam cutting method

Preparing floral foam

Families generally do not have floral foam. Go to a flower shop and buy a piece; after returning home, cut it into small pieces of about 2×2×4 cm, and wrap the remaining floral foam in paper for later use.

Floral foam cutting method

Cut current-year branches that are already lignified or semi-lignified, with a length of 10~15 cm, keep 2~3 leaves on top, and cut off the lower stem of about 5 cm. Cut the bottom cut surface of the branch into a 45-degree slant, then soak it in rooting water.

Insert the cuttings into the floral foam blocks, with an insertion depth of about 1/2 to 2/3 of the floral foam block, then soak the floral foam blocks thoroughly in water (you can also soak them first and then insert).

If there are many varieties being propagated, find a way to make labels to avoid confusion. (Dark green floral foam + light green leaves, the effect is not bad!)

Care after floral foam cuttings

Place the inserted seedlings in a tray, cover them well with a transparent plastic cover, and place them in an environment with sufficient scattered light, paying attention to moisture retention and ventilation.

Ensure the temperature is above 20°C. After about 30 days, many small white roots will appear at the bottom of the floral foam, indicating that the bougainvillea cuttings have survived, and they can be planted in pots together with the floral foam.

Precautions for bougainvillea cuttings

Selection of branches

Old branches from the previous year and thick branches with a diameter of 0.5 cm or more are not very suitable for floral foam cuttings; water cuttings or sand cuttings are more suitable. Try to choose strong current-year branches; branches that are too tender cannot be used, and thin, weak branches have a low survival rate. Water sprouts can also be used.

Rooting water

Actually, no matter which cutting method is used, roots can form without rooting water; using rooting water only shortens the rooting period. Many flower and bird markets sell it. A small packet of rooting powder can be used many times; soak according to the instructions. Generally, if the concentration is high, the soaking time is shorter; if the concentration is low, it is longer. Under normal circumstances, soak in 1% rooting water for 0.5 to 1 hour.

Care after cutting

The most important things in bougainvillea care are, first, maintaining moisture, and second, ventilation. If moisture is insufficient, the leaves will wilt and scorch, which is no good. Check often. If the pot soil or floral foam is relatively dry, spray more water to prevent the leaves from wilting. Once the bougainvillea roots have grown well and new leaves have emerged, remove the film promptly.

That is all for the content on bougainvillea cuttings. Friends who are interested can give it a try! ⟦56 How to take bougainvillea cuttings: bougainvillea cutting method

How to propagate bougainvillea from cuttings: bougainvillea cutting propagation methods

Bougainvillea, also known as paperflower, three-leaf bougainvillea, and leaf flower, is often used as a bonsai or in gardening. Do you know how to take bougainvillea cuttings? Let us take a look at the bougainvillea cutting method below.

1. The best cutting times are spring and summer-autumn. In spring (March to April), after bringing the plant out of doors, you can use the pruned one-year-old branches for cuttings (also called old-branch cuttings), but the survival rate is not very high, only about 70%. Summer and autumn are the peak growing seasons for bougainvillea; choosing current-year semi-lignified branches for softwood cuttings can achieve a survival rate of more than 90%. As long as management is strengthened, they can bloom in the same year.

2. The cutting medium is relatively flexible; flower growers can use local materials. The medium can be coarse sand, fine sand, sandy loam with good permeability, or loose but not too fertile loam, or crushed burned coal balls, coal cinder, etc. Then add 0.1% carbendazim for disinfection treatment, pile up the soil, and cover it with a film for 7 to 10 days. The cutting bed is 1 m to 1.2 m wide, 15 to 20 cm high, and the length is unlimited.

3. For cutting treatment, choose one-year-old branches with short internodes and thick growth, cut them into 8 to 10 cm lengths, and keep only 2 to 3 leaves on each cutting. Before cutting, treat with rooting hormone to promote earlier rooting and more roots.

4. The cutting depth should be 3 to 4 cm (equivalent to 1/3 or 2/5 of the cutting). Before inserting, first make holes with a dibber, then insert the cuttings, and press the medium slightly at the base of each cutting so that the cuttings are in close contact with the medium. Then water thoroughly once, and cover them with film to keep warm.

Precautions:

1. Try every means to reduce the bacterial content of the cutting medium (sand, coal cinder, soil, etc.). Sand can be disinfected by various methods, such as sun exposure, pouring boiling water, sterilizing with potassium permanganate or carbendazim, etc. Coal cinder should be fresh. For cuttings along the edge of the pot, try to reduce the application of undecomposed organic fertilizer and high-concentration chemical fertilizer, reducing the chance of carrying bacteria and damaging roots.

2. Be careful to place it in a cool place to reduce water evaporation.

3. Be careful to keep it moist, but not with too much water; too much water easily breeds mold and is also unfavorable for root development.

3. Bougainvillea is a southern flower and grows suitably in a soil environment with a pH value of 6.0 to 7.0. In the north, where water and soil are more alkaline, apply ferrous sulfate solution once a month.