Detailed Guide to Hibiscus Cutting Propagation, Master the Method Easily

  Hibiscus is deeply loved by everyone. If there are some walls at home, or even a corner that is not very attractive, you can plant a hibiscus there. It grows very fast and can immediately fill in the corner. Moreover, its roots will not damage the wall foundation. However, it cannot be planted too close to a window, because it grows very fast and may completely block all the views in the garden.

  Hibiscus is a strongly sun-loving, full-sun tree species. It does not need shading in summer, so it is very suitable for courtyard and balcony cultivation. It also likes a moist environment with plenty of water, especially when air humidity is high; it grows rapidly and its leaves spread out, so during the growing period attention should be paid to spraying water on the leaf surface. It is not strict about soil requirements; it grows luxuriantly in fertile loam with good drainage.

  Hibiscus is mainly propagated by cuttings. The cutting period is usually combined with pruning in early spring. Indoors, cuttings are taken in March to April; outdoors, cuttings can be taken after late April. For the rooting medium of the cuttings, choose a material with good drainage and aeration; generally, pure sand or vermiculite can be used. If pure sand is used, sieve out the fine sand, rinse it several times with clean water, and then scald it with boiling water for disinfection.

  Cuttings can be taken in any season except winter, but the survival rate is highest during the plum rain season. One-year-old semi-lignified cuttings are best, 10 cm long, with the top leaves retained; the cut should be flat, and they are inserted into a sand bed. They root about 3 weeks after insertion. Grafting is mostly used for double-flowered varieties that are difficult to root from cuttings; either stem grafting or bud grafting can be used, with single-flowered hibiscus as the rootstock.

  Spring cuttings have a higher survival rate than autumn cuttings, and field cuttings have a higher and faster survival rate than pot cuttings; generally they can bloom in the same year. Generally, select robust two-year-old branches; strong semi-lignified branches of the current year can also be used. It is best to cut the middle section of a side branch into cuttings about 15 cm long with 5-7 nodes. Use coarse sand or silica with good drainage and strong aeration as the cutting bed soil, disinfect it, and then place it in the cutting bed about 15-20 cm thick. The lower leaves of the cutting should be trimmed flat with a sharp knife, and it should be inserted promptly to a depth of 1/2. Immediately after insertion, water thoroughly once, cover with plastic film, maintain appropriate temperature and humidity, keep it moist but not wet, with good drainage and aeration, then gradually expose it to sunlight. Under conditions of 18-25°C and 70%-80% relative humidity, roots will generally form after 20 days, and it can be potted after about 1 month.

  Semi-lignified cuttings have the highest survival rate, and already lignified ones can also be used. Cuttings can be cut to about 10 cm long, with the cut at the lower part of a node, and it should be flat and smooth. Keep the top 2 leaves of the cutting and remove all the rest. Insert them into the rooting medium at 4-5 cm intervals, with the depth about 1/3 of the total length of the cutting. Immediately after insertion, water thoroughly, keep the temperature at about 20°C, and roots will form in about 1 month.

  Cutting propagation requires an environment with relatively high air humidity, so water should be sprayed once each day in the morning and in the evening. If cuttings are taken in a pot, the pot can be covered with a plastic bag and sprayed once every 1-2 days. Cuttings taken before April do not need shading, while cuttings taken after May should be shaded around noon in addition to increasing the frequency of water spraying to maintain humidity.

  In production, cutting propagation is mostly used, generally including greenhouse cuttings and outdoor cuttings. Choose the corresponding method according to different conditions. For outdoor cultivation, take cuttings in early spring from May to June; select one-year-old semi-lignified sturdy branches as cuttings, 8-10 cm long, remove all the lower leaves, cut off half of the upper leaves, insert into coarse sand to 1/3 depth, then water thoroughly, with a plant and row spacing of 4 cm x 4 cm. Maintain air temperature and cover with plastic film above. Most will root after 20 days, and they can be potted after growing for more than a month. Indoor cuttings are generally taken in early spring from January to February combined with pruning, using sand as the substrate, which gives better results. In cold places, use heating to keep the temperature at 20-25°C, put sand in a pot, insert into the pot, spray water 1-3 times a day, and roots will form in more than 40 days; pot after 60 days, with a survival rate of 60%.