Detailed guide to the seedling-raising techniques for Ligustrum quihoui bonsai, master the key points to grow good seedlings

  Ligustrum quihoui belongs to the Oleaceae family, Ligustrum genus, and is an evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub. Also known as small-leaf holly and small white wax tree. It is a hedge material in gardens and can serve as rootstock for trees such as osmanthus and lilac. It is vigorous and cold-resistant; has strong root-suckering ability; and tolerates pruning. It can be propagated by sowing, cuttings and division, but sowing propagation is the main method.

  1. Seed propagation:

  In October-November, when the drupe turns purplish black, it can be harvested. Sow immediately after harvest, or dry and store until March of the following year for sowing. Before sowing, soak the seeds in warm water for 1-2 days, and sow once the seeds have swollen. Use drilling; row spacing 30CM, sowing width 5-10CM, depth 2CM. After sowing, cover with fine soil, then cover with rice straw. Pay attention to watering and keep the soil moist. After the seedlings emerge, gradually remove the rice straw, and when the branches and leaves are slightly spread, apply a thin fertilizer. When the seedlings are 3-5CM tall, thin them to a plant spacing of 10CM. Seedlings generally grow slowly, and 2-year-old plants can be used as hedges.

  2. Cutting propagation:

  Cuttings can be taken in March-April or August-September. For spring cuttings, take current-year branches in early winter, cut them into 15-20CM lengths, then store them in sand. After 3-4 months of sand storage, callus tissue can form, and when cuttings are taken the following spring, they are easier to root. Soaking the branches in naphthaleneacetic acid increases the survival rate by about one time. Cutting spacing is 20×30CM, with a depth of 2/3 of the cutting. Water frequently after cutting to maintain appropriate humidity. Cuttings that have undergone sand storage can root one month after spring cutting. Autumn cuttings cannot root that year; in winter they only form callus tissue, and can only root the following spring.

  After survival, manage for one year, transplant before bud break the following spring, and by the third year they can be used as rootstock. If you want to obtain grafting rootstock one year earlier, you can select thicker and stronger one-year-old branches in autumn, cut them into cuttings about 25CM long, store them in sand, and take cuttings the following spring at a spacing of 30×30CM; they can root and survive that year, and can be used as grafting rootstock the next year.

  3. Division propagation: in spring, cut apart the root suckers with roots, plant them separately in the seedling plot, and water when planting. IV. Care and management: transplanting is best in February-March of spring, and autumn is also acceptable. A soil ball is needed, and planting should not be too deep. If planting in a permanent spot, apply fertilizer at the bottom of the hole to promote growth. If used as a hedge, it can be pruned appropriately, and attention should be paid to pruning dead, weak and diseased branches. The main pests include green caterpillars, cottony cushion scale and others, and attention should be paid to their control.

  Technical points:

  For seed propagation, choose to sow from early March to mid-April in spring. The growing environment has no strict requirements for soil, as long as it is loose and fertile. Before sowing, soak the peeled seeds in warm water for 1 to 2 days, then sow by drilling or broadcasting. For drilling, the row spacing is 20 cm, and covering soil 1.5 cm to 2 cm is sufficient. The sowing rate per mu is about 7 kg. Because Ligustrum takes a long time to emerge, about 1 month, it is best to cover the bed surface with grass after sowing to preserve moisture. After the seedlings emerge, loosen the soil and weed in time. When the seedlings are 5 cm tall, thin them. Seedlings are afraid of waterlogging, so pay attention to drainage, but also irrigate when it is excessively dry. Apply topdressing 1 to 2 times according to routine management. Weed once a month. One-year-old seedlings can reach 50 cm in height. If cultivating large seedlings, they need to be transplanted to another bed, and can leave the nursery after 2 to 4 years.

  For cutting propagation, you can cut spring-grown branches in November and bury them, then take them out the following spring in February or March for cuttings. The cuttings are 0.3 cm to 0.4 cm thick, each about 15 to 18 cm long, with a flat cut at the upper end and a slanted cut at the lower end, leaving 1 to 2 leaves on the upper part. Insert the cuttings into the soil to 2/3 of their length, with a plant spacing of 10 cm. They root about 2 months after cutting, and the seedling height that year reaches 70 to 90 cm.