Azalea - propagation by cuttings at home
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The miniature rhododendron is popularly called "azalea". This flower will easily decorate any garden area. The compact bush is distinguished by its exuberant flowering. There are varieties that can withstand frosts down to -27 degrees, and the variety of colors is striking in its magnificence. Next, we will talk about how to propagate an azalea.
Azalea breeding methods at home
Azalea is one of the most spectacular flowers in the plant lover's home collection. Its peculiarity is its lush bloom in winter.
The color and shape of the petals can be very diverse - terry, simple, white, red, purple, two-color. This culture requires compliance with the temperature regime, otherwise, leaf fall cannot be avoided.
The flower will be a wonderful gift, you can also grow it yourself. But for this you need to know how to propagate an azalea at home.
Homemade azalea
Growing azaleas from seeds
The propagation of azaleas by seeds is a complex process, the germination of seed is up to 70%. In March, seeds purchased from a store or collected from an adult flower are sown. Sifted sterile peat is taken as a soil, seeds are sown on it. Cover the pot with glass and set it on the sunny side.
Watering is carried out from a spray bottle and the greenhouse is periodically ventilated. Seed germination can take up to 3 weeks.
After the appearance of the first leaves, the sprouts are planted in separate containers, deepening the stems to the leaves. Until the end of summer, seedlings develop in boxes, at the end of August, grown plants are planted in large pots. The container should not be much larger than the previous one in terms of volume.
By dividing the mother bush
Often a perennial formed azalea is sold in stores; it can be propagated by dividing the bush. The manipulation is carried out after the cessation of flowering.
The pot with the plant is placed in a bucket of warm water for half an hour to soak the soil. The wet root part is removed from the container and left to dry for several hours. Carefully divide the overgrown bush into several formed parts, helping with a sharp knife.
Division of the azalea bush
Remove damaged roots and plant bushes in soil for azaleas. The crown is covered with a jar or bag. The process of tree rooting is observed, periodically opening the greenhouse. After a few weeks, the plant is left uncovered and cared for as an adult flower.
Growing azaleas by cuttings
For reproduction, you need to choose an old lignified stalk.
Cut it obliquely by 8 cm. The procedure is carried out from March to early summer. The stems are treated with a root stimulant and planted vertically in an acidic substrate to a depth of 2.5 cm, after being treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.
The plantings are covered with a film or jar, periodically sprayed with a spray bottle, checking the soil moisture. It is necessary to provide the cuttings with a temperature of at least +25 degrees. After 3-5 weeks, roots appear, the seedlings are planted in permanent soil.
Cutting an azalea is one of the most effective ways to propagate it. The advantage is the large amount of planting material. Indeed, from one bush you can get many branches suitable for cultivation.
For comparison:
- seed propagation is an ineffective method in which it is very difficult to grow a seedling;
- for dividing a bush, a perennial healthy bush is needed.
But cuttings can be cut in large quantities from a young plant. The stems of the tree have good survival rate due to the high ability of the culture's own cells to form new tissues.
Features of growing various varieties of azalea cuttings
Among the azalea species, there is a deciduous variety bred by crossing Japanese and Dutch varieties. Also, the evergreen azalea deserves special attention.
Deciduous
Cuttings of deciduous azaleas can be carried out in July. They choose strong branches on the bush, cut them off with a knife, making an oblique cut. You need to leave 4 leaves on the stem, cutting them in half to speed up root formation.
Deciduous azalea
Put the cuttings in a container with a solution of a root growth stimulant for several hours. Then the material is planted in a container with soil, which consists of 4 parts of peat and 1 of sand. Towards the end of summer, cuttings give their first roots. Saplings are planted in the ground, they make a shelter for the winter.
Evergreen
The garden evergreen azalea can be propagated from March to April. Young cuttings from the top of the bush are suitable for this purpose. If you take old perennial branches, they may not give roots until autumn.
Rooting material is left up to 7 cm long with 4 sheets, processing in Kornevin's solution. They are planted in small containers and left until roots appear.
They observe the irrigation regime, maintain greenhouse conditions. After rooting, the seedlings are planted in the ground before the onset of cold weather. Young plants are covered for the winter to avoid freezing of the buds.
How to properly propagate a flower using a cutting, step by step instructions
Many, having seen how this Japanese flower blooms, want to grow it on their site. It is not necessary to buy a ready-made plant in the store, you can get a ready-made seedling from an adult bush. Before propagating an azalea, you should familiarize yourself with the rules for grafting.
Azalea cuttings
Separation from the main flower
Young healthy shoots are chosen as the material. Use a sterilized garden tool - a knife, pruning shears, scissors.
- Cut the cutting at an angle of 45 degrees, 1 cm away from the lower bud.
- The lower and upper leaves are removed, leaving 4 leaves, cutting them in half.
- The cut is treated with a root growth stimulant, the cutting is left for several hours so that the stem dries out and is saturated with Kornevin.
Their survival rate depends on how well the cuttings are selected for germination.
How to plant
Before planting in the ground, the sections are treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. Stems are planted in the soil at right angles to a depth of 3 cm.The soil should be strongly acidic. Azalea soil is sold at gardening stores. Prepare the mixture on their own, combining coniferous litter, sand and peat in equal proportions.
After planting the cuttings in a pot, cover it with foil and put it in a warm place.
Rooting the cutting
Experienced flower growers know how to root an azalea in water with a growth promoter. You can try this option for experimental purposes.Great results can be achieved by rooting cuttings in the ground.
The conditions for the survival of the stems are sufficient watering and the presence of a greenhouse, which must be constantly ventilated.
Saplings are provided at home with a temperature regime of +22 .. + 25 degrees, humidity at least 80%.
Rooting cuttings
Caring for the cuttings after rooting
To understand how the azalea multiplies and not to lose the seedling after rooting, you need to follow a number of rules for planting cuttings in the ground.
After the appearance of the first leaves, remove the film from the greenhouse for several hours daily. After a week of hardening, the seedlings can be planted in separate containers with prepared soil.
Pots should be no more than 10 cm wide, drainage is placed on the bottom. The stalk is transplanted with an old clod of earth. Further care is carried out, as for an adult bush. If buds appear, they need to be cut off to form a strong tree.
Difficulties and problems when breeding azaleas
The problems of rooting and development of a young seedling during the propagation of azaleas by cuttings are associated with improper care. To help the bush to multiply, you need to observe the watering regime and the optimal temperature.
Decay, lack of rooting and death of the sprout
Watering with cold water leads to the death of the root of the plant. Water for azaleas should be filtered, warm.
Decay of sprouts occurs due to poor ventilation of the greenhouse in which the cuttings are located. It is necessary to air the crops every day, opening the film for an hour in the morning, while the sun's rays are not very intense.
Often, cuttings do not germinate due to low room temperature. The container with the cuttings should be placed near the battery or heated with an incandescent lamp.
Planting material
Azalea is a flower, the reproduction of which may seem difficult to many. But with proper care and following step-by-step instructions, even novice growers can get young plants. These bushes will delight with their flowering for more than one year.
