Propagation of laurel by cuttings is an interesting activity for gardeners
The fresh foliage of an exotic indoor tree will revive any room, be it an apartment, house or office. Therefore, the propagation of laurel by cuttings attracts the attention of many gardeners who are ready to painstakingly grow this cute plant. Biologists say that laurel's fragrant leaf plates release phytoncides into the environment, which purify and freshen the air. As a result, various kinds of fungi or harmful bacteria do not grow in the room. In addition, the hostess will always have the freshest spice at hand.
At home, laurel will grow to about 2 m in height and above.
Reproduction of laurel by cuttings: preparation of planting material
Reproduction of laurel by cuttings begins with the preparation of planting material. It can be purchased from the store or taken from an adult plant. Usually cuttings are harvested in the spring or in the first month of summer, when the tree has completely moved away from the winter state. It is best to use planting material from annual stems that are not lignified.
In order for laurel cuttings to be successful, young branches are cut into small pieces of about 8 cm. Each of them must have at least 3 internodes (free spaces between leaves). The lower part of the twig should be cut under the oblique line.
When harvesting cuttings, the branches must be cut off with a sharp knife, but do not reach the end of the branch. The rest is slightly torn off together with the bark to form a "heel".
The leaf plates that are closer to the cut must be removed. The upper ones are easy enough to cut, leaving half of the leaf on the branch. This procedure is done so that the plant does not lose a lot of moisture.
An easier way to propagate laurel by cuttings is to purchase planting material in the store. Usually they sell already rooted branches that can be immediately planted in the ground. But it is advisable to carefully examine them in order to notice any damage or pests, for example, shield... In addition, they must be elastic in nature, saturated with moisture.
Rooting methods for cuttings
When the planting material is already in your hands, it is important to start rooting it. There are two methods available on how best to do this: in soil and in water. First, let's look at how to root laurel cuttings on a substrate. To do this, first prepare a special soil. You can use any of these options:
- mix in half sod land with swamp moss;
- take one part of sand and the same amount of sod soil;
- mix sand with marsh moss;
- prepare coarse sand.
When the choice is made, it is advisable to disinfect the soil with hot water. The sand can be simply ignited over a fire. The procedure will protect the cuttings from harmful bacteria. Drainage made of broken brick, pebbles or expanded clay must be placed on the bottom of the container. Then, a shoot from a bay leaf is planted in the finished substrate. The plant is lowered into the ground by 1.5 cm, squeezed slightly, moistened a little, and then covered with polyethylene.At home, you need to carefully monitor it so that it takes root well.
In order to avoid contact of the cutting with the shelter, it is advisable to install small protective pegs.
For better rooting, the sprouts are treated with growth stimulants, after which the containers are placed in small greenhouses. The optimum room temperature should be approximately + 25 ° C. Young sprouts are sprayed with water every day and ventilated by removing the plastic cover. Thanks to this care, after a month, the cuttings will have roots. Then they can be safely transplanted into a new pot.
But how to root cuttings in water to grow an exotic tree at home? Someone might think that this method is not particularly reliable for such a plant. In fact, it is enough to adhere to the basic operations for the plant to successfully root. And then it will be able to delight the owners with spicy leaves all year round.
All you need to do is take a small container, pour water into it about 5 cm in height and place the stalk there. Tara is taken to a dark place. Throughout the entire rooting period, the water is not changed, only as needed, periodically topped up.
Planting a laurel tree using a cutting
After the sprout has released enough roots, they begin to plant the plant. For this, choose a suitable container and soil. The pot should be small at first with a hole in the bottom where the drainage layer will be placed. Then they put a layer of sod land, and sand on top. The ideal option for planting bay leaves with a handle is to purchase a carbonate mixture at the store.
The process of how to plant a bay leaf in a prepared substrate consists of the following simple operations:
- the pot with the cutting is well moistened so that it easily comes out of the soil;
- carefully remove the sprout and transfer it to a new place;
- a small funnel is made in the soil, 2 cm deep;
- a stalk is placed in it;
- covered with sand;
- slightly moisturize.
To protect the plant from fungal infection, do not overfill it with water. It is better to do this in small portions as the top layer of the earth dries up. In addition, the laurel will not refuse regular feeding. Specialty stores sell different types of organic mixtures or mineral fertilizers... Some gardeners use a weak mullein solution. In this case, you should be especially careful when preparing the substance, carefully observe the dosage. Otherwise, the roots may simply burn out and the plant will die.
The plant must be transplanted into a new container every year. When he turns 5 years old, the procedure is done once every 4 years.
By placing on balcony several pots of laurel, you will not only decorate the room, but also saturate the air with unusual freshness.