Reproduction of rhododendron by seeds, cuttings and layering at home
If there is no rhododendron in the garden, then the first bush will have to be bought. But then you can propagate the rhododendron in various ways and change with neighbors, increasing your collection of flowering shrubs. It will not be possible to grow a new plant quickly, but you can significantly save on purchasing plants from the nursery.
Propagation of rhododendron by cuttings
Cuttings are harvested from the third decade of May to the second decade of June. Better to take annual twigs.
For beginners, it is best to use the cuttings method. It will not take much time, but it will give the desired result.
Sequencing:
- Cuttings are cut from 8 to 15 cm long, the bottom cut is made at an angle of 45 °. A few leaves are left at the top, and the lower ones are removed.
- For a day, the branches are placed in a solution growth promoter... You can skip this procedure, but then the rooting process will be slower.
- Prepare small containers with earth. The soil should be loose and acidic, so peat, pine needles, sand should be added to it.
- The soil is compacted a little. Rhododendron branches are stuck in at an angle of about 30 °. The soil around them is pressed, the pots are watered.
- Cuttings need warmth and moisture to form roots. The room temperature should be + 22 ° C to + 25 ° C, and the place well lit. For high humidity, containers are placed in a plastic film greenhouse.
- The greenhouse should be regularly ventilated and the soil should be moistened if necessary. So the twigs can withstand up to 3 months.
With this method of reproduction, rooted plants will be obtained only by autumn, they cannot be planted in the beds.
The cuttings should be transplanted into larger containers and left for the first winter in a room with a temperature of + 12 ° C to + 15 ° C. Water as needed. They are planted in a permanent place with the arrival of spring.
Propagation of rhododendron by seeds
The seeds of the plant can be purchased or harvested on their own when they are ripe in late fall. The box itself and the seeds inside should turn brown. They are sown from late February to early March.
Before use, the seeds are recommended to be exposed stratification... Thus, their germination capacity will increase significantly.
For sowing, containers are prepared filled with a mixture of peat with sand and the addition of chopped needles. The soil is not tamped, rhododendron seeds are scattered over it. Between the grains, you need to leave 1-1.5 cm each. From above, they are not covered with soil, but simply watered and covered with foil. The pots are kept in a bright and warm place at + 25 ° C, periodically ventilating and moistening the crops.
As soon as sprouts appear (this takes up to 3 weeks), the film is removed. It is important to move the containers to a cooler place (+ 12 ° C - + 15 ° C). From the end of spring, they begin to harden, they are taken out for an hour or two into the open air. With the onset of June, the pots are moved out into the street in a darkened place.
In the open, seedlings are not planted in the first year, the plants will have to winter in the house. They are planted in the garden only in the second year. The first buds must be plucked to stimulate root formation.
How to propagate rhododendron by layering
This method is not difficult. New plants are grown outdoors from the very beginning and hibernate there. Laying is done in the spring.
Procedure rules:
- The branches of the shrub that are closest to the ground are bent to the soil.
- Small cuts are made along the wood, splitting branches. Small spacers can be placed in them so that the incision does not close.
- Dig small holes 10-15 cm deep, and split shoots are lowered into them. For fixation, they are pressed with wire, and then sprinkled with soil.
- A layer is poured over the ground mulch... The top of the shoot should rise above the level of the bed. Layers are well watered all summer.
- With the onset of autumn, they should have roots. But the plants are not planted, they are left to winter in this form. For better wintering, the layers are covered with spruce branches, foliage.
- When spring comes, spruce branches are removed. Layers are separated from the mother plant and transplanted to a permanent place for them.
You can get several layers from one plant, but no more than 4-5 pieces.
Rhododendron can be propagated by various methods, their choice depends on the experience of the gardener. The grafting method is suitable for beginner growers, since seedlings from seeds are quite capricious and do not tolerate temperature fluctuations well.