Cultivation of apple trees by cuttings

Apple tree cuttings can be done in many ways. One of the popular options is to get green shoots at the beginning of summer, plant them in a greenhouse, and then transfer them to a permanent place. Instead of growing, you can also graft on an adult apple tree. The main methods of reproduction are described in detail in the article.

Is it possible to grow an apple tree from a branch

It is quite possible to cut an apple tree at home. To do this, they prepare an escape from a healthy, well-growing and fruit-bearing tree and graft on the stock. In order for cuttings to be successful, it is necessary to choose the right timing. It is recommended to start work strictly in the fall, and not in the spring.

Another important point is that in order to grow an apple tree from a branch without a root, you must carefully select a tree. Both young and old apple trees with valuable varietal characteristics (high yield, good taste and presentation of fruits, high winter hardiness, and others) are suitable for the procedure. The selection criteria for cuttings are the same:

1. Choose those shoots that grow at a certain angle to the trunk or another branch. If the shoot grows perpendicular (top), it will not work. Despite the fact that such cuttings also take root, they do not form an ovary for a long time.
2. For successful propagation of an apple tree by cuttings, it is best to take shoots not at the beginning, not at the end, but from the middle part of the crown. The apical layers are quite thick, and the lower layers are weaker.
3. Also, when choosing cuttings for cuttings, it is better to focus on those shoots that have short internodes. They get along well.
4. Seedlings for cuttings should not be thick enough. Cuttings with a diameter of less than 7 mm should definitely not be considered, they do not take root.
5. You need to cut the shoots so that the upper cut is above the “eye”. For proper cuttings, all buds must be smooth and healthy in appearance. They should fit snugly to the escape.
6. The cut is clean and the wood is moist and light. The length of the shoot is at least 15 cm.

Timing of propagation by cuttings

The procedure is usually started in autumn or even winter. Thanks to this, it is possible to avoid early swelling of the buds, as well as the formation of the first leaves. Work begins in the middle, second half of November, when the sap flow in the vessels finally stops.

In the southern regions (Stavropol, Krasnodar Territory, North Caucasus, Crimea), work begins in the first decade of December. When choosing the timing, it is necessary to focus on temperature. You can work after the onset of the first frost. A decrease to -10 degrees is allowed, but no more. It is necessary to start harvesting shoots for grafting an apple tree even before the moment when the ground freezes.

Green shoots for cuttings are obtained in early summer

Theoretically, it is possible to harvest a scion earlier, for example, in October. But it is better to wait for the first frosts, because they contribute to the hardening of the shoots, increase the chances of survival.

It is allowed to propagate the apple tree by cuttings and in the spring. This case is suitable for obtaining green shoots. They are cut off, planted in a greenhouse or vaccinated.

Rules for cutting cuttings

In order to properly propagate the apple tree with branches, in late autumn they begin to harvest cuttings. They can be cut from both old and young trees. Several shoots are taken from the middle part of the crown. They are cut so that the length of each is at least 15 cm. After that, a straight upper and oblique lower cut is made.

Shoots for cuttings are stored in a cool, dark room – the temperature is not more than +3 ° C, the humidity is within 70%. It is necessary to exclude the possibility of freezing (temperature below -10), as well as damage by rodents and other pests. Periodically, the stalk is sprayed with water so that it does not dry out.

If such conditions cannot be provided, the shoot for cuttings can be stored directly on the street (when winters are not too severe). They are tied together, wrapped in a damp cloth and kept in the refrigerator until the snow falls. After that, the fabric is removed, the sprouts are allowed to dry, taken out into the street and covered with a large amount of snow.

There is another way to store it – right on the tree. For cuttings of an apple tree, a one-year or two-year-old healthy shoot is chosen without damage to the bark, it is slightly broken and fixed in this position with a patch. In the spring, they are cut at the place where the break is made, after removing the patch. Put the shoot in a bucket of warm water and crushed activated charcoal for three weeks. After the roots appear, you can plant an apple tree in a greenhouse with a cutting without grafting. It is grown in fertile soil (soddy land with humus, peat and sand 2:1:1:1), periodically watering. From late September to mid-October, they are transplanted to a permanent place and carefully mulched for the winter.

This is a reliable prevention against pollution, penetration of fungi and other pathogens.

Shoots for cuttings are cut with a pruner or other tool with sharp blades.

How to propagate an apple tree from cuttings

Rooting of an apple tree can be done with different cuttings – green, lignified and root. The main work steps for each case are described in the following sections.

Propagation of an apple tree by lignified cuttings

If the cuttings for cuttings are already lignified, they can be used for propagation both outdoors and at home. For example, it is permissible to plant in a box, put in a warm, well-ventilated room, and water regularly. In winter, they are transferred to a cool room with a temperature not higher than +10 ° C. If the shoots are actively growing, they are shortened, leaving a few pairs of lower leaves.

When growing outdoors, the rules are about the same. Shoots for cuttings are planted in fertile soil, covered with a bottle, periodically watered and ventilated. For the winter, they spud and lay a layer of mulch with a height of at least 10 cm.

To do this, choose a large tuber, stick a shoot into it and dig in. Cover with a film, maintaining high humidity. This method is suitable for any apple trees, it is especially successfully used for columnar varieties.

Propagation of apple trees with green cuttings

Green cuttings of apple trees are carried out in the summer. The peculiarity of this method of reproduction is that it can only be carried out at home or in a greenhouse, since the young shoots have not yet grown stronger. Even if they are left for wintering in the southern regions, in the first 1-2 years they can be severely affected by frost.

There are two growing technologies:

1. Grow the shoot at home or in a greenhouse until a developed root system is obtained, and then transplant to a permanent place.
2. Graft on the rootstock in a split, budding or under the bark.

In the first case, it works like this:

1. At the beginning of summer (it is also possible at the end of May), several green cuttings are cut at least 15 cm long.
2. Make an oblique lower and straight upper cut.
3. Put in a container with warm water (pre-defend for a day).
4. Add a few drops of a growth stimulant, for example, “Kornevin” or “Epin”.
5. Put on the light in the room or on the street, if it is warm enough. Water is periodically topped up (it is completely undesirable to change it). In this case, it is better to use a separate bucket for each shoot.
6. After the appearance of root processes, they are transferred to a small greenhouse with a nutrient mixture – soddy land with peat, humus and sand 2: 1: 1: 1.
7. Cover with a film or bottle, periodically moisten from a spray bottle and ventilate.
8. Grow at home for two years, periodically feeding and watering.
9. Then transplanted in the fall to a permanent place. In order for the cuttings to be successful, the seedling with roots is carefully mulched. To do this, use sawdust, hay, straw or other materials.

Also, green shoots can be grafted in late spring or in the second half of summer. If cuttings are carried out by grafting into a split, the lower part of the shoot is cut so as to obtain a sharp wedge. An even split is formed on the rootstock and a blade is installed in this crevice. Carefully fix with a tape and wait until it takes root (1,5-2 months).

Saplings grown from green branches for cuttings take root well

Growing seedlings from root cuttings

If you propagate an apple tree in this way, it is important to consider that the seedling is self-rooted, i.e. obtained not from grafting, but taken directly from the “native” tree. The apple tree itself should be young, give good yields.

The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. In the middle of spring, the tree is cut, dug a little, forming a small earthen rampart around.
2. After a few weeks, root shoots will appear.
3. Of these, offspring are chosen – those shoots that are at a remote distance from the apple tree itself.
4. They are observed for 1-2 years, after which they are cut off from the parent tree in spring or early autumn and transferred to a new place.

This method is quite simple, but it is important to consider that due to damage to the root system, the mother plant is greatly weakened. Not all offspring will take root – it is necessary to prepare as much planting material as possible.

Basic Errors

Cutting an apple tree is a simple procedure that is quite accessible even to novice gardeners. But in practice, summer residents sometimes face some difficulties that can lead to the death of the vaccine. The most common errors are:

1. Sometimes the reproduction of apple trees by cuttings at home is carried out in the spring, believing that this way the graft will take root faster. In autumn, they are afraid to take cuttings because of adverse conditions – extreme frosts in winter, temperature changes. But in fact, cuttings of apple trees are best planned for the fall. Otherwise, the shoot draws nutrients from itself and dries out, and then dies.
2. To successfully propagate an apple tree with a broken or ordinary branch, you only need to work with it with a very sharp tool with a knife, scissors or a sector. Dull blades damage the bark, lift it up, which is why the graft does not take root and dies off rather quickly.
3. The blades of tools for grafting an apple tree must be treated with an antiseptic so as not to cause infection. For the same reason, they are not touched even with fingers – you can only touch the branch itself (to the bark).
4. To obtain a cutting, only healthy trees are selected, which are regularly pruned. If the haircut is practically not done, the shoots are less tenacious – then the cuttings of the apple tree will most likely end unsuccessfully.
5. On the eve of vaccination, the cuttings should be prepared. If they were previously stored in a cool room (cellar, refrigerator), they cannot be vaccinated immediately. Previously, they are allowed to lie warm for at least a day, and if they were previously frozen, then 3-4 days.
6. A grafted apple tree (rootstock) needs special care. Therefore, during cuttings, it is watered weekly. Feed every 2-3 weeks. Natural rainfall alone will not be enough.

If you take good care of the seedlings, they will quickly produce a crop.

Conclusion

Cutting an apple tree is one of the most effective and relatively simple ways of vegetative propagation of a tree. It allows you to 100% preserve the varietal characteristics of the plant, including the yield, taste and appearance of apples. It is important to consider that cuttings, unlike an adult tree, need special care. They are carefully covered for the winter, regularly watered and fed.