How to root conifers

Coniferous trees are used to decorate landscape gardening areas or home gardens. They look spectacular, complement landscape compositions, and are also unpretentious in care due to the characteristics of culture. Control over the development of coniferous trees or shrubs continues throughout the first decade after planting. At this time they need feeding. In addition, the owners of coniferous trees can independently breed them to enrich their own collection. Cuttings of conifers in winter are successful for juniper, cypress, arborvitae and some varieties of spruce.

Pros and cons of propagating coniferous cuttings at home

To grow conifers, one of the selected schemes is used: they can be propagated by division, seeds, and cuttings. Experts consider cuttings to be one of the most effective methods of crop propagation. Advantages of self-propagation by cuttings:

• the opportunity to get a copy of the selected mother plant;
• ease of carrying out the procedure;
• the ability to fully control the process.

The disadvantage of cuttings may be the species feature of the selected tree.

Thuja is an evergreen shrub that takes root well after cuttings. Young shoots completely repeat the varietal characteristics of the mother plant, so thuja is considered especially suitable for cuttings.

Juniper is one of the representatives of Cypress, which are undemanding and grow in different climatic conditions. Cuttings are suitable for tall varieties. Junipers creeping along the ground are propagated by layering.

Cypress is an evergreen conifer that is propagated by cuttings and layering. It takes root well in the soil, it is almost not sent for growing, during the winter the shoots are able to develop a strong root system.

Fir, varietal species of pine and sequoia are almost impossible to root on their own. For breeding in nurseries, grafting and layering are used.

Information! For cuttings, mature plants are chosen, the age of which does not exceed 10 years. Old trees form shoots with low germination rates.

When is the best time to propagate conifers by cuttings?

Cuttings of shoots from the mother tree are permissible at any time of the year. The safety of the genetic material does not depend on the timing of cuttings. Experts are of the opinion that the best time for cuttings is winter. In the first decade, sap flow processes are activated in trees.

During the period that passes from the moment of harvesting before winter to the start of planting, coniferous plants have time to take root well. In summer, strong, limp seedlings are planted on the site.

Propagation of conifers by cuttings before winter

Coniferous harvesting is carried out before the onset of winter. This increases the plant’s chances of a successful spring-summer planting.

To carry out cuttings of conifers before winter, choose the upper shoots or tops. The length should not exceed 20 cm. After cutting, the cuttings are cleaned of needles, leaving only part of the bark. If in some places the bark is separated, then it is completely removed.

Rooting conifers with cuttings before winter is possible in several ways or by mixing them:

• with water;
• on the sand;
• under the film.

Rooting conifers with water is considered the easiest and most effective way. It is not suitable for all types of plants. Shoots of pines, fir, cypress trees are poorly rooted by water. Thuja and juniper sprout quickly enough.

Propagation of conifers by cuttings in autumn

It is possible to grow conifers by cuttings in the fall. Autumn cuttings differ little from winter cuttings. When using the soil, the shoots are left on the terrace or veranda, before the onset of winter they are brought into a warmer room.

Propagation of conifers by cuttings in summer

For summer cuttings of conifers, the method of rooting in boxes is suitable. In summer, shoots need to be watered frequently due to hot weather. In the fall, they are transferred to the garden or removed indoors for the winter to be planted next season.

Propagation of conifers by cuttings in spring

Spring cuttings of conifers are very rare. Experts believe that this period is not suitable for rooting. The shoots spend the summer outside, in the winter they need room heat.

Rules for the preparation of cuttings of conifers

The result of breeding conifers by cuttings in winter depends on the choice of material. When examining the conifer, suitable branches are selected based on the following characteristics.

• Shoots should not be younger than 1 year old, while branches of 3 years old are considered the best option for breeding before winter.
• Shoots should be outwardly developed, look strong, not have flaws.
• The length of the shoots for junipers, cypresses, thujas should not exceed 15 cm, the length for spruce and fir – up to 10 cm.

For cuttings, a cloudy day is chosen, the cut is carried out in the morning. In order to have a good idea of ​​​​the sequence of actions during the propagation of conifers by cuttings, many breeders watch videos with master classes from specialists. This is justified for the reason that the success of further rooting depends on the quality of cuttings and the choice of shoot.

How to root conifers from cuttings

Rooting, which is carried out before winter, consists of several successive stages.

1. First, the cutting is cut or broken off. At the same time, a piece of wood with the remnants of the bark should be preserved at the base.
2. A fresh cut is powdered with a root-type biostimulator. This will help the cutting to root faster.
3. For a seedling, a suitable container with high sides is chosen, then it is filled with wet sand. Before planting, it is shed with a weak solution of manganese.

   

4. A hole is made in the sand. It is convenient to use a wooden stick with a diameter of at least 6 – 8 cm.
5. Shoots are buried in the holes at a distance of 3 – 5 cm from each other.
6. The soil is compacted so that there are no voids inside.
7. The container is covered with plastic wrap or a plastic cap. This helps create a greenhouse effect inside the tank. Thanks to this, the soil will be moistened in a timely manner.

Plantings are harvested in shaded places where the temperature is constantly maintained at least +22 ° C.

Many use rooting cuttings before winter in the water.

1. The prepared material is released into the root growth biostimulant solution for 12 hours.
2. At the same time, sphagnum moss is being prepared. It is saturated with water, then the excess water is squeezed out.
3. Moss is laid out on a plastic film up to 10 cm wide, up to 1 m long.
4. The cuttings are placed on the moss so that the tip of the process is visible above the tape.
5. The film with moss is rolled up with a snail, pressing tightly to the surface.
6. The prepared snail is tied with a tourniquet and placed in a bag with a small amount of water.

This design can be hung from the window like a planter. After rooting, seedlings are planted in prepared soil.

Growing conifers from cuttings

Further care for conifers includes several rules:

1. After planting for rooting, the shoots need regular moisture. Once a week they are sprayed with warm water from a spray bottle. The earth should not be waterlogged or overdried.
2. For the full development of the culture, a temperature regime at the borders of +18 to +22 ° C is necessary. Frost-resistant species will feel comfortable at a temperature of +16 ° C.
3. Shoots need regular ventilation. To do this, the boxes are opened for several hours daily, gradually increasing the length of time.
4. Plants are fed with special preparations for conifers 1-2 times during the winter.
5. To saturate the soil with air, regular loosening of the soil is carried out.

Many breeders plant conifers after rooting in closed greenhouses. It should be borne in mind that young plants at this stage need warm soil. The soil index should not be lower than +25 °C, the air temperature inside the room can vary from +18 to +20 °C. In addition, it is necessary to monitor the humidity: at this stage, its indicator should be higher than usual.

There are several signs by which you can determine that mistakes were made in caring for conifers:

• Redness or swelling of the needles indicates the presence of a fungal infection (this can be caused by an excess of moisture or planting in soil that has not been disinfected);
• Shedding of formed young needles is a signal of a lack of nutrients, a possible acidification of the soil.

Planting conifers with cuttings in open ground

Despite the fact that when propagating conifers with cuttings for the winter, the shoots have time to strengthen sufficiently, some of them need to grow. This is the name of landing on open ground for a period of time that passes before landing on a permanent place of growth.

Sometimes young conifers can be grown for 2-3 years. To do this, choose protected areas that can be additionally covered in winter, during frosts.

There is another way to grow coniferous seedlings – to school. It is suitable for growing conifers from cuttings, which were obtained before winter in large quantities.

Up to 1,5 specimens can be planted on a shkolka plot with dimensions of 1,5 by 100 m. About 30 – 35 pieces will be ready for landing on a permanent place of growth.

Coniferous young plants are transplanted into the school by transshipment. If they rooted with the help of moss, then it will be enough to separate part of the moss and bury it in the prepared hole.

After landing, arcs are pulled over the shoots, covered with special industrial material. This is necessary to protect against direct sunlight, which can cause burns at the adaptation stage, as well as to protect against through winds.

For planting in a permanent place, strengthened coniferous seedlings with a developed root system are chosen. Before this, 2-3 winters may pass after cuttings. This is not surprising, because we are talking about growing trees that will exist for about 30 – 40 years or more. After planting in a site where trees will grow constantly, control over growth and development is noticeably reduced. Trees need regular, but not frequent watering, as well as 2-3 top dressings per year.

Conclusion

Cutting conifers in winter is an approach that provides a guaranteed result. Shoot formation before the onset of winter has its own characteristics, this is due to the movement of sap along the tree. Therefore, cuttings separated from the mother plant in winter are able to take root quickly and without difficulty.