Contents
Kuril tea, like other perennial plants, can be propagated in several ways: by seeds, cuttings, layering, division of rhizomes. Each method allows you to obtain derivative plants that do not differ in their characteristics from the parent, but at the same time, any of these methods has its own timing and distinctive features.
How can you propagate shrub cinquefoil
The most common breeding option for Potentilla is the division of rhizomes. The method consists in separating small parts from the roots of the mother plant. The cut parts are almost immediately buried in the soil.
The method of propagation by green cuttings is more complex and less effective. Green shoots of cinquefoil are cut into cuttings of a certain size, planted in a container with soil, covered with a film and kept in this state until roots form. The process is quite time consuming and requires certain plant care skills.
For propagation by layering on shoots in contact with the soil, cuts are made and sprinkled with earth. After some time, roots will appear in this place, but it is possible to separate the layers only after a year.
Propagation of Kuril tea by seeds is the easiest and fastest way to get new plants. At the end of the summer season, the seeds are collected, cleaned, dried and stored in paper bags. In the spring they can be sown in the soil.
Each method differs not only in content, but also in timing. In the period from late July to early August, the propagation of Potentilla is optimal by layering and cuttings. The division of rhizomes is recommended to be carried out in the spring, from late April to early May, and also in September.
How to propagate Kuril tea cuttings
The method of propagation of cinquefoil by shrubby cuttings takes a lot of time. Before planting young shoots directly into the soil, it is necessary to properly prepare and root the cuttings. Until the roots are formed, certain measures should be taken to care for and create comfortable conditions for the growth of young animals.
Deadlines
July – August are the best months for propagating cinquefoil by cuttings. By this time, the shoots become green, elastic and well ripened. When harvesting cuttings, it is also important to take into account weather conditions and time of day.
If there are warm sunny days, then the most optimal for the formation of cuttings from the mother cinquefoil bush will be the period of the morning hours, preferably before sunrise. In case of cloudy weather, cuttings can be carried out throughout the day.
Do not allow the cuttings of Potentilla to dry out and wither. It is necessary to prepare everything in advance and immediately plant the cuttings treated after pruning with disinfecting and stimulating agents in a container with soil. From the moment of pruning to planting in the soil mixture, no more than 48 hours should pass.
Rules for cutting cuttings
In order for the propagation of cinquefoil by shrubby cuttings to be most effective, one should correctly approach the process of selecting shoots on the parent bush. The cuttings must be the same in size and appearance. The quality of young seedlings, as well as their further ability to grow and develop, depends on this.
For the preparation of planting cuttings, almost all shoots of the parent Potentilla bush can be used. It is enough to retreat 3 – 5 cm from the base. If there are leaves on the petioles left, it is better to remove them. Each cutting should have 2-4 knots. Depending on this, their length can reach from 8 to 12 cm.
The cut cuttings are aligned along the bottom edge and tied with twine in bunches of 25-50 pieces. The next stage of preparation is the treatment of cuttings with growth stimulants that contribute to the rapid development of a powerful root system. Stimulating solutions can be purchased at specialized stores. Before using them, you must carefully study the instructions. Some drugs are effective when diluted in cold water, others need boiling water or an alcohol solution.
A stimulating solution can be prepared independently from 20-40 g of glucose or sucrose diluted in a liter of water. In addition, ordinary food sugar dissolved in water can serve as a nutritious natural carbohydrate element. Exposure of cuttings in a stimulating composition can be from 12 to 24 hours. The maximum temperature should not exceed 22 – 25 ℃.
To avoid rotting of the cut edges, the cuttings must be treated with potassium permanganate, which has effective disinfecting properties. To do this, 1 g of ammonium sulfate and 2 g of manganese are diluted in 50 liter of water.
After preparing and processing the cuttings, they proceed to the next stage of propagation of the Potentilla.
How to root cinquefoil cuttings
The cuttings prepared in spring are planted in a large container with a nutrient substrate and drainage holes in the lower part. You can plant cinquefoil shoots directly into the ground by choosing a shaded area in the garden. Each shoot must be covered with a jar or plastic bottle. Buds that appear can interfere with the rooting process, so they should be removed.
Green cuttings absorb moisture from the air with the help of leaves, so they especially need high humidity. Lignified cuttings depend on the moisture content of the substrate. The soil must always be kept moist. For full rooting, it is necessary to spray the cuttings at least 3-4 times a day.
The nutrient substrate is prepared in advance. It should consist of humus, coarse sand and lime peat. Nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are added to increase its qualitative content. Within 6 – 8 weeks after cuttings, Potentilla shoots turn into independent plants with a strong root system. After the appearance of growth on rooted cuttings, they can be transplanted into the soil to a permanent place.
Transplant into the ground
Before planting Potentilla shoots in open ground, they must first be prepared and hardened. Hardening can be done in various ways:
- opening windows and vents in the room where the cuttings are located;
- temperature reduction using fogging systems (artificial fog);
- removal of containers with planting material to the street;
- removal of greenhouse cover.
All these measures will make it possible to adapt ready-made rooted cuttings of Potentilla to the natural and climatic conditions of the garden. Hardening procedures are recommended to be carried out within 2-3 weeks before planting in the ground.
Potentilla propagation by cuttings is possible not only at the end of summer, but also in late autumn. In this case, it is better to use lignified annual shoots. They are cut into cuttings 10–12 cm in size and almost completely deepened into a nutrient substrate, leaving 1–1,5 cm on the surface. The upper kidney is also not sprinkled with soil. From this moment until rooting, it is necessary to create shading conditions. Lime liquid can be applied to the glass of greenhouses, which will protect the planted cuttings of cinquefoil from direct sunlight.
The most favorable for transplantation is cloudy and rainy weather. Within 1 – 2 years, the cuttings will reach standard sizes, subject to the basic rules of care.
Propagation of cinquefoil by layering
This is the easiest and fastest way to propagate Kuril tea. Its dates are spring and summer. The soil around the uterine cinquefoil is loosened and fertilized with a mixture of sand and peat. On a cinquefoil bush, strong, lignified, but rather flexible shoots are chosen, located in close proximity to the soil surface. They are cleaned of leaves and side branches, then neat cuts are made, lightly pressed to the ground and sprinkled with soil. For better fixation of the grounding of the shoot, press it with a stone or a wire loop.
The shoots are directed in different directions from the cinquefoil bush at a distance of at least 10 cm from each other. In order for the buds to wake up better, the ends of the branches are cut to 7 – 10 cm. Several shoots can grow on layers from the buds.
Roots should appear within 10 days, but do not rush to separate a new plant. You need to give him time to fully recover. Layers can be separated and planted in another place in the fall, but it is better to do this after a year. And until this moment, they must be watered and fed with a fertile mixture of sand, humus and earth, taken in equal amounts, separately from the parent cinquefoil bush.
In autumn, bent, rooted branches are cut off with secateurs, dug up and divided according to the number of vertical shoots. Each Potentilla seedling must have a root and at least one shoot. From one layer you can get up to 6 seedlings. Strong shoots are planted in the soil, weak shoots are grown.
Reproduction of Kuril tea by layering is the most effective. Layers are more viable than cuttings. This method of vegetative propagation has proven itself well in arid conditions and in areas with a lack of regular watering.
Reproduction of cinquefoil seeds
Potentilla seeds are harvested at the end of August and until mid-autumn, depending on the weather conditions of the region. They can be sown immediately or dried and stored for several years. When growing cinquefoil from seeds, certain rules must be followed.
Before planting, the earth must first be loosened and leveled with a rake. Seeds are spread over the surface and lightly pressed down. A small layer of nutrient soil is applied on top and watered well. Within 2 to 3 weeks, small sprouts will appear from the seeds. After a month, they can be seated at a distance of at least 40 cm from each other. The seedlings are watered, and the ground is sprinkled with sawdust or pine needles. They can reach adulthood only after 4-5 years.
Propagation of cinquefoil by shrub seeds, subsequent care and cultivation does not require much effort and skills. This method, in comparison with others, provides the largest number of shoots and the best efficiency of their growth.
How to propagate cinquefoil by dividing the bush
The right time for dividing the roots is spring or warm autumn. The age of the mother cinquefoil must be at least 4 years old. The selected bush is carefully dug up with a pitchfork so as not to damage the root system. Healthy roots are separated with a hatchet or shovel. The rest are planted back into the soil and watered. Each selected part should have 2 – 3 kidneys. The roots are treated with any mixture that contributes to a qualitative improvement and acceleration of their formation. Thick roots are cut into pieces 5 – 7 cm.
If the mother cinquefoil has thin roots, then the root cuttings are placed horizontally on the ground and sprinkled with soil. Root parts are laid out on top in a container with a prepared nutrient substrate, observing a distance of 3–5 cm. After that, cover 1 cm of soil and water well. For the winter, boxes with root seedlings are stored in an unheated greenhouse or any other cool room – a garage, a basement. By spring, the cinquefoil takes root, and the cuttings can be planted in open ground with a distance of 40 cm.
Propagation of cinquefoil by dividing the rhizomes allows you to get seedlings of very high quality without much hassle.
How to propagate yellow cinquefoil offspring
Offspring are above-ground or underground lateral shoots of yellow cinquefoil, which grow from dormant adnexal buds located in the region of the root collar. They appear within a radius of 0,5 to 7 m from the mother cinquefoil. The formation of coppice shoots occurs in June-July.
The disadvantage of propagating Potentilla yellow offspring is that these shoots take root slowly. To speed up the process, the young are separated from the yellow cinquefoil bush and planted in open ground or pots with a soil-sand mixture. It is worth preparing drainage in advance, which will contribute to the rapid formation and strengthening of the roots.
The grown shoots of a healthy bush are cut no closer than 2 m from the trunk, so as not to damage the skeletal roots. The shoots are dug in within a radius of 20 cm, carefully separated from the maternal roots of the cinquefoil and transplanted to another place. Autumn planting can lead to the death of root shoots in winter. Gardeners are recommended to separate the offspring of yellow Potentilla in the spring in the first half of May.
Care instructions
At each stage of reproduction of Potentilla shrub, it is necessary to take additional measures to care for and create favorable conditions for the growth and strengthening of young seedlings. One of the main requirements is to maintain the required level of soil or substrate moisture. Even small breaks in watering can lead to the death of plants.
When planting cinquefoil seedlings in a permanent place, it is necessary to maintain a distance between the bushes of at least 30 cm. The bottom of each prepared hole is covered with lime gravel. Then half of the remaining space is filled with a soil mixture prepared from the following components:
- 2 parts of humus;
- 2 pieces of land;
- 1 part of the sand;
- 150 g of complex mineral fertilizer.
The root neck of the Potentilla seedling should rise above ground level. The soil must be well compacted and watered abundantly. To reduce the drying rate of the soil, it is sprinkled with sawdust, bark or straw. On hot summer days, you can spray the sprouts in the evening.
During the entire period of growth of seedlings, in addition to mulching and regular watering, work is carried out to remove weeds, feed and loosen the soil. Mulching is carried out 2 – 3 times during the summer. Top dressing with mineral fertilizers for flowering plants is applied 3 times: in May, July and August-September.
Conclusion
Kuril tea can be propagated in various ways. Each has its own advantages and features. With the correct fulfillment of the basic requirements, amateur gardeners can always independently increase the number of such beautiful plants as Potentilla, while maintaining its original characteristics and properties. It is a wonderful decoration of garden plots and gives the whole territory a noble well-groomed appearance.
