Apricot propagation is one of the main tasks of gardeners who want to grow their favorite variety in their area. There are several ways to get young fruit tree seedlings.
Apricot propagation methods
The tree is able to reproduce both by seeds and by one of the vegetative methods. If the method is used incorrectly, then there is a high risk of obtaining a culture whose characteristics will differ significantly from the parent ones.
Is it possible to propagate apricot green cuttings
It is possible to grow an apricot using green cuttings. It should be borne in mind that the result is influenced not only by the quality of the prepared material, but also by the observance of the principles of reproduction by this method.
Propagation by lignified cuttings
Apricot can be safely propagated by lignified cuttings. At home, shoots are harvested at any time, but the most successful specimens of seedlings are obtained if all work is carried out from autumn to spring bud break.
The length of the shoots for propagation should be 25-30 cm, and the thickness is 6-8 mm. The top cut should be straight, made directly above the kidney. The bottom one is bevelled.
After preparing the branches, they can immediately be planted in the ground, but there is a high risk of their death from winter frosts. The best option is rooting at home. Until spring, stiff shoots should be stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, after wrapping them in polyethylene, or in the basement.
If it is decided to transfer the cuttings to a cool room, then it is important to first stick them into wet sand
The stalk is a cut branch, divided into segments with 6 buds
To propagate apricots, boxes should be prepared in the spring. They must be filled with soil: peat and sand, mixed under equal conditions. There should be enough soil in the container so that the cutting, placed in the container at an angle of 45 °, is almost completely immersed. 2-3 buds should remain above the ground.
To propagate an apricot by rooting a lignified cutting, it is necessary to deepen the planted shoot to the second bud. As soon as the root system is formed, the seedling can be transferred to open ground.
Growing from the bone
Even after watching the video and studying the detailed instructions, not everyone prefers propagating apricot cuttings. The easiest way is to plant a bone.
It is best to plant seeds of local varieties, or those growing in the same region where the gardener’s site is located
To propagate the apricot in this way, the seeds are prepared, stratified and then planted in the ground.
Graft
This method of propagation of apricots is preferred by gardeners who love experiments with crossing varieties. The rootstock can be not only apricot, but also almond, plum or peach. There is no reliable guarantee for a positive result.
Produce cuttings in the fall, choosing strong annual specimens. On the top of the shoot, the cut should be oblique. The shoots should be stored in a bucket of cool water or a refrigerator.
The vaccination is carried out in May, when the kidneys begin to swell. The shoot is attached to the scion, on which an oblique cut was previously made. Shoots when connected must match each other.
The seam must be smeared with garden pitch, and then the escape should be wrapped with rope or electrical tape
The average survival time of such apricot cuttings after grafting is a month. The culture propagation procedure was successful if new leaf plates appeared on the branch.
Root shoots
The method of reproduction is rarely used: you need shoots that have grown from seeds. Such a phenomenon can be observed if the roots of the tree are damaged by rodents, or the aerial part of the apricot has died.
If there is a shoot, then the soil around it must be dug up to the root system, cut off the shoot along with part of the roots and transplanted into the prepared hole
Reproduction of apricot by air layering
The breeding method is rarely used: in the summer, you will have to select a one-year-old process and make two circular cuts on it to remove the bark. The cleaned surface of the shoot must be treated with a root stimulator and wrapped in a film, leaving some space for the soil.
The seedling is separated from the mother branch after the layering has matured, after which it is transplanted into open ground.
How to propagate apricot cuttings
Cuttings are the most common way to propagate apricots. There are several methods. The choice of method is carried out taking into account personal preferences and capabilities.
Apricot propagation by cuttings using the Burrito method
If apricot cuttings are carried out in the spring, then mature shoots that are fully ripe follow.
Before the procedure, it is necessary to prepare equipment: scissors, newspapers, root formation stimulator, fungicide solution, plastic bags.
Step-by-step instruction:
- Cut branches, each up to 20 cm long, up to 5 mm thick. Each shoot must have at least 3 buds. Branches should be healthy, without visible damage.
- Remove petioles and leaf plates from the shoots, treat the workpieces with a root formation stimulator according to the instructions, and then with a solution of a fungicide or potassium permanganate.
- Wrap 4-7 pieces of shoots in a newspaper moistened with water, then roll it into a tube. Put the workpiece in a plastic bag.
- Transfer bundles to a cool place where the temperature is within + 14-18 ° C.
The callus should appear in 2-4 weeks. It looks like surfacing on the surface of the shoot.
It is from the callus that the root system will subsequently be formed.
As soon as roots appear, apricot seedlings should be transferred to pots. The universal soil is poured into a container, a young tree is placed there and sprinkled with earth. From above, the seedling must be wrapped in a film. Care consists in watering, airing
To propagate apricot, you need to plant rooted seedlings in open ground. The optimal time for the procedure is spring.
Landing algorithm:
- the place should be sunny, calm;
- before planting, the stems are cut off from the plant, leaving 3-4 buds;
- organic fertilizers are added to the dug hole, a seedling is placed, sprinkled with soil, watered;
- mulch the ground in the hole with sawdust.
How to propagate apricot green cuttings
Initially, you should prepare a place on the site. Dig a hole 50 cm deep and 90 cm wide. Pour broken brick or rubble on its bottom. The layer thickness should be at least 15 cm. Distribute river sand 4 cm thick over the brick. Fill the next 25 cm with wood dust mixed in equal proportions with sand and manure. Add a bucket of ash to the resulting mixture. The topmost layer is sand.
Stages of apricot propagation by green cuttings:
- Shoots related to the growth of the current year are subject to cutting. The optimal time for the procedure is June. You need to harvest branches in the evening, or on a day with cloudy weather.
- Place the cut shoots in a solution of the stimulant Kornevin or Heteroauxin, immersing the stalk 1/3 of the total length. The duration of the procedure is 16 hours. A container with shoots immersed in a solution should be in a darkened room with a temperature of at least + 24 ° C.
- After the time has elapsed, rinse the cuttings and plant them in the prepared hole. The lower cut of the shoot should be in a layer of sand, not touching the soil mixture.
- Build a greenhouse: install arcs and stretch a film shelter. You can remove it after the rooting of the cuttings.
The subsequent care of a young seedling consists in watering and feeding. As a fertilizer, you can use manure infusion (1 part manure to 6 parts water).
In winter, green shoots should be covered with sawdust and other improvised materials. Young apricots can be transferred to a permanent place only after a year.
Recommendations
Shoots selected for propagation must be intact, with a healthy bark, without signs of disease. All instruments should be cleaned with a disinfectant solution before use. In the room where the workpieces are stored, there should be an optimal temperature. The appearance of rot, blackening of shoots, the absence of roots or their damage are reasons for removing planting material.
Regardless of the chosen apricot propagation method, the tree needs care.
Basic principles:
- crown formation (annual pruning of lateral branches);
- top dressing (apply organic preparations under the roots before and after flowering, feed with potassium and phosphorus before wintering);
- watering at least 4 times a year: in spring, during the formation of a bud, during fruit ripening, before the tree goes into hibernation.
Depending on the varietal characteristics, the tree should be treated prophylactically against diseases and pests.
Conclusion
Apricot propagation is a laborious process that takes time. The choice of method depends on personal preference. Before you start propagating an apricot, you should take into account its varietal characteristics.