Contents
Even a beginner in gardening can propagate chokeberry. The shrub is unpretentious, as a medicinal plant it is grown almost everywhere.
How chokeberry breeds
The best time to propagate chokeberry is autumn. But there are many ways to plant a shrub in the spring. In different regions, the timing will be different, you need to look at the weather and the calendar of garden work.
In autumn, planting chokeberry is planned for September – October. The subsequent care of the shrub is simple. Spring breeding should be completed by the end of April.
Blackberry can be propagated in the following ways:
- grafting;
- withdrawal method;
- division of the bush;
- root suckers;
- seeds;
- vaccination.
Of these, the most effective, which give almost 100% results, are the first 4 methods of reproduction. Only an experienced gardener can do grafting at home, and propagation by seeds is a long and inefficient process.
Rowan chokeberry propagation by cuttings can be carried out in spring and autumn. If you use green shoots, then work is planned for the end of May – the beginning of June. Throughout the season, young chokeberry bushes are grown in a greenhouse, where they overwinter. A transplant is done to a permanent place in a year.
You can propagate chokeberry with mature cuttings in the fall. Use annual shoots that take root better. Plant the chokeberry immediately in a permanent place.
The division of the chokeberry bush is suitable for old plants that need to be planted. Reproduction is best planned for the spring. Further care for chokeberry comes down to abundant watering, loosening the soil.
Reproduction of chokeberry by the method of removal is better to plan for the spring. Choose annual or biennial shoots. In the autumn of this year or next summer, young chokeberry bushes are transplanted to a permanent place. The survival rate of layering with this method of reproduction is 75–80%.
Root shoots or offspring can be propagated throughout the season, but it is better to finish the work before the start of summer. By autumn, the bushes adapt to a new place.
Seed propagation of chokeberry is a long process, planting material must be stratified. His germination is low. The shrub develops for a long time.
You can propagate the medicinal shrub by grafting, which is done in early spring. To get a positive result, you need to create the necessary conditions for chokeberry. The survival rate of the vaccine is average.
How to propagate chokeberry cuttings
Chokeberry is easily propagated by cuttings. The method is simple, does not require special knowledge and skills. Among gardeners, the autumn cuttings of chokeberry are especially popular, which always gives a positive result, while it is not necessary to make special efforts in reproduction. Even if the time for planting is missed, then you can save the planting material until spring.
woody
To propagate chokeberry, lignified shoots 15–20 cm in size are cut out. The upper part of the branch is not used, the cuttings are cut from the middle part, so that each has 6 buds. The lower cut is made straight, directly under the eye.
The lignified blackberry cuttings are planted in fertile soil in a well-lit place. Only 2 buds are left above the soil surface. They take root in 3 – 4 weeks, in the spring they quickly start growing. For the winter, chokeberry is well mulched.
If the cold came early, it is better to save the chokeberry cuttings prepared for breeding until spring. They are sorted and tied into a bundle. The lower edge is placed in wet sand or cloth, and then wrapped in a bag so that the shoots do not dry out. Every week, the condition of the cuttings of chokeberry is checked, moistened if necessary.
Blackberry cuttings are stored in this way for further reproduction in a cold room. A cellar, a glazed loggia, a lower shelf of a refrigerator or a veranda will do. In the spring, planting material is taken out as early as possible and planted in plastic cups. Plants are kept in a cool room, watered if necessary. Planted in a permanent place as soon as the soil warms up.
Green
Chokeberry can be propagated by green cuttings. In the spring, annual shoots are cut, the length of which is not more than 15 cm. These can be the tops of the branches left after pruning. The lower leaves must be completely removed, leaving only the top 2, which are shortened by 1/3.
In the lower part of the cutting under each kidney, make a shallow incision. Roots will grow from these places. Planting material for propagating chokeberry should be kept in a growth stimulator solution for about 12 hours, after which the cuttings should be planted in a greenhouse. Leave a distance of up to 3 cm between them. After planting, moisten the soil well.
It will take about a month to propagate a shrub by this method. During this time, the roots grow, after which the shelter is gradually removed. Young bushes of chokeberry are fed with a weak solution of mineral or organic fertilizers. Further care comes down to regular watering, loosening the soil and weeding.
The survival rate of cuttings during green propagation reaches 100%, rarely less than 90%.
Propagation of chokeberry by layering
Aronia chokeberry can be effectively propagated by diversion. To do this, choose arc or horizontal basal shoots of the first year of life. Their number depends on the type of shrub and the amount of nutrients in the soil. To propagate the plant, 5 shoots are enough. It is no longer necessary to dig in so as not to greatly deplete the mother bush.
The selected shoots for breeding chokeberry are shortened by 2–3 cm, after which they are tilted to the ground and broken. In this place, new roots are formed. Layers are pinned and covered with fertile soil. It will take several months to propagate a shrub in this way. Root formation is slow. During the season, blackberry shoots will take root well. During this period, they are well looked after, regularly watered.
Reproduction of chokeberry by the division of a bush
To propagate adult chokeberry bushes, they can be divided into parts. The dimensions of the roots of each division should correspond to the planting hole. Be sure to have young shoots, at least three per plant. All sections are treated with crushed coal.
The bottom of the holes is drained, the soil for planting is mixed with humus and superphosphate. The distance between seedlings is up to 2 m. The subsequent care of young chokeberry bushes does not differ from the usual. Water them as needed, up to 10 liters of water are spent per plant. Immediately after planting, the shoots are shortened by a third. For the winter, chokeberry is mulched with a thick layer of humus, peat or straw.
To effectively propagate the chokeberry, the plant must immediately be planted in the chosen place. When the seedlings are to be transported, they may die.
Aronia bushes are transported in a damp cloth. After that, the root system is inspected for damage and dry places. Before planting, it is better to saturate the chokeberry seedling with moisture. To do this, it is placed in water for three days, so that the roots are completely covered. After such a procedure, even short roots should be elastic. Immediately before planting, a clay mash is prepared. It is well lubricated with chokeberry roots to prevent the development of rot.
How to propagate black mountain ash by root offspring
Planting root offspring is an equally popular method to propagate chokeberry. Bushes annually give a lot of shoots, so there is no shortage of planting material.
The young shoots of chokeberry are separated from the mother plant with a shovel. Each bush should have its own roots. Before planting, the shoots are shortened by several buds, after which they are placed in the chosen place.
For planting chokeberries, a sunny area is allocated. There are no special requirements for the soil, but the shrub develops poorly on acidified soil. Aronia is so unpretentious that it calmly tolerates proximity to groundwater. It is often used as a hedge.
Reproduction of black rowan seeds
If there is a desire, then you can propagate the chokeberry by seeds. To do this, select ripe berries, leave them at room temperature to start the fermentation process. After that, they are rubbed through a sieve, the pulp is separated and washed. It is this method that prepares chokeberry seeds for germination.
In order for seedlings to appear together, the seeds are mixed with wet sand and cleaned in a cold place for 3 months. It could be the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Some gardeners recommend digging a container of seeds in the snow. And in the spring to breed.
In the second half of April, prepare a bed for planting seeds with a depth of 5–8 cm. Evenly distribute the seeds that have hatched and cover with soil. Top with humus. It will take more than a month to propagate chokeberry seeds. Young bushes are transplanted to a permanent place next fall.
Seedlings do not grow quickly, when the first pair of leaves appears, they are thinned out. Only strong and healthy plants are left, the rest are discarded. The distance between the sprouts is up to 5 cm. The second time the plantings are thinned out, when the second pair of leaves appears, the interval between them is increased to 7–8 cm. In the spring, the third thinning is done, at least 10 cm are left between the seedlings.
Throughout the season, chokeberry seedlings are fully cared for. The soil is recommended to be constantly kept moist, regularly loosened. Crops are fed several times during the growing season. Use slurry or other liquid organic matter.
Vaccination as a method of reproduction
You can effectively propagate chokeberry by grafting, but you need to know all the subtleties of the process. As a stock, a seedling of mountain ash is harvested. It is prepared in advance, thoroughly wiped from dust, shortened to a height of 12 cm. After that, a deep split is made with a sharp tool through the middle of the stock. Reproduction is done only with sterile instruments so as not to introduce bacteria and pests.
As a scion, a lignified stalk of chokeberry is used. Shoots 15 cm long with two to three buds take root well. They give an annual growth of up to 50 cm with ten leaves. The lower edge of the handle is sharpened in the form of a wedge, so that it fits snugly into the split.
The sequence of the reproduction procedure by grafting:
- Firmly insert the prepared scion into the rootstock.
- Wrap the inoculation site with occlusion film.
- Thoroughly lubricate the graft with garden pitch.
To get a positive result, a high humidity must be constantly maintained above the seedling. To do this, create a greenhouse effect using a transparent bag. It is put on a seedling, the edge is fixed below the grafting site.
You can judge the success of the reproduction of chokeberry in a month. The package is removed, by that time young leaves should appear from the buds of the scion. You can propagate the chokeberry by grafting before the start of sap flow.
As a rule, closely related trees and shrubs with good winter hardiness are chosen for reproduction.
Conclusion
You can propagate chokeberry in different ways, it is enough to study all the subtleties and features. The autumn procedure requires less attention from the gardener, and spring plantings will have to be well looked after so that they do not dry out over the summer. In addition, it is worth considering how many seedlings you need to get in the end. In order to have a lot of planting material, it is better to propagate chokeberry by cuttings or root shoots.
