Reproduction of succulents

Greenhouses and lighting

After planting, you need to spray the cuttings with water with Zircon and put them in a greenhouse. The greenhouse is a container covered with plastic wrap, which includes cuttings with a margin of height. A greenhouse can be made from an old glass, maybe not completely sealed, an aquarium, a deep plastic bowl or container. A mini greenhouse can be built from a 5-liter or 1.5-liter water bottle by cutting it across.

Cuttings should be kept in high humidity conditions until they form their roots, which will take over the process of supplying the plant with water. But in addition to 100% moisture, cuttings need light for rooting. It is not recommended to put cuttings in the sun, since overheating inside the greenhouse is possible, therefore additional lighting is organized. Special phytolamps, especially LED ones, are best suited for illumination, but it is quite enough to use cheaper, albeit less economical, fluorescent lamps. By the way, among them there are energy-saving phytolamps, which, however, give a pink light that is not very pleasant for the eyes.

Daylight hours should be optimal for 12 hours. Observance of day and night is mandatory. The optimum temperature for rooting is +25 degrees; at lower temperatures, root formation is reluctant. For many plants (eg bougainvillea) bottom heating is desirable when the substrate temperature is higher than the air temperature. On my shelves, this is achieved by heating from a fluorescent lamp that illuminates the shelf below.

I expect the first results of rooting in 2 weeks for myrtle, melaleuc, callistemons, rosemary, abutilones, figs, ficuses. A month later - for hibiscus, bougainvillea, metrosideros, eugene, psidium, citrus, olives. Gently take out the cups - the resulting roots are clearly visible through the transparent walls of the cups.

Propagation by cuttings in autumn

In the fall, wood grafting is used, this period is convenient because almost all garden work has already been completed and you can safely start grafting.

In autumn, cuttings from mature stems are made after the leaves have fallen, but before the ground freezes, that is, we wait for the plant to enter dormancy.

Although there are plants that are not afraid of frost, cuttings from such plants can also be taken in January, the main thing is not to do this in severe frosts.

For this procedure, it is better to choose a young and healthy plant, free of signs of diseases and pests, which grows in well-lit places.

For seedlings, it is best to use shoots 0.5-1 cm thick with well-developed buds.

Thinner shoots are not suitable because they are usually not woody enough and have less developed inflorescences.

It is very important to get the right cut. Then you need to cut off the processes from the mother plant.

Then you need to cut off the shoots from the mother plant.

Cuttings are cut 12-15 cm long.

Each cutting should have well-developed buds in the amount of 1-2 pcs.

The lower cut is made just below (1 cm) of the first kidney, and the upper one, just above the second kidney.

Tie the cuttings into bunches and arrange them vertically or at an angle in the basement.

The optimum storage temperature is 0-4 degrees.

Then cover them about ¾ of the height with wet sand and peat, or sawdust.

Cuttings should not be overdried, so check the substrate moisture from time to time during storage.

If we do not have a suitable room, the seedlings can be planted outside the house in a prepared pit, 50 cm deep, filled with wet sand and well protected from frost.

To do this, choose a shaded area, preferably the north side with permeable soil.

And in early spring, as soon as the soil thaws, the seedlings can be planted in the ground.

Cuttings are planted in pre-prepared soil, loosened and enriched with nutrients, for this, for example, you can use vermicompost.

They are placed in the ground to such a depth that only the upper bud or a pair of buds protrude above the ground.

The soil around the cuttings should be compressed so that it adheres well to where the roots are to develop.

After the procedure, you need to periodically water the seedlings abundantly.

If you have planted cuttings on the sunny side, you can temporarily create a shade for them by covering them, for example, with agrospan.

How to propagate succulents

Reproduction of succulents is a simple process, if you follow the basic rules for care, choose the right soil and observe the temperature regime. Young seedlings take root quickly and can soon be planted in the ground without harm to health.

There are several effective ways to propagate succulents:

The method of reproduction is chosen depending on the type of plant, its state of health, and the season. Growing and caring for seedlings at home may also differ based on the parameters described above, but the general rules are similar for all succulents.

Cuttings and shoots

Cutting is the most popular breeding method due to its simplicity and versatility. You can separate the shoot from any succulent without any problems, without creating a stressful situation for the plant.

First of all, you need to choose a stalk. It should be a lateral outgrowth located at the bottom of the succulent, but not closest to the ground. The stalk is carefully separated from the main stem with your fingers or plucked off with special tweezers.

Succulents accumulate water in themselves, therefore, in order to plant them with shoots, first the resulting "babies" need to be dried on the windowsill for 2-3 days. If this is not done, but at the stage of root formation, the cutting will simply rot, overflowing with water.

Overdried processes can be placed in a container of water for a day or two. If the drying is successful, then the future succulent is immediately planted in a soil abundantly watered and fertilized with root formation stimulants.

Water a new plant twice as often as an adult succulent until the root system is strengthened. The aftercare system is no different.

Leaves

Propagating succulents with leaves is the least stressful way for a plant to increase the number of exotic plants on the windowsill.

Some types of succulents (for example, a stone rose) shed their leaves themselves when they think they are ready to breed. Due to the fact that the gardener does not interfere with the natural process, the plant experiences minimal stress and the risks of getting sick are significantly reduced.

When the succulent has got rid of the fragment, you just need to insert it into the ground (in the same pot or in a separate one - it doesn't matter), after having abundantly watered and loosened the soil. Two weeks is enough for the plant to take root and form into a separate representative of the species

Also, reproduction by the leaf method can occur without the participation of a gardener. Sometimes the fallen leaves themselves take root in the pot next to the parent plant. Having found such a baby, it needs to be transplanted as soon as possible, until its roots and the roots of the main succulent are intertwined.

If the succulent leaves are large (for example, like Gasteria or Hawrotia) they themselves do not fall off, you can breed this kind not with a whole leaf, but with part of it. This is a riskier method than cutting off a piece naturally, but still safer than grafting. The leaf cut is dried for 2-3 days, after which it is planted in the loosened soil approximately 1 centimeter in depth. Rooting in water for such a "baby" is not carried out.

Seeds

Seed propagation is the most difficult and longest way to get new succulents. The first leaves will have to wait from 2 months to six months, while strictly monitoring watering, temperature and soil condition.

First of all, for seed reproduction, you need to acquire a planting mixture that does not retain moisture, good drainage and a mini-greenhouse. All this is sold in specialized stores.

Seeds are sown in open ground after a week of drying and germinate in the ground for several months. They need to be watered, irrigated, and fertilized regularly on schedule. You can remove the cover from the greenhouse only after the sprouts have risen 2-3 centimeters above the ground, which also takes a lot of time.

How does it propagate by cuttings and leaves?

Cuttings are a popular breeding method at home. It can be grown in this way both in spring and summer. Side shoots located on the main stem are perfect for reproduction. Reproduction by a leaf allows you to rejuvenate an aged flower, give it strength for subsequent development.

We offer you to watch a video about the features of the reproduction of aloe:

How to prepare a rootless stalk or leaf?

For cuttings, choose well-formed, straight shoots. Their length should be about 10 cm. The presence of 6 or more leaves is a prerequisite for effective reproduction.

The following tips will help you prepare your escape properly:

1. Cut. Produce with a sharp knife. Eliminate damage to nearby growing shoots and leaves. The instrument must be disinfected in a dark solution of potassium permanganate.
2. Accommodation. Place the prepared shoot in a closet and leave in this form for 5-7 days. The cut should dry out and be covered with a film. Monitor the humidity level during storage: the optimal value is 50%.
3. Disinfection. Treat the clay containers under the cuttings with a superphosphate solution, plastic containers with soapy water, and bake ceramic containers in the oven for 15 minutes.

If you decide to propagate with leaves, you should choose a well-developed, strong and healthy planting material. Sheet size - from 8 cm.

1. Cut the leaves only with a clean sharp instrument from the base of the main stem. In this case, the cut should be inclined.
2. Place the prepared material in a dry cloth, leave in this form for 1-2 days. The cut should dry well, be covered with a film.

How to plant?

The grafting process is as follows:

1. Pour 3/4 of the soil mixture into a container, consisting of equal parts:
   • peat;
   • sand;
   • ash;
   • perlite;
   • chips of brick or small rubble;
   • ordinary land.

   Fill the rest of the volume with moistened sand.

2. Treat the cut of the cutting with charcoal.
3. To deepen into the soil by 2 cm. The gap between the shoots should be 4-5 cm.
4. Sprinkle gravel on the surface of the soil to fix the plantings.
5. Place the container on a windowsill with abundant sunlight. Observe the temperature regime - + 20- + 25 ° C.
6. Follow-up care consists in timely watering. Stagnation of water is unacceptable.

After 4 weeks, the root system will form. New plants can be planted in separate pots.

Reproduction by leaves includes the stages:

1. Sprinkle the cut with charcoal powder. You can replace the material with activated carbon.
2. Fill the container with potting soil from:
   • garden land;
   • sand;
   • vermiculite.

   Moisten well.

3. Dip the leaves into the soil by 3 cm.
4. Place the plantings in a warm room filled with abundant sunlight.

Many flower growers do not drop the leaves, but simply lay them out on the surface of the earth. The roots that appear will themselves "go" into the soil.

Young plants require systematic watering. When the sprouts are well formed, they can be planted in separate pots.

Problems in the care of succulents

With proper care, succulents grow healthy and rich green.But making mistakes in creating conditions for these plants, they can be exposed to diseases:

Lighting for a succulent is vital. With its lack, the plant loses its shape and bright colors, rots and gradually dies

With an excess of sunlight, the leaves receive severe burns, which are capable of burning them altogether. It is best to keep the succulent plant in the southern window. But if the plant does not know what bright light is, it must be accustomed to it gradually;

Watering should be fairly sparse. In summer, the flower is watered once every one and a half weeks, and in winter, once a month or less. It is better to water the succulent in the morning or in the evening, so that the sun does not heat the moist soil. It is impossible to leave drops of water on a flower at noon, this will provoke a sunburn;

The air temperature for keeping succulents should always be at 24-27 degrees. Higher temperatures are capable of "boiling" the flower. And the temperature below 20 is destructive for the plant. A critical 20 degrees may allow succulents to survive until warming, but this greatly reduces their ability to resist bacteria and parasites.

Separation of orchid babies from a peduncle

The plant can be propagated in two ways. Step-by-step reproduction of an orchid using a peduncle is as follows.

1. Cut off the flower stalk without flowers with a sharp knife.
2. Divide it with a knife into several parts. Each of the sticks should have a bud as close as possible near the bottom cut.
3. Crush the activated carbon and sprinkle it over the damaged areas.
4. Sprinkle charcoal over the cut that remains on the plant itself.
5. Gently peel off the scales that protect the buds.
6. Put sphagnum moss in a plastic bottle prepared for planting in advance and spray it with settled rainwater or purified water.
7. Put your cuttings in a horizontal position in the bottle.
8. Place glass on top of the bottle or wrap with cling film.
9. Transfer the bottle to a warm place where the air temperature is 25 degrees.
10. The bottle needs to be oxygenated every day, so remove the cover (glass or film) for 10 minutes.
11. At the time of airing, be sure to spray from a spray bottle with water on peat.

The second method is to do this.

1. Cut the cutting, which has bloomed, put in water, the water should be at room temperature and soft. You can do this yourself, add a tablet of succinic acid, a few crystals of potassium permanganate to the water so that the water acquires a pale pink hue, a few tablets of activated carbon and a few drops of a biological stimulant. Calculate this amount for half a liter of water.
2. Place a bottle or jar of water and sprout in a warm place with direct sunlight.
3. Cover with foil or a special cap, creating a greenhouse effect.
4. Be sure to enrich the water with oxygen, change it every 4 days.
5. You can grow buds in a few weeks, they can be cut off and transplanted into the ground.

A young plant needs warmth and sunlight. If there is not enough sunlight for the sprout, you can use special lamps or place it on the sunny and east side of the window. Keep the room temperature at least 18 ° C, but no more than 25 ° C. In winter, the permissible temperature regime is from 12 to 15 degrees Celsius.

Moisten the soil systematically. If there is a slight excess of water, this is not scary, overdried soil is undesirable for orchids. Always use warm and soft water, you can simply boiled or distilled. The plant must be fed within 14 days after transplanting into the ground. To do this, you can use special solutions that are sold in a flower shop.

Choose sparing solutions, choose the minimum dosage, it is better to reduce it by 4 times the manufacturer's recommended dose. Maintain a high humidity in the room where the sprouts are located, around 70%.You can carry out constant spraying from a spray bottle, water will not damage the flower.

In all cases, regardless of the way the baby is separated, the shoot must be placed in greenhouse conditions, maintaining the required temperature and humidity until a full-fledged root system is formed. To root the plant, moss is used, which helps maintain the necessary moisture, while avoiding excessive waterlogging.

Phalaenopsis flowering at home

After the formation of strong roots and a pair of real leaves, the orchid is planted in a pot in a permanent place.

Grind and soak dry sphagnum moss in a bowl of clean water.

When some of the moss has absorbed moisture, squeeze it out.

Cut it into pieces 5–8 cm long. Each cutting should have at least one knot with a dormant bud.

Powder the ends of the slices in crushed activated carbon.

Moisturize regularly. After 6-8 weeks, the cuttings should take root and give new shoots. When the plants grow up to 6-8 cm in height, plant them in separate containers in special orchid soil. Keep the soil moist. Expect flowering in 2 years.

It is not recommended to cut more than two peduncles from one plant - this greatly depletes the orchid.

The subtleties of growing from a leaf

Leaf propagation also has a number of positive points, because of which it is worth choosing this particular method:

1. Security. By growing a plant from a fallen leaf, the gardener does not expose the mother succulent to additional stress.
2. Compactness. You can grow a new succulent from a leaf in the same pot in which the mother plant is planted.
3. Unpretentiousness. The leaf method of reproduction practically does not require additional child care.

The main weakness of this breeding method is speed. You can wait for the appearance of a new leaf for a long time, and if the mother plant was looked after incorrectly, then the fragments may not fall off.

You can easily get rid of the main disadvantage of this type of breeding. You just need to not wait for the fragment to separate, but cut off the sheet or part of it yourself.

Selecting and rooting a sheet plate

Often the gardener is faced with a question of choice. For example, during the period of active reproduction, several leaves may separate from the succulent, and when the fragment is separated, there are generally all the leaves in front of the breeder. You can choose the most suitable one according to a number of characteristics:

1. The leaf should be fleshy.
2. The surface of the fragment is uniform, the color is bright.
3. The skin on the leaf plate has no wrinkles.

A carefully selected leaf can be planted in the ground. In order to root it, you do not need to perform any additional manipulations with the fragment. Excess moisture can only activate the decay process, and drying will deprive the leaf of the vitality that will be needed to form the root system.

The emergence of sprouts

In a high-quality substrate, sprouts will appear in 5-7 days. For the complete rooting of the plant, a succulent needs from 1 month (in summer) to three (in the cold season).

After the first shoots have appeared above the surface, the abundance of watering is significantly reduced. If the plant has gone up, then the roots have already taken root, and the succulent can spend energy on development. At this stage, the main thing is not to overflow the root system with water. The amount of top dressing also decreases, but the fertilization schedule remains the same.

When a succulent plant reaches 3-4 centimeters in height, and its root is strengthened, it can be transferred to a standard care scheme without risks to the health of the seedling.

Breeding succulents is a fun and easy way to create your own small garden of exotic plants. Approaching this process wisely, the gardener will turn the seating into a holiday that will not require any additional effort from him.

Caring for wisteria in the garden

From spring to the end of the summer period, wisteria must be watered in such a way that the soil of the trunk circle is a little damp (not wet) all the time

If the spring turned out to be dry, then special attention should be paid to watering, since with a lack of moisture, the vine can throw off the buds. From the second half of September, the plant gradually begins to water less

For lush, timely flowering during the period of active growth, it is recommended to feed this plant 1 time in 7 days. In this case, it is necessary to alternate organic (mullein infusion diluted with water in a ratio of 1:20) and mineral fertilizers (for example, Kemira-lux). Also, the plant responds well to watering with chalk water (100 g of chalk is taken for 10 liters of water), which should be done 1 time per season. Fading inflorescences must be cut off in a timely manner. You also need to remove dried branches in a timely manner, and also tie up and guide the stems, in this case they will not fall, and will grow in the direction you need. When preparing wisteria for wintering, it is necessary to earthen the root rosette high, after which the vine must be removed from the supports, and then it is laid on the near-trunk circle (the same is done with climbing roses). After that, the plant must be sprinkled with a layer of dried leaves, and lutrasil or spunbond is laid on top of them. It is possible not to cover the plant, but then in the winter with little snow, the vine will simply freeze out.

Bloom

The flowering of the Chinese wisteria can be seen after it is 3 years old, and the Japanese wisteria - 10 years old. In this regard, such a tree is suitable for growing those gardeners who have patience. The flowering of Chinese wisteria begins in April, with all the inflorescences opening at once. Blossoming of Japanese wisteria is observed in May – June. It is necessary to ensure that there is not too much nitrogen in the soil, in this case you will not see flowering, but there will be a lot of foliage.

Pruning

Pruning is done to stimulate flowering and help shape the tree. To form a standard tree, you need to choose the 1 most powerful shoot, and cut off all the rest. When growing wisteria in the form of a climbing plant, the side stems, which grow in large numbers, must be cut off. In this case, the vine will spend all its energy on flowering. In spring, you will need to cut off young shoots that stick out, the fact is that during flowering they will cover the gorgeous bunches of flowers with themselves. It should also be noted that the young one-year-old lateral branch of this plant gives inflorescences this year only if it is shortened by 30 centimeters. Vines are formed in the summer. To do this, you need to shorten the side shoots by 20–40 centimeters, and at the end of the summer period they are still cut off by 10–20 centimeters. But excessive pruning is not worth it, because in this case the flowering will be less abundant.

Reproduction of wisteria

The above is detailed how to grow wisteria from seed. It should be remembered that a larger number of vines that have grown from such seedlings never begin to bloom, while no one can give an answer, which is why this is happening. In this regard, the vegetative method is considered the best breeding option. The easiest way is to propagate this plant by layering. In order to obtain layering, the strongest annual shoot should be chosen in spring. In the middle, an oblique incision is made on the surface of the bark. Then the stem is bent in such a way as to lay the incised part on a container filled with a clay-sod soil mixture. After that, the branch is fixed in this position and instilled, while the upper part of the shoot should remain free. After the cuttings give roots, it can be separated, and it is recommended to do this with the onset of the next spring period.

Some more gardeners propagate this plant by grafting on the roots and using cuttings. However, these are ineffective methods.

Wisteria 1 Seed propagation.

Diseases and pests

It happens that aphids or clover mites settle on a plant. An acaricidal agent is used to kill ticks, and insecticides are used to combat aphids. If you plant a plant on alkaline soil, then this can provoke the development of chlorosis, as a result of which the leaf plates turn yellow. To cure the affected specimen, it must be fed by the root method, using iron salts for this.

Seed propagation

Seeds can propagate several types of cacti, primrose, fuchsia, cyclamen, coleus.

Houseplants are rarely propagated by seeds, because this is a rather complicated method. However, if you wish, you can still try to grow a spectacular plant from a tiny grain. Also, thanks to this propagation method, it is quite possible to get a new plant shape (for example, with a different color). It is recommended for beginners to choose annual plants for the first sowing, as they are relatively easy to grow.

In March – April, seeds of rapidly germinating plants are sown, and in the last winter weeks - those that germinate for a long time. If there is a thick skin on the seeds, they will need preliminary preparation, so they can be doused with freshly boiled water or placed in a liquid for several days. You can also treat the seeds with aloe juice. This will speed up germination as well as bring flowering closer.

Before sowing, the soil must be warmed up in the oven. A dredge mix consisting of sand and peat, which are taken in equal proportions, is suitable for this. You can add a small amount of vermiculite. A ready-made soil mixture intended for growing seedlings is also suitable for sowing.

Fill the pot or tray with soil, level the surface and compact slightly. Spread the seeds over the surface of the substrate (not thickly) and sprinkle them on top, so that they look slightly out. Water with a watering can with a strainer or a sprayer. Cover the container with glass or foil on top. Provide the seedlings with the required temperature regime, as well as the required level of lighting (this information can be found on the package).

Taking care of the planted seeds is easy enough. They just need to arrange systematic ventilation, as well as ensure regular watering with a sprayer. After the seedlings appear, the shelter is removed, and the container is placed in a well-lit place.

Seedling picking

In order for the plant to have powerful roots, the seedlings must be dived. As a rule, this procedure is carried out 1 to 3 times. There are flowers that do not need to be dived, and some, on the contrary, need to be dived 5 or even more times. The first pick is made after the formation of 1–2 true sheets. With each subsequent transplant, a substrate is used that is more saturated with nutrients.

You can use a peg, pencil or pen to make a hole for a seedling. Insert it to the required depth and then pull it out. After that, you can plant the seedling, while the soil mixture should be wet, and watering after planting must be done with a sprayer. To make the seedlings take root faster, they are sprayed with a solution of phytohormones, and then covered with glass or film.

Schefflera: growing from seed at home - part 1

Leaf, cuttings and seed breeding methods for succulents

It cannot be said that I am such a notorious "cactus expert", but if you count my collection of succulents, there are about 15 different specimens. I love to keep my little ones in beautiful pots, complementing these compositions with small figurines or dried flowers.

As soon as I photograph plants for Facebook or Instagram, some of my friends always ask me to grow such beauty for him. Therefore, I have a separate window sill on the balcony for a "kindergarten", where the cuttings are constantly rooting, then the leaves are sprouting. Friends, too, do not remain in debt, often giving me seeds of rare species. Therefore, I have already managed to test all the methods of propagation of such plants.

Propagation by leaves

Not every succulent is capable of "growing" a full-fledged plant from a leaf. Make sure your species can do it beforehand. Then select the healthiest leaves, preferably towards the bottom, towards the root. The leaves should be free of damage and stains.

It is important to separate the leaf from the stem correctly. Pinch it with your fingers and scroll several times - the sheet will remain in your hand

Do not tear, do not pull it up or down. Place the selected material on paper and let dry for a week. The leaves should not be exposed to sunlight.

Dip the leaves in the root solution

Make a depression in the prepared substrate and carefully place the leaf there. Cover with earth and lightly compact it around the sheet

If there are a lot of leaves, take one large container with the substrate. Moisten it, lay the leaves side by side, pressing them tightly to the soil. Place the container in the shade and keep the soil from drying out. After 4-5 weeks, the leaves will start to take root. They can be seated in separate small containers.