How to propagate rhododendron: cuttings, in the country

Rhododendrons, also known as azaleas or wild rosemary, are ornamental shrubs with large inflorescences that take root in many climates. How rhododendron reproduces is known: by seeds; cuttings; vaccination; layering. The vaccination method is the most difficult, requires specific knowledge and skills and takes several years. Therefore, the article will describe simpler options.

Step-by-step instructions for propagation by cuttings

The easiest way to reproduce is by cutting an adult plant. It is distinguished by its speed; in just a couple of years, a young specimen begins to bloom.

Garden rhododendron

For harvesting, a young top or part of a shoot that is half woody is best suited. A suitable shoot length is 5-7 cm, it should have up to five leaves. Cuttings from the top of the shoot take root better.

How to cut a rhododendron:

1. The stalk is cut, which is located under the kidney. The top and small leaves are removed, the rest are cut by one third. The bark on the lower part of the cutting is stripped until a white layer appears, so that the roots form faster.
2. Next, the rhododendron goes through the stage of propagation by cuttings in water. The cut zone is soaked for 12 hours in a growth stimulant solution. A solution of succinic acid with a concentration of 0.02% is suitable.
3. Cuttings are planted in pots. A mixture of sand and peat 1: 1, poured in a layer of 8 cm, is used as a soil. A layer of expanded clay drainage is lined at the bottom of the container. Sprinkle with sand on top. Cuttings are planted at intervals of 5 cm.
4. Water the cuttings abundantly and cover the pot. It is necessary to hide it from the sun's rays, give the cuttings access to air twice a day and spray it with a spray bottle. The optimum temperature is 15-20 ° C.
5. By September, the cuttings will take root. You need to drop them in a box and transfer them to a cool, damp room (basement / cellar). Water twice a day.
6. Rhododendron, reproduction of which took place by cuttings, is planted in the beds the next summer. The plant will bloom in 1-2 years.

Rhododendron cuttings

How to propagate rhododendron with leaf cuttings

A method similar to classic cuttings.

How to propagate rhododendron with leafy cuttings:

1. In the second half of July, a large stem is selected and a leaf with an axillary bud is cut off with a knife.
2. The slice is soaked in a growth promoter. During planting, the petiole is buried a couple of centimeters.
3. Further preparation is carried out in the same way as for conventional cuttings.

To root cuttings, you need to provide them with daily care. Planted cuttings should be in a shaded area. In warm weather, remove the film or glass frame to allow condensation to drain off the surface. After airing the cuttings, they are sprayed with 100 ml of water per 1 m².

On hot days, the cover made of film or glass is completely removed. In the third week after moving to the greenhouse or planting in the ground, the cuttings will begin to take root.

Reproduction of rhododendrons by layering

A simple and time-consuming method. Suitable for those who need a small amount of plants. Best used for deciduous species.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. In the interval between early May and early June, you need to get a shoot from the bottom of the bush. With the help of a bracket, it is pressed into a small hole (no more than 10 cm deep) and sprinkled with soil mixed with peat. The top is fixed to the support in an upright position.
2. Regular watering is required. Both the soil and the air around it should be moist.
3. In winter, the plants need to be covered.
4. After a couple of years (in autumn or spring), the cuttings are cut off from the mother plant.
5. In order for the layering to take root, it is necessary to plant it in a semi-shaded place without direct sunlight.

How to plant layers of rhododendron

An alternative breeding option is air layering. The method is used mainly by foreign gardeners:

1. Several branches must be selected from the mother plant. Make small cuts 1-2 cm long along the stem.
2. Wrap the cuts in fresh sphagnum moss and cling film, securing it at the upper and lower edges.
3. After three weeks, roots will begin to form.
4. In autumn, the layers are separated and planted in containers. They are placed in greenhouses to keep the plants growing.

Reproduction of rhododendrons by seeds

Method for species plants. The first entries appear in 7-20 days. For the procedure, you will need a loose substrate into which water and air can easily penetrate. A home mix of peat and river sand in a 1: 1 ratio is suitable. When using a commercially available mixture, soil for heather plants is suitable.

A drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the pot or other container.

How to propagate rhododendron using seeds:

1. It is necessary to subject the seeds to stratification in the refrigerator for a day in advance. Recommended temperature 3-5 ° C.
2. Stir in sand and spread over sterilized potting mix. Seeds sown in the hole do not germinate.
3. Spray the substrate and cover the box or container with foil or glass.
4. Required conditions of detention: temperature 10-15 ° C, air humidity up to 40%, direct sunlight should not fall on the container.
5. The soil is sprayed and aired twice a day.
6. The first shoots will appear in 2-3 weeks. Further, the cotyledons are formed.
7. Normally, by mid-September, the seedling should have 5-10 leaves. It should be transplanted into a separate pot along with a lump of earth. A drainage layer 2-3 cm thick is made at the bottom.
8. The seedlings are covered with glass or foil, sprayed and ventilated twice a day.
9. A year after the start of germination (first half of spring), the length of the seedlings will be 5 cm. During this period, they need to be transplanted into a container with a diameter of 5-7 cm. Suitable soil mixture: turf soil, sand, peat, coniferous litter in equal proportions.
10. For the summer, the pots should be placed in the garden out of direct sunlight. Since September, the seedlings are returned to storage in the premises.
11. In the third year, potted plants can be dug in the garden. Once a season, apply top dressing, complex fertilizers for indoor flowers are suitable.
12. In winter, the pots are moved indoors, and in the summer they are returned to the street again.

Rhododendron seeds

By the fifth spring, plants can be planted in open ground. By this time, their height will be 40-70 cm.Examples of the Pontic rhododendron will grow up to 80-120 cm.

Dividing the bush

An effective but not common method used in the garden or in the country. It allows you to get guaranteed new plants, but the mother bush is severely damaged.

How the street rhododendron multiplies with the help of division:

1. You will need an adult, large, healthy bush.
2. In March, the mother plant is cut into several pieces with a shovel. Each of them should have healthy roots and shoots.
3. Small roots are removed with a knife.
4. The separated bush is planted in acidic soil: small - in a container, large - in a greenhouse.

Follow-up care as a full-fledged young plant.

Vaccination in greenhouse conditions

Using this method, the grafting shoot and the rootstock of 3-4 years old are combined. The grafting is done as close as possible to the rootstock roots. It is better to carry out the procedure at the beginning of autumn.

The rootstocks are dug up, planted in pots and transferred to a greenhouse with a temperature of 5-10 ° C. After two weeks, they take root. A few hours before inoculation, the earthen lump of the plant is soaked.

Further, if desired, you can use one of the vaccination methods:

• budding - placing a bud on a branch of the main plant;
• copulation - placing the stem in the cut of the main plant.

Thus, there are many ways to propagate a rhododendron. Which one to choose, each grower decides for himself, based on his knowledge and available tools. It is better, of course, to dwell on cuttings, since this option is much easier and more productive.