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You can graft lilacs in the spring, first of all, by budding on an awakening bud, however, there are other methods. This procedure is used both for the propagation of cultivated varietal lilacs and for stimulating flowering. The likelihood of whether the plant will take root or not depends on the nature of the rootstock and compliance with sanitary standards during grafting. All tools should be thoroughly disinfected with a solution of potassium permanganate before starting work.
Details of lilac grafting in spring are shown in the video in this article.
Is it possible to graft lilacs?
Many novice gardeners are not sure whether to graft lilacs, because there are more affordable ways to propagate the plant. Sometimes this is not only possible, but necessary.
The fact is that when grown in unfavorable conditions, a lilac bush can become very weak. The shrub is also weakened by non-compliance with agricultural standards on the part of humans.You can restore the plant by applying fertilizing, replanting it in a more favorable place (from the point of view of soil composition) or by grafting lilacs, and you can do both the spring and autumn versions.
What can you graft lilacs on?
There are not many plants on which lilac can be grafted. There are even fewer of those that can, on the contrary, be grafted onto lilacs.
The following crops are mainly called:
- wild lilac;
- privet;
- ash;
- Rowan.
Sometimes there is information about grafting lilac onto maple, however, there is no exact data on the survival rate of the plant.
Is it possible to graft lilac onto lilac?
Lilac is successfully grafted onto its relatives. In particular, an inconspicuous, weakened bush can be turned into a lush shrub with abundant flowering due to varietal grafting. This is done by combining a wild plant and a garden varietal crop, where the latter acts as a rootstock.
The reverse process is also possible. You can graft varietal lilacs onto wild ones. The result will be a plant with improved winter hardiness, endurance and immunity to diseases and pests.
Finally, you can graft one variety onto another. This grafting allows you to get a bush with mixed characteristics of both varieties.
Is it possible to graft lilac onto ash, rowan, or privet?
Among other plant species, ash is most often chosen for grafting - it is a related crop belonging to the same family as lilac, thanks to which the shoot grafted onto it takes root well.
A completely different situation is observed when trying to graft lilac onto privet - this is the most unreliable planting material. The scion does not always take root and such a combination rarely produces a strong plant.In addition, privet is not winter-hardy at all.
It is also not recommended to graft lilac onto rowan. The results are quite contradictory, the survival rate is generally average.
What can you graft onto lilacs?
In addition to another variety of lilac or a wild species, you can try to graft an olive onto a garden bush, however, the survival rate of the plant is average.
There is also an opinion that you can graft an apple or plum tree onto a lilac. Gardeners give different answers, however, the correct one is impossible. These crops belong to different families.
Scion preparation
The lilac scion is prepared as follows:
- From a bush that has particularly lush flowering, it is necessary to cut cuttings with buds that have not yet had time to open.
- It is believed that the graft that takes root best is the cutting for which was cut from one-year-old semi-lignified shoots.
- Harvested cuttings are stored in a cellar or refrigerator, but not in the freezer. Before this they are wrapped in paper.
- Half an hour before grafting, it is advisable to dip the cuttings in any growth stimulator.
In order for the procedure to be successful, it is necessary to adhere to a number of rules when connecting the scion and rootstock:
- Cuttings for grafting are cut from proven bushes. The gardener must know what variety he is grafting. In addition, it is important that the plant is healthy.
- Mature annual shoots are best suited as a scion.
- Shoots cut from the top of the bush, which receives the greatest amount of sunlight, take root especially well.
- It is better to cut cuttings from the southern side of the bush, because the leaves in its axils have well-developed eyes and short internodes.
How to properly graft lilacs
It is recommended to vaccinate lilacs early in the morning or in the evening, when there is no scorching sun. It is advisable to carry out the procedure in dry, cloudless weather. High air humidity reduces the survival rate of the scion.
Cuttings are usually grafted onto the root shoots of a bush. The procedure is carried out according to the following scheme:
- In March, as soon as the soil thaws and softens, it is necessary to dig up annual shoots. From these, samples are selected that match the thickness of the existing cuttings. Among these shoots, preference is given to those that grow further away from the bush. Specimens with thin and weak roots are discarded.
- All shoots are cut off from the rhizome, but one strong shoot is left. The light shoots and buds located underground are also cleaned so that they do not weaken the rootstock and do not act as “competitors” for the grafting.
- The rhizome of each rootstock is hidden in a plastic bag as quickly as possible so that it does not dry out, and tied at the root collar with a rope or tape.
Timing of lilac grafting
The timing of lilac grafting in the spring is determined by the beginning of sap flow, which most often occurs in late March - early April. Outwardly, this manifests itself in the fact that the kidneys become fuller and increase in size. The grafting itself is carried out after the start of sap flow, but the cuttings are cut at the end of winter before the buds awaken.
Also, cuttings for grafting lilacs in the spring months can be prepared in the fall.
Preparation of tools and materials
In order to carry out vaccination, the following materials and tools are needed:
- rootstock - the plant on which the grafting is performed;
- scion – cut annual shoots (cuttings);
- garden shears for cutting cuttings;
- special grafting knife for budding.
Spring grafting of lilacs in different ways
For gardeners without experience in grafting plants, the most suitable method is to graft lilacs in the spring through simple copulation without cutting “tongues” or splits. This method will avoid possible damage to the shoots when the branches are split too much.
Grafting by simple copulation implies the following sequence of actions:
- Using garden shears, the rootstock is cut to a height of 60 cm. Lilacs should not be grafted higher - in this case, the rootstock often forms shoots below the grafting site.
- The next step is to prepare oblique cuts of the same size, both on the rootstock and on the scion. Using a budding knife, cut the cuttings obliquely 3-5 mm below the buds. The length of the cut should exceed the diameter of the cutting by at least 2-3 times.
- Then the cut sites are pressed tightly against each other. It is important to connect the rootstock and scion in one movement; you cannot rub the sections against each other - this way the grafting will not take root due to minor damage to the internal tissues of the bush.
- The top of the cutting is cut off, but at least one pair of buds is left on it.
- After this, the grafting site is carefully wrapped with polyethylene. The opposite end of the scion is treated with garden varnish so that it does not dry out.
Vaccination for bark done a little differently:
- The rootstock is cut off and a bark cut is made on it obliquely. The length of the cut should be approximately 3 cm.
- Then, with the very end of the knife, pry up the edge of the bark and bend it slightly so that the cutting can be inserted.
- After this, the cutting is cut diagonally and inserted into the cut almost all the way.
- The procedure is completed by gartering the vaccination site. To do this, wrap the knot with tape, cut off the end of the cutting and lubricate the cut with garden varnish.
You can learn more about how to vaccinate lilacs in spring or summer from the video below:
Separately, it is worth mentioning the grafting of lilacs into clefts, which is carried out according to the following scheme:
- All buds are removed from the rootstock and a cut is made from above.
- Then a split 3-4 cm deep is made in the middle of the rootstock. The split should be positioned vertically.
- The lilac scion is cut on both sides so that a wedge with edges of 3 cm is obtained.
- Then the scion is inserted into the split, after which the junction is wrapped with polyethylene.
- The procedure is completed by treating all damage with garden varnish.
Caring for lilacs after grafting
In order for the graft to take root, it is necessary to carefully monitor the development of its buds. The scion and rootstock grow together in about 2 weeks, after which the grafted cuttings begin to grow. Unfortunately, this is nothing more than an idealized situation. In practice, young shoots on the scion may appear only in early to mid-summer.
At the end of September, you can remove the garter from the grafting site, however, if there are strong gusts of wind in the area, you should wait a little. As a last resort, the garter is left until spring, but it is important to ensure that it does not grow into the bark. In addition, it is necessary from time to time to remove all the young growth that forms on the branch just below the grafting site.
The rest of the care for grafted lilacs is basic - the bush needs to be watered from time to time, fed, insulated for the winter, and the area near the trunk must be loosened regularly.
Conclusion
Planting lilacs in the spring is not difficult, especially with proper preparation. It is enough to watch a couple of videos and take care of disinfecting equipment so as not to introduce harmful microorganisms into either the rootstock or scion. It is even easier to graft lilacs if you skip the stage of preparing cuttings and purchase material from a gardening nursery.
Caring for a grafted plant is also quite simple and differs little from the basic one. The result of grafting is multiplied plantings or more luxuriant flowering. The latter is achieved by giving lilac the characteristics of a plant that is used as a scion or rootstock.
You can learn more about how to plant lilacs in the spring from the video below:
