Content
Weigela is an ornamental shrub used in landscape design as an independent element or as a background for other crops. Weigela can be propagated in various ways; in order to choose the optimal method of propagating the crop, you should study them in more detail.
How does weigela reproduce?
Shrub cultivation methods have their own characteristics that must be taken into account when choosing one method or another:
- Propagation by seeds – this method is time-consuming and troublesome. Seeds do not always sprout, so you need to take care of a sufficient amount of seed material. For planting, fertile soil is used, which is poured into pots or boxes, and then the seeds are sown. They are sprinkled with sand on top and covered with glass. Only after three weeks can the gardener see the shoots. But planting the plant in the garden will only be possible when the seedling is three years old.Important! When propagated by seeds, not all species properties of weigela can be inherited.
- Propagation by cuttings – lignified shoots are not suitable for this method of propagation. It is recommended to choose cuttings from last year, or summer, green ones. It is better to propagate weigela by cuttings in the fall. Cuttings about fifteen centimeters long are suitable, from which the lower leaves are removed. The top of the cuttings is shortened by about half. The cut is treated with root and planted in a peat-sand mixture covered with a thin layer of sand. It is necessary to insert the cutting into the soil not too deep, about one centimeter. A jar or cut plastic bottle is placed on top, which will subsequently need to be removed every day so that the weigela can be ventilated. It will take about a year and a half for the cuttings to take root and take root. After this, it can be planted in a permanent place.
Below is a photo of weigela and a description of the reproduction algorithms.
How to propagate weigela by cuttings in spring, summer or autumn
Weigela propagation algorithms differ depending on the time of year. In order to propagate weigela in the spring, green cuttings are suitable. Cuttings covered with lignified bark will take a long time to take root, about five years.
Algorithm for cutting weigela in spring:
- a cutting 10-15 cm in size with two small leaves is cut at a right angle;
- for propagation, weigela cuttings are soaked in settled water;
- prepare peat and sand substrate in advance in a 1:1 ratio, as well as a medium-sized pot;
- The cuttings are buried halfway in the pot, covered with humus and river sand, and covered with film.
It is best to place it in a greenhouse, where the most comfortable conditions will be.
The weigela cuttings should be kept in such conditions for approximately 45 days. In order to transplant it into open ground, it will take a year and a half of growth. Over time, the weigela will increase in size, so it will need to be transplanted into a larger container.
Cuttings of weigela in autumn and summer are no worse than in spring, and are also widely used among gardeners. As soon as the plant stops blooming, you can begin the cutting procedure, but if the leaves begin to change their usual dark green color, you will have to postpone the procedure until spring.
Below is a photo of weigela cuttings and a description of the algorithms for propagating shrubs in autumn and summer.
Algorithm for summer and autumn cuttings:
- the lower leaves located on the cuttings are removed;
- choose a place in partial shade in which the plant will temporarily be located;
- dig a hole about 10 centimeters in size;
- a cutting is planted;
- A thin layer of sand is poured over the soil.
It will be possible to plant the plant in a permanent place next year in mid-April. By this time, the first flowers will already appear on the weigel.
The cuttings need to be watered once a day, and the soil moisture should also be monitored. When frosts begin, the bush will need to be covered.
Recommended timing
The ideal time for plant propagation in spring is considered to be the end of April or the beginning of May, but the climatic conditions of the region must be taken into account.
Summer reproduction, which then flows into autumn, begins in mid-summer.The second half of July is the best time to plant cuttings.
Preparation of cuttings
Before planting weigela, cuttings must be prepared. Preparatory activities differ depending on what time of year the plant will be planted.
Summer cuttings are characterized by productive propagation, since weigela will begin to bloom at the age of two. Young shoots that are in the first stage of lignification are used. The green mass is cut off, leaving only half of the leaf plate. Then the cuttings are immersed in water for a couple of hours, and then treated with growth stimulants. For example, Heteroauxin or Kornevin.
If weigela is planned to be planted in the spring, then cuttings must be prepared in April. Harvesting should be done before the leaves bloom. Cuttings about 15-20 centimeters long are cut so that the upper cut is above the upper leaves, and the lower cut is under the lower leaves.
Important! The cut made from below must be straight.
In order for the crown to form, the shoots are pinched and the first buds are torn off.
How to plant cuttings
The procedure for planting weigela cuttings is as follows:
- cut young green cuttings up to 25 centimeters long and half a centimeter thick;
- the lower and upper leaves are cut off;
- cut the length of the remaining leaves in the middle of the cuttings by half so that the moisture evaporates more slowly;
- pour a small layer of compost on the ground;
- sprinkle a layer of sand on top (about 4 cm);
- The cuttings are planted in a previously prepared greenhouse, deepening the buds slightly into the ground. Cuttings must be planted at an angle;
- seedlings are watered;
- in order to create a greenhouse effect, the cuttings are covered with a cut bottle on top.
The plant should be watered as needed. After thirty days, you can place small stones under the bottle so that the weigela gets used to the environment. The plant can only be planted in a permanent place next year.
How to grow weigela from cuttings
Despite the fact that weigela is an unpretentious plant, it requires care. Particular attention should be paid to young bushes that have not yet taken root. It is mandatory to water the plant, as well as remove weeds and loosen the soil in the tree trunk circle.
In order for the bush to be beautiful, lush and healthy, it is important to follow the following rules:
- Fertilize. The use of plant fertilizers is very important. Thanks to fertilizers, the shrub will grow fully and bloom in the future. If the fertilizer was applied to the soil during planting, then it is not necessary to use fertilizing during the first two years. In the third year, you can use complex fertilizers.
- Trim the bush in a timely manner. Young seedlings and plants do not need pruning. But when the weigela is already large enough and has taken root well, it is necessary to remove frozen and damaged branches. It is recommended to prune bushes that have been growing for a long time every three years, and it is better to choose spring for this. All shoots over three years of age are cut off. In some cases, you can cut off the entire bush. This rejuvenating pruning allows you to get a renewed weigela bush.
- Insulate for the winter. When frosts occur, weigela should be insulated for the entire winter period.Starting from October, you can sprinkle the plant with fallen leaves to a height of about 20 cm. It is best to use twine to tie the branches. The snow that falls will protect the plant from the cold. If the area where the shrub grows receives a little snow in winter, the shrub can be covered with burlap, special material, or film. If the bush is still slightly frozen, you will need to trim the damaged branches. The culture quickly recovers after the shoots freeze.
- Transplant. In some cases, a plant may need to be replanted due to the fact that it has not taken root in the selected area. The spring period is better suited for this, since a bush transplanted in the autumn may not survive the winter.
Propagation of weigela shrubs by seeds
Weigels grown in gardens are hybrids or cultivars. The flowers of such plants differ from their wild counterparts. They are larger in size and come in a variety of colors. One of the main disadvantages of this method is that you can propagate the weigela shrub by losing its varietal properties. A plant propagated by seeds usually quickly loses its viability.
It happens that the weigela bush reproduces by self-sowing, but attempts to plant the plant do not end in success. Under such seedlings there is quite dense soil and when you try to remove them from the ground, the root of the young plant breaks off.
Deadlines
Weigela must be sown in early spring. April or May are suitable months. Only in spring there is a good chance to propagate the shrub. Unlike propagation by cuttings, autumn and summer periods are not suitable for propagation by seeds.
Selection of container and soil preparation
For seed propagation, pots or boxes filled with fertile soil are ideal. Garden soil mixed with peat or sand can be used as a substrate. Before sowing the plant, the soil must be moistened by watering it. Only after this can you land.
How to plant weigela seeds
Seeds are sown in a prepared container with fertile soil. In order to maintain the temperature inside the soil necessary for the seeds, the pot is covered with film. The seeds are regularly watered or sprayed with a spray bottle. In such a comfortable environment there is a high chance for sprouts to hatch. After leaves appear on the sprouts, you can remove the film. The first shoots hatch two weeks after planting. After a month they can be planted in open ground.
Growing weigela from seeds
When the first leaves appear and before planting the plant in the ground, you need to pick the young bushes. They are dug up in the fall before frost sets in and transplanted into a room with a cool temperature. The roots are covered with burlap, which is subsequently periodically moistened. When spring comes, the plant can be planted in open ground.
Reproduction of weigela by layering
Weigela can also be propagated using layering. The method is to first find a branch that is located close to the ground. It is bent and trimmed a little along with the bark. The cut is treated with root and crushed coal. Then a match is inserted into the cut, and this place is buried in the ground. To secure the layers, you can use pins made of metal or electrodes. It will be possible to cut a new plant next spring, but it is better to wait until the fall.After this, the resulting seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place.
Is it possible to propagate weigela by dividing the bush?
Weigela can also be propagated by dividing the bush. Suitable bushes are those that are more than three years old. The bushes should have numerous shoots growing directly from the ground. The bush is divided in the fall, after the leaves have already fallen. The plant is dug up, and then part of the root with a shoot is separated from it. A sharp knife or pruning shears is suitable for this. The cut needs to be treated with charcoal. The separated part must be dried in a warm room. After the bush dries out, the shoots are shortened by half. When the snow melts, a new plant can be planted. To prevent the bush from dying in winter, it needs to be buried in a pot and left in a dark room, watering occasionally.
Weigela transplant
You can transplant a weigela seedling if it is at least three years old. If you plan to plant several bushes, then you need to make a distance of about one meter between them. If the variety is tall, then the distance should be about two meters.
Weigela planting algorithm:
- dig a hole measuring 50x50 cm, about 40 cm deep;
- the hole is filled with gravel to a depth of approximately 15 cm;
- the roots are treated with a special solution and distributed in the pit;
- the planting hole is covered with soil;
- water the soil;
- add soil to the settled soil;
- sprinkle peat chips around the bush.
You should not replant adult plants just like that if it is not necessary.
Conclusion
Both a professional gardener and an amateur gardener, and even a beginner, can propagate weigela.This is a very beautiful and easy-to-care plant that can decorate any garden or local area.
