Content
- 1 Advantages of propagating phlox by cuttings
- 2 What cuttings can be used to propagate phlox?
- 3 Optimal timing for phlox cuttings
- 4 How to propagate perennial phlox from cuttings
- 5 How to grow perennial phlox from cuttings
- 6 How to replant rooted phlox cuttings
- 7 Conclusion
Propagating phlox by cuttings is the most effective way to increase the population of an ornamental crop on a site. Perennials respond very well to vegetative division, and plants can be taken from cuttings throughout the entire season.
Advantages of propagating phlox by cuttings
Cuttings are one of the simplest and most convenient methods of propagating phlox. The method has several advantages:
- No need to buy new planting material.Cuttings are taken from bushes already growing on the site, while the varietal characteristics are completely preserved.
- The mother bush does not suffer during propagation. The procedure does not carry any risks.
- Material can be collected throughout the year - from early spring to late autumn.
Propagation by cuttings is one of the best vegetative methods
Which phloxes can be propagated by cuttings
Any variety of phlox is suitable for propagation using cuttings. Regardless of individual characteristics, all species can be propagated by root, leaf or stem shoots.
It must be remembered that such propagation is carried out for adult bushes that have already reached 3 years of age.
What cuttings can be used to propagate phlox?
Traditionally, plant stems are used for propagation by cuttings. But in the case of phlox, leaf blades and pieces of root can also serve as planting material.
Steblevs
The easiest way to root phlox is using the stem method. It is enough to take a whole strong young shoot from a healthy plant if the propagation is in spring, or only the tip if the procedure is carried out in August.
The stems of the crop take root well
With the help of the stem, in some cases it is possible to propagate even phloxes from a bouquet cut from a bush some time ago.
Root
Perennial phloxes are capable of producing new stems from pieces of root in the absence of an above-ground part.The method is less efficient than stem propagation, but it is often used to preserve a variety that is affected by pests or diseases in the upper part.
Phlox roots are capable of producing new growth buds
Leafy
Rooting leaf blades is not as easy as stems. But the method of reproduction is the most productive. From just one mother bush you can get several dozen cuttings.
Propagation can be done by leaf and part of the plant stem
Optimal timing for phlox cuttings
Since phloxes are cut in different parts, the timing for propagation is different. Planting material is harvested both in spring and in autumn.
Features of phlox cuttings in spring
In the spring, it is customary to harvest phlox stems; this is done from late May to mid-June. The plant is actively developing and therefore can be propagated better, and the bush recovers faster.
It is also possible to propagate phlox by cuttings in the summer, in July and August. But if in the spring the whole young and strong stem is harvested, then at the end of summer only its upper part, since the shoot in the lower part has time to become lignified.
In spring it is customary to harvest cuttings
Also in the spring, propagation is carried out by root cuttings - this must be done in the early stages, immediately after the snow melts in March or early April. While the roots are at rest, harvesting planting material will not harm the phlox.
When can you cut phlox in the summer?
In summer, phlox leaves are cut into cuttings. The procedure is carried out in June or until mid-July. At this moment, the bush is fully formed, its leaves are well developed.
In summer, mostly leaves are taken for propagation.
Is it possible to cut phlox in the fall?
In the autumn, in mid-October, you can also prepare root cuttings for propagation. Phlox stops growing and calmly tolerates the separation of some of the roots.
In autumn you can propagate with pieces of root
How to propagate perennial phlox from cuttings
Cuttings consist of several stages - from the preparation of material to the actual germination. When carrying out reproduction, you must adhere to the established rules.
Cutting and preparing cuttings
Its survival rate depends on the quality of planting material. In order for the workpieces to take root, in each case they need to be cut correctly.
How to prepare stem cuttings
Stem cuttings for propagation are prepared as follows:
- in spring or mid-summer, the strongest and most developed green stems are selected from phlox;
- Use a sharp knife to cut the stem and divide it into small pieces, each of which should have 2 nodes;
- the lower incision is made directly under the node, and the upper one is made 1 cm above the second node;
- the lower leaves are torn off, leaving the buds at the base intact, and the upper ones are shortened by half to reduce moisture evaporation.
When propagating by stems, phlox leaves need to be trimmed.
To propagate perennial phlox by cuttings, select green stems or sections thereof that have not yet become lignified. First, you should feel the stem and make sure that it has not yet become too hard.
How to take root cuttings
To harvest root cuttings, it is necessary to remove the phlox from the ground in early spring or late autumn.The dug up bush is shaken off from clods of soil, the roots are straightened and the strongest and thickest of them are selected for propagation.
For propagation, strong roots with small feeding roots are needed.
After this, the roots are divided into pieces 6-7 cm long. Thin feeding roots must remain on each piece, otherwise it will be difficult for the cuttings to take root.
How to take leaf cuttings
To harvest leaf material, you need to choose a strong and healthy phlox stem with whole green leaves. Using a sharp knife, you need to cut off several leaves along with small sections of the stem and growth buds.
For leaf propagation, you need to cut off healthy, strong leaves.
How to save phlox cuttings in winter
Leaf and stem cuttings are carried out exclusively in the warm period, but pieces of roots are often harvested already in October. When propagating phlox by cuttings in the fall, planting material can be saved for the winter for planting closer to spring.
To do this, the prepared root pieces must be planted in a box with fertile soil, and then covered with 5 cm of sand on top. The boxes with cuttings are placed in a dark place with a temperature no higher than 3 ° C and the soil is regularly moistened throughout the winter.
You can preserve root pieces until spring in soil and sand in a cold room.
In February or early March, cuttings preserved in this way are taken to a heated room and protected from light. With a gradual increase in air temperature, the cuttings will begin to germinate; when this happens, they can be gradually accustomed to daylight.
How to root cuttings of perennial phlox
Rooting is carried out mainly directly in the ground. But sometimes you can use a container of water for propagation.
In the ground
The classic method suggests planting fresh cuttings directly into the ground. For this purpose, you will need a shallow pot or box for seedlings, filled with a nutrient mixture of leaf soil with the addition of humus to about 6 cm. You need to pour 2-5 cm of sand on top of the soil.
The cuttings are buried in the prepared soil, carefully watered and covered with film material on top. It takes about a month to take root if proper care is taken.
Traditionally, propagation material is planted directly into pots with soil.
In water
Fresh sections of the stem with an angular cut at the bottom are placed in a glass of water and a solution of Kornevin or heteroauxin is added to it. Experienced gardeners recommend using cold water, it contains more oxygen, but in water at room temperature the stems are guaranteed to rot.
You can also root phlox stems in water.
Cutting phlox in water takes approximately 3-4 weeks. The water needs to be changed every few days; it is better to keep the container on a cool windowsill.
Planting cuttings in the ground
Phlox propagation is carried out not only in a pot, but also in a greenhouse and even in open ground. In all cases, you must follow the planting rules for different parts of the plant.
How to plant stem cuttings in the ground
May and June harvests are often planted directly into the ground. The survival rate is quite high - up to 90%. Reproduction is performed according to the following algorithm:
- for planting, choose a place with afternoon shade and dig up the soil to a depth of 18 cm;
- form a bed of leaf soil, humus and sand, taken in equal parts;
- water the bed properly and pour another 2 cm of sand on top;
- The cuttings are buried in the garden bed, leaving 6 cm between individual seedlings.
May stems of the crop can be planted directly in open ground
Subsequently, the cuttings are moistened weekly until rooting in about a month. At the end of summer, such seedlings can be transplanted to the “school” bed for growing.
If you decide to cut phlox in August, then the stems are often planted in a pot or in an unheated greenhouse; they will not have time to take root in open ground.
The landing algorithm in this case is similar:
- a few centimeters of nutrient soil and 2 cm of sand are poured into a spacious but shallow box;
- deepen the cuttings;
- place them in a box in a cold greenhouse or on a shaded windowsill in the house.
Cuttings are planted in the ground after winter, when they have time to become properly stronger.
Stems taken in late summer are grown indoors
How to plant cuttings from a leaf
Rooting of leaves is usually carried out in a closed container. Since planting material is taken in mid-summer, it most likely will not have time to take root in an open garden bed.
For leaf propagation by cuttings, prepare a container with a standard mixture - 6 cm of nutrient soil and 2 cm of sand. The leaves are placed in the ground at a distance of about 5 cm between each other. In this case, a section of the stem and a growth bud are left underground, and the leaf itself is left above its surface with a slight slope.
With leaf propagation in pots, new shoots appear quickly
After planting, the cuttings are moistened, covered with glass or film and placed in a greenhouse or closed room with a temperature of about 19 ° C.It is important to provide not only regular moisture, but also shading. For the winter, the seedlings need to be transferred to a cold greenhouse and covered with dry leaves and spruce paws on top.
How to Plant Phlox Root Pieces
Root propagation of phlox is a simple procedure. Planting root pieces in early spring looks like this:
- the planting box is filled to 6-8 cm with a mixture of humus, leaf soil and sand;
- the roots are slightly buried in the soil with the thick end up and sprinkled with 4 cm of sand;
- the planting is well moistened and the box is placed in a darkened room with a temperature of about 14 °C;
- after 2 weeks, the temperature is slightly raised to 18 ° C to stimulate shoot growth.
Phlox root pieces easily produce new shoots
After the roots sprout the first shoots, it will be possible to gradually accustom the seedlings to light, and at the end of May they can be planted in the ground.
Cuttings of phlox in the ground in the fall are usually not carried out. If the roots were harvested before winter, then they are kept in moist soil and sand in a cold basement until spring, and with the onset of warmth they begin standard cultivation.
How to grow perennial phlox from cuttings
Some time passes from the moment the shoots appear until they are planted in the ground. Caring for seedlings during this propagation period is easy:
- Young phlox sprouts must be protected from sunlight. Keep them in a shaded place where diffuse daylight is maintained.
- The temperature for phlox should be moderate - around 17-19 °C.
- An important step in caring for growing phlox is constant hydration.The soil is regularly watered, and the green shoots are sprayed from above with a spray bottle.
For young seedlings, you need to provide warmth, diffused light and humidity.
To successfully grow phlox from cuttings, when using glass or film, the covering material must be removed and ventilated daily. Otherwise, the risk of fungi and microorganisms developing in the soil increases.
How to replant rooted phlox cuttings
Shortly before planting in the soil, watering should be reduced to prepare the plant for natural growing conditions in the soil.
The timing of planting cuttings in open ground depends on when the planting material was prepared:
- Stem cuttings prepared in May or early June can be transferred to a temporary bed as early as August. The same applies to sheet material harvested in the first half of summer.
- Root cuttings are traditionally germinated in the spring immediately after harvesting or winter storage. They are transferred to the ground at the end of May or beginning of June.
- Leaf and stem cuttings of late harvest are germinated in a pot or greenhouse until autumn, and left in a cold greenhouse for the winter. Transplantation into the ground is carried out in the spring, also at the end of May.
Transplantation into the ground is carried out in May or August
According to the rules, young phloxes are first planted in a special bed for growing. The composition of the soil should be standard - leaf soil diluted with humus and sand. The holes for the sprouts are made shallow, 2 times larger than the root system. When transplanting, they try to preserve the earthen lump.
During the growing season, the sprouts are actively watered and fed twice with nitrogen-containing fertilizers - mineral or organic.For the winter, phloxes are carefully covered with mulch, and grown perennials are planted in a flower bed only the next year.
Conclusion
Propagation of phlox by cuttings is an effective procedure that allows you to preserve varietal characteristics. But for it to be successful, when carrying out cuttings, you must follow all the propagation rules for stems, leaf blades and root pieces.
