Ornamental plants reproduce by seed and vegetative methods. All annuals and biennials, as well as some perennials, reproduce by seeds. At the same time, the plants retain their varietal characteristics. However, among perennials there are many species that do not pass on their decorative characteristics to seed offspring. In addition, in some of them, when propagated by seed, flowering occurs after 5–7 years. Therefore, such perennials must be propagated vegetatively.
When propagating by seed, the seeds are sown either directly into the ground or into boxes for seedlings. What is a seed, what does it consist of? In a seed there are: an embryo, which is the rudiment of a future plant; spare nutrients, which make it possible for the embryo to exist during the dormant period and supply the necessary substances during germination; peel, which plays a protective role. The embryo consists of a root, which is the rudiment of the future root system, and a stalk bearing cotyledon leaves. The first to emerge from the seed is the embryonic root, and only then the cotyledonous leaves straighten and emerge from the ground.
Vegetative propagation is the development of new plants from various vegetative organs (stems, rhizomes, bulbs, leaves) or their parts. The essence of such propagation is based on the ability of plants to regenerate, i.e. restoration by individual organs or their parts of missing organs (kidneys or roots). Consequently, we are talking about the restoration of an entire plant organism.
All variety vegetative propagation can be divided into natural and artificial.
Natural vegetative propagation was formed in the process of long-term evolution of species and is a hereditary trait. Both in nature and in culture, it is carried out with the help of the following vegetative organs:
rhizome - underground shoots with scale-like leaves and buds in their axils and at the end of the shoot (canna, astilbe, iris, lily of the valley, solidago, peony, bergenia, rudbeckia);
mustaches are thin creeping shoots that take root at the nodes and form rosettes, then these shoots die off and lose contact with the mother plant (strawberry, chlorophytum, saxifrage, cinquefoil, ivy bud);
bulb - a modified, usually underground shoot of a plant with a modified short flat stem (bottom) and fleshy, colorless leaves (scales), adapted for storing nutrients. There are two types of bulbs: membranous (narcissus, tulip) have succulent, thickened scales, which are membranous leaf bases that cover each other and form closed concentric circles around the growing point. Each scale-like leaf forms an axillary bud. The outer scales are dry, so they protect the bulb from damage and drying out. The roots of such bulbs grow at the very beginning, immediately after planting, they appear on the stem-bottom at the base of the lower scales: petiolate (hazel grouse, lily) have juicy, but often too narrow scales that do not cover each other and do not form a common cover, from - why they dry out much faster than filmy ones. Roots form in mid-summer or later and persist until the following year. In some types of lilies, small aerial bulbs (bulbs) form in the axils of the leaves on the stem;
corm is an underground thickened stem that serves to create a supply of nutrients. Leaves that have turned into thin dry films are placed on it, covering it and protecting it from damage and drying out. In the axil of each leaf there is a bud; the tip of the stem develops into a flowering shoot. The roots, often arched, grow from the base of the corm. Some plants develop several flower buds at the top of the corm. Every year, a new daughter corm is formed at the base of each stem, and secondary shoots - small daughter corms (tuber buds) - are formed between the new and old ones. Their number depends on the type of plant. The most famous plants that form corms are gladiolus, ixia, montbretia, acidanthera, crocus;
tuber - an annual underground shoot of a plant with a thickened stem, often spherical in shape and rudimentary leaves, from the axillary buds of which next year new shoots grow. Not many plants form a true tuber. The most famous and beloved is potatoes. The well-known “eyes” are a collection of buds in the axil of a leaf scar. They correspond to the nodes of a regular stem and are arranged in a spiral sequentially or one against the other, starting with the apical bud, which is located in that part of the tuber that is opposite to the place of its attachment to the mother plant. In addition to potatoes, tubers form: artichoke, sweet potato, water lily, stachys, yam, tuberous nasturtium;
root tuber - a root that has grown in thickness, on which renewal buds are located. The root tubers themselves serve to store nutrients, which serve as the basis for bud growth. There are two types of root tubers: annual ones, developing anew every year, like dahlias, and growing annually, like begonias. One-year root tubers are formed when lateral roots grow at the root collar. During the growing season, some of them develop as a reservoir for reserve nutrients. Every year, due to these reserves, the plants develop a new above-ground part, and the root tuber then dies. The development of perennial root tubers is simpler - usually the young root of a plant turns into a storage organ from the very beginning, increasing in size as nutrients are supplied.
Artificial vegetative propagation can be divided into several basic techniques.
Division involves dividing bushes, rhizomes, root shoots, tubers, root tubers, and corms. The separated part of a plant or organ contains roots, buds and stems, i.e. everything necessary for further development.
a) Dividing the bush - simple and affordable way, is used for the propagation of rooted beautiful flowering shrubs (mock orange, lilac, viburnum), rhizomatous herbaceous perennials (Helenium, phlox, dicentra, delphinium, astilbe, primrose, chamomile, goldenrod, etc.). For division, plants that are dormant are used - in spring or autumn. Spring flowering plants are divided into autumn, summer and autumn - spring and autumn. Each division should have 2–3 shoots and buds.
b) Dividing the rhizome. Before dividing, the rhizomes are germinated so that the swollen buds become visible and cut into pieces with pruners or a knife (2-3 buds on each). The cuttings are sprinkled with crushed coal or ash, and the cuttings are planted in pots.
c) Division of root tubers. Royal root tubers stored in winter are taken out of storage, sprayed generously or placed in damp sawdust, moss, humus, and allowed to germinate. Then they cut it with a sharp knife so that each section has a part of the root collar with 1-2 buds. The cut parts are sprinkled with coal.
d) Begonia, anemone, and gloxinia are propagated by dividing stem tubers. In the spring, the sprouted tubers are divided into several parts, each division must have at least one bud.
e) Dividing the corms into parts is carried out with a knife. Each part should have a piece of bottom and 1 kidney. Gladiolus, crocus, and montbretia are propagated using this method.
Cuttings are a method of propagation in which, under certain environmental conditions, the missing organs are formed in the cuttings. Stem plants form roots, while leaf plants produce roots and buds. Stem cuttings are woody (winter or summer) - rose, lilac, hydrangea, clematis and herbaceous green in perennial herbaceous flowering plants. Shoots for cuttings are harvested in warm sunny weather in the morning, the cuttings are cut with a sharp knife, 5–7 cm long. The cuts are made oblique: the upper one is above the bud, and the lower one is under the bud; the cutting should have 2–3 buds and the same number of leaves. The bottom sheet is removed, the upper large ones are cut by half or one third. Gloxinia, Uzambara violet, ficus, primrose, gerbera, rudbeckia, and funkia are propagated by leaf cuttings. Leaves with petioles are placed in water or sand, roots appear at the end of the petioles after 2–3 weeks, then a bud develops, and from it the stem of a new plant.
Layers are shoots that take root without being separated from the mother plant. It is enough that the rooted stems are in loose, moist soil. Layering can be horizontal, vertical, arcuate, or air. Roses, clematis, lilacs, hydrangeas, and spirea can be propagated by layering.
Grafting is the transfer of a part of one plant and its artificial merging with another plant similar in species or genus. This method allows you to preserve the decorative and biological characteristics of varieties and forms and is widely used in decorative floriculture when growing roses, lilacs, clematis, camellias, azaleas, cacti, and lemon.
Vegetative propagation of plants is the most common method in indoor culture. It allows, in contrast to seed propagation, to obtain a young plant of sufficiently large size in a short time. In addition, this method is not labor intensive. And its main advantage is that the young specimen retains the varietal characteristics of the mother plant, which usually does not happen when indoor flowers are propagated by seeds. Let's look at which plants reproduce vegetatively.
Methods of vegetative propagation
Vegetative or asexual propagation is carried out using plant parts capable of rooting. Methods of vegetative propagation indoor plants:
But, of course, not all of the methods listed are suitable for every species. Flowers different types have different structure, therefore the methods of their reproduction are also different. Thus, bulbous or tuberous plants are propagated only by daughter bulbs or tubers, and only sometimes by leaf cuttings. And only those species that form them can be propagated by suckers, tendrils and creeping shoots.
There are indoor flowers for which none of the listed vegetative methods are suitable, since they do not form rooted parts. They are propagated only by seeds. These are the following varieties:
- Palm trees;
- Cacti that do not produce children;
- Ball-shaped varieties of milkweed.
It is very difficult to propagate cyclamen using vegetative methods. Its leaves do not take root under any circumstances. Particularly valuable specimens of this plant are not recommended to be propagated by dividing the tuber or its parts, but only by seeds.
Reproduction by dividing the bush and rhizome
Dividing a bush is a very simple and effective way to propagate plants. This is how shrubs or herbaceous varieties reproduce, forming a powerful and well-developed root with growing points. This method allows you to quickly obtain several young ones from one mother flower. A large bush can be divided into no more than 3-4 small plants, so other methods are used to obtain a large number of young specimens.
Reproduction by dividing the bush is usually combined with transplanting the plant into new soil. To do this, the flower is removed from the pot, and the soil from its roots is shaken off so that the root system is clearly visible. If the roots are not freed from the ground, they can be washed in running water.
After this, the bush is carefully examined and divided into parts, untangling the roots. Delenki can be broken off from the mother root if they are difficult to separate. Each part must have a developed root system and several growth points. You should not divide the bush into many small parts, otherwise there is a high probability that the small sections will not take root.
If the bush has a developed rhizome, it can be cut into pieces with a sharp knife. All cut areas are treated with crushed activated carbon and dry slightly.
Each division is planted in a separate pot and watered abundantly. Then they are placed in a place with diffused light for 2 weeks. The separated parts of the bush are cared for like an adult plant.
By dividing the bush the following types of flowers are successfully propagated:
- Marantaceae;
- Ferns;
Propagation by dividing rhizomes
Another popular way to propagate indoor plants is by dividing the rhizomes. This way, not all species can be propagated, but only those whose rhizomes grow quickly, forming many new underground shoots.
Usually the procedure is carried out in early spring. To propagate an overgrown plant, it is removed from the pot and the soil is removed from the root system. Then numerous rhizomatous buds become visible, from which young flowers eventually form.
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The rhizome is cut with a sharp knife into fragments with 1-2 buds. It is advisable to take the outer buds, but you can also cut out a part from the middle of the rhizome on which a shoot has already grown. The cuttings should have a length of no more than 5 cm. It is advisable if they have roots, then they will take root better and faster.
Sections must be treated with crushed charcoal or activated carbon. Then the divisions are planted in the ground in separate pots or several pieces in spacious containers. Some species, such as Sansevieria, do not need special conditions. More capricious ones (begonias) are covered with glass, creating increased humidity, and moderate watering is carried out.
The following types of indoor plants are propagated by dividing the rhizomes:
Reproduction by layering and tubers
Propagation by layering is suitable for climbing and climbing plants with flexible shoots. A layer is a rooted part of a shoot that has taken root at the site of damage to the bark. They take quite a long time to take root, but the result is a large growing branch that very quickly forms a new hanging plant.
In the spring, a long and flexible lower branch of the plant is selected and a transverse cut is made on it to half its thickness. A match is inserted into the cut to prevent it from becoming overgrown.
Then the shoot at the site of the cut is buried in a separate pot with soil, which is placed close to the adult flower. The shoot is fixed to the ground with pins. Typically, such cuttings take root by autumn. But it will be possible to separate it only next year in the spring.
The following species are propagated by layering:
- Ampelnaya;
There is also a method of propagation by air layering. To do this, the shoot of the plant is cut in the same way as for rooting cuttings, and then at the site of the cut they are tied with moistened sphagnum moss. To keep the moss moist longer, it is covered with plastic film on top. The moss is moistened until the shoot takes root at the cut site. It can then be separated from the mother plant and planted in a separate pot.
The following species are propagated by air layering:
Tuberous species are very popular in indoor culture. Typically, adult plants are propagated by daughter tubers formed on the mother plant or by dividing the tuber. Daughter nodules are separated from the adult tuber and planted in separate containers. When dividing a tuber, it is cut into 2-3 parts. Each part should retain part of the root system and several growing points.
Plants that reproduce by tubers:
- Corydalis;
There is a large number bulbous plants, which are easiest to propagate from daughter bulbs. Often this is the only way to propagate such plants, since the bulb, unlike a tuber, cannot be divided into parts.
Plants that reproduce by bulbs:
- Hyacinth;
- Muscari;
- Lily.
Reproduction by offspring
There are indoor flowers that can form offspring. These are shoots from the main stem, which eventually grow aerial roots.
Most succulents are propagated this way. They form numerous offspring or babies along the entire length of the stem. Sometimes you can stimulate their formation by cutting off the top of the plant. However, some few types of succulents cannot be propagated in this way, since they never produce offspring.
The offspring are separated from the mother plant in mid-spring. At this time, they take root better, although you can cut off the baby you like at any other time of the year. In winter, it is advisable not to do this, since the children, although they take root, grow poorly and stretch out due to insufficient lighting.
Too young offspring should not be separated, as they may not take root and die. The children should be large enough, preferably if they already have the beginnings of roots.
The babies are separated from the mother plant with a sharp knife and then laid to dry for 1-2 days. After this, they are planted in separate pots in slightly moist soil.
When rooting succulent offspring, intensive watering should not be carried out. The soil should be only slightly moist and dry out periodically. The children of some plants, such as aloe, agave and haworthia, can take root even in completely dry soil.
Bromeliad offspring are formed on the mother plant, which gradually dies. Therefore they should not be separated. They are grown in an old pot until the babies grow to ½ the size of an adult plant. Then you can simply plant them in separate pots.
The following types of plants can be propagated by offspring:
- Most varieties;
Reproduction by mustache
Some indoor flowers are interesting because they form long creeping shoots - tendrils. Over time, small plants ready for rooting appear on them. IN wildlife the tendrils quickly reach the ground, and young plants take root not far from the mother plant. When grown indoors, such plants are kept in pots on hangers. Therefore, the mustache hangs down, and young plants do not take root, although they already form aerial roots. Often an old, overgrown plant has a lot of hanging tendrils with young children.
In addition to the babies, there are flowers on the whiskers. Babies are usually located at the ends of the whiskers. Some gardeners recommend removing the whiskers, as they weaken the plant. But, firstly, a flower with them looks more decorative, and, secondly, they can be used for propagation and very quickly get a large plant of a decorative appearance.
To root a baby, it is simply cut off with part of the aerial shoot and planted in the ground. You should not take very young flowers that have not yet formed aerial roots - they may not take root and die. Usually the largest children with roots are cut, which quickly take root and grow without problems.
Ampelous plants that reproduce with tendrils:
- braided;
- Tolmia.
Flower cuttings
Cuttings are a method of propagating indoor flowers by separating and rooting parts of the mother plant: shoots, stem fragments, leaves. It is the most popular and productive method of propagation. Many people propagate by cuttings herbaceous species, subshrubs and shrubs, as well as succulents.
Cuttings are suitable for propagation of the following species:
Propagation by apical cuttings
Apical cuttings are cut from the shoots of the plant. They are usually harvested during scheduled spring pruning. The tops of the shoots are cut off, stimulating branching. Cuttings are cut from such removed parts. They must be strong and thick enough; it is not recommended to take cuttings from weak and elongated shoots.
The length of the cuttings depends on the type of plant. But each of them must have several pairs of leaves or nodes. The lower cut is made obliquely and close to the lower bud. It is recommended to treat cuttings of poorly rooted species with root growth stimulants.
Root cuttings in soil or water. For many species, when rooting in the soil, it is necessary to create increased humidity. To do this, the cuttings are covered with glass jars or film. When rooting in water, they are placed in boiled water at room temperature. It is recommended to change the water at least once every 2 days.
Propagation by stem cuttings
For cuttings, you can also use stem fragments that do not have an upper growing point. These are stem cuttings. Very often, cordilines and dracaenas, whose trunk is very exposed, are propagated in this way. Their top is cut off and rooted, and the remaining trunk is cut into cuttings.
Stem cuttings are prepared in the same way as apical ones. If they are of considerable thickness, then it is recommended to cover the upper cut with garden varnish so that the cutting does not lose moisture through it.
The methods for rooting them are the same as for apical cuttings. They take longer to take root, but you can quickly grow a lush plant from a stem cutting. In the absence of an upper growth point, the cutting immediately begins to form side shoots after rooting.
Propagation by leaf cuttings
Plants whose trunk is too short can be propagated by leaf cuttings. This method is suitable for begonias, saintpaulias and gloxinias. Crassula and some other plant species are also propagated by leaf cuttings.
The rooting sheet is cut at an angle so that the area for root formation is larger.
The cuttings are rooted in the soil under a film or glass jar. You can also root leaves in water. As soon as the leaf takes root, it is planted in the ground under glass or film.
Over time, small plants - babies - form at the base of the leaf. There can be several of them on one sheet. At this time, the leaf with the children is opened and watered as the soil dries. As the children grow, they can be carefully separated and transplanted into separate pots.
The leaves of fat plants, sedums and some other succulents are not cut off. They are broken off from the shoot without disturbing the base of the leaf. Only in this case can such a leaf take root. Now you know what methods exist for vegetative propagation of indoor plants.
K category: Garden planting technology
Propagation of flower plants
Reproduction of flowering plants is carried out in two ways: sexual, or seed, and asexual, or vegetative.
Propagation by seeds. All annual, biennial and most perennial flowering plants are propagated by seeds. This propagation method begins with preparing the seeds, i.e. cleaning and testing them for germination.
The period of preservation of seed germination is different for each type of plant; it also depends on the storage conditions and the quality of the collected seeds. The seeds of some plants lose their viability after 3-5 months, while others retain it for several years.
To do this, take one part of highly crushed peat and mix it with one part of sand, then add two parts of sifted light garden soil and mix. We fill the container, retreating 1-2 cm from the edge, and sow the seeds evenly. It makes sense to mix very small seeds with dry sand. Then they are covered with soil and moistened. Large seeds are evenly covered with a thin layer of compost and compacted. As soon as the first shoots appear, remove the plastic or glass that covered the box. When the seedlings grow enough to be picked up, they need to be planted into separate containers so that they grow more intensively. To do this, dig up the plants along with a lump of earth (for example, using the handle of a spoon, a small scoop or a spatula). Then we free the roots, gently holding the plant by the leaves, and place them in pre-prepared holes, helping ourselves with a non-sharp stick. After this, all that remains is to press down the soil around the plant. A week before planting in open ground, you need to start hardening the plant by taking it out into the air; in the first days, you can cover it with newspaper at night.
The seeds of the bulk of annuals and some perennials are sown in warm and semi-warm greenhouses in March-April. In April-May, seeds of annuals that do not tolerate transplantation are sown in the ground: nasturtiums, loaches, poppies, gillyflowers and others. In October, perennial seeds are sown on prepared beds. They are located in places protected from the wind or under the cover of special protective shields. In places with a hot, dry climate, these same shields can be used to shade seedlings. The soil of the seed beds should be light, nutritious and permeable. Sowing seeds in ridges is carried out along furrows with row spacing of 25-30 cm. The depth of seeding depends on their size and soil structure. Small ones are sealed to a depth of 1-2 cm, larger ones - to 2-3 cm. On heavy ones, damp soils the seeds are planted smaller than on light and dry ones.
Mostly perennials are sown before winter, but most seeds of annual flowering plants germinate well when winter sowing into open ground.
Mulching the soil gives good results when sowing before winter. It protects crops from excessive drying out. Sawdust, moss, and spruce can serve as mulch. Seedlings grown in this way have a number of advantages compared to greenhouse ones.
Thus, when growing most annuals, you can avoid early spring sowing in greenhouses.
Vegetative propagation. The most common and simplest method of propagation of most perennials is vegetative: division of rhizomes, tubers, bulbs, propagation by layering, stem and leaf cuttings and grafting.
During vegetative propagation, mother plants pass on all their characteristics to their offspring, while during seed propagation, this is not observed in many perennial hybrid forms.
Most often, this method is used for difficult-to-reproach perennials: cannas, irises, daylilies, peonies, perennial asters and others.
The division of bushes and rhizomes of various plants is carried out in different times year, and it depends on the development cycle and flowering time of a given species. Late-flowering perennials (asters, phlox, heleniums) are propagated in the spring, and early-flowering ones - peonies, irises, lilies of the valley - in summer or autumn.
Depending on the biological characteristics, some plants can be divided almost annually, others after 3-5-10 years.
By dividing tubers, they propagate mainly dahlias, less often crown anemones, and tuberous begonias. The division of tubers and rhizomes is carried out using a garden knife or a sharp shovel. They are divided in such a way that each separated part has 2-4 healthy buds.
Lilies, tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and gladioli are propagated from bulbs and corms.
Cuttings are the most convenient and common method of propagation. Mainly propagated by cuttings perennials, carpets and some annuals. To do this, a part of the stem with 2-4 buds and leaves is cut with a sharp knife directly below the node and placed in sand or soil to a depth of 2-4 cm. Best time for cuttings - a period of intensive spring plant growth.
Rooting is carried out under different conditions, depending on the type of plant. Some root only at high - about 30 ° C - temperature and high humidity (rooting under glass), others - at room temperature and average humidity. Typically, rooting compost consists of 4 parts sand, 2 parts crushed peat and one part humus. Rooted cuttings are planted in small pots, from which the stronger plants are transferred to open ground.
Cuttings of roses, peonies, and carnations that are difficult to root are pre-treated with growth substances. The most active stimulator of root formation is heteroauxin. Growth substances are dissolved in hot water or in regular alcohol. For herbaceous and green cuttings, take an aqueous solution of heteroauxin at a concentration of 50-100 mg per 1 liter of water, in which the cuttings are kept for 3 to 6 hours. Green cuttings are immersed 2-4 cm in the stimulant solution, lignified ones - entirely.
In floriculture, propagation by leaves is widely used. Some greenhouse and ground plants with thick, fleshy leaves (begonia, lilies, hyacinths) are propagated in this way. Some types of lilies and hyacinths are propagated by stem leaves, or even better, by scales of bulbs.
It is best to root them in boxes in the greenhouse throughout the growing season. The leaves are placed in soil or sand half their length.
Lilies are propagated by scales in the fall. During transplantation, the scales are broken off from the bulbs and planted in boxes with wet sand. Planting is carried out at two-thirds of their length at a distance of 5-7 cm from each other. Before the onset of cold weather, the boxes are placed in cold greenhouses, then transferred to warm indoor greenhouses or cool greenhouses. By spring, small bulbs appear at the base of the scales, which are planted in the ground in areas with loose nutritious soil.
Propagation by layering is the easiest way to propagate perennial climbing plants and shrubs. Select a branch with a young shoot and bend it to the ground. Cut the bark at the place that will be underground, dig it in and secure it with a flyer made of thick wire. Constantly moisten the soil. After 6-10 months, the plant can be separated from the mother plant and replanted.
Those plants whose shoots cannot be bent to the ground, such as camellias and rhododendrons, are propagated by offspring. Select a young branch and make a cut; you can remove a piece of bark. Wrap the cut portion in very damp moss or dirt and wrap it in plastic or tape. When the roots have developed (this can be seen through the polyethylene), carefully cut the shoot with a very sharp knife and plant it in the ground.
- Reproduction of flower plants
Vegetative propagation represents the development of new plants from various vegetative organs (stems, rhizomes, bulbs, leaves) or their parts.
Vegetative propagation is very widespread among all groups of ornamental plants, with the exception of annuals and true biennials (plants with a two-year development cycle), which natural conditions do not reproduce vegetatively. All the diversity of vegetative propagation can be divided into natural and artificial.
Natural vegetative propagation formed during the long evolution of plant species and is a hereditary trait. This type of reproduction, both in natural conditions and in culture, is carried out using the following vegetative organs:
- rhizomes (cannas, irises, lilies of the valley, peony); mustache (strawberry, chlorophytum);
- bulbs (tulip, narcissus, hyacinth) and bulbs (bulbs that form in the axil of a leaf or inflorescence - white, bulbous, tiger lilies); corms (gladioli, montbretia);
- tuberous root (dahlia, daylily, chistyak);
- stem tuber (gloxinia, cyclamen);
- brood bud (bryophyllum and in such plants open ground like bulbous bluegrass, hairy sedum, snowy saxifrage).
Artificial vegetative Reproduction can be divided into several main techniques:
- division,
- cuttings
- layering,
- vaccinations.
Reproduction of flower plants by corms.
Corm It is an underground thickened stem that serves to store nutrients. Corms are formed in gladioli, montbretia, and acidanthera.
Every year, at the base of each stem, a new daughter corm. The reproduction rate is thus directly dependent on the number of stems. IN natural conditions plants that form corms reproduce in this way, but if it is necessary to increase the number of newly formed organs, they resort to special methods (planting upside down or dividing the corm into parts). When propagating corms, it is very important to ensure that the source material is not contaminated. Usually, between the new corm and the collapsing old one, secondary shoots– small daughter corms. Their number depends on the type of plant; gladiolus, for example, produces up to 50 of them.
Corms are dug up 40-45 days after flowering. During autumn digging, the corms are collected, dried (drying time - 3 weeks) and stored until planting in boxes or gauze bags at a temperature of 4...10 ° C and an air humidity of 60
Bulb is a modified, usually underground shoot of plants with a short flat stem (bottom) and fleshy colorless leaves (scales) adapted for storing nutrients. There are two types of bulbs: filmy and tiled, which differ in the way scales are formed.
Membranous bulbs, such as those of narcissus and tulip, have succulent, thickened scales, which are filmy leaf sheaths that cover each other and form almost closed concentric circles around the growing point. Each scale-like leaf produces axillary bud.
Squamate the leaves of the filmy bulbs are very large and cover almost the entire bulb; they are not as easily separated from the base as the scales of imbricated bulbs. Therefore, until new plants are formed, the cut scale-like leaves of the filmy bulbs should be left unseparated from the bottom. This principle is used in two methods of reproduction:
- cutting,
- cutting the bottom.
Cutting out the bottom. A recess is made at the base of the onion (the bottom is cut out), the rest of the onion remains untouched.
After about two to three months, young bulbs form on the cut scales. Now the mother bulb (again upside down) is planted in a pot so that the children are barely covered with substrate. In the spring, the bulbs will begin to grow and form leaves, and the old bulb will gradually collapse. At the end of the season, young bulbs are dug up and planted. The bulbs will reach the size at which plants can bloom in 3-4 years.
Cutting the bottom of the filmy bulbs. The difference from the previous method is that instead of cutting out the bottom on the bottom of the onion, only a few are made; cuts up to 0.6 cm deep. On a large onion, usually make 4 cuts at right angles to each other; on smaller ones, it is enough to make 2 cuts. Place the cut onions in a dry, warm place (21°C) for a day.
This is an easy way to reproduce. Typically, this is how rhizomatous plants are propagated, especially those that bush strongly and form a large number of above-ground shoots coming from the roots or rhizomes (phlox, spirea, perennial chrysanthemums, some varieties of lilac, mock orange, and from plants in protected soil - aspidistra, asparagus) With a sharp shovel, pruning shears or use a knife to divide a dug up bush into equal parts so that each of them (division) has roots and at least two or three shoots or buds. If necessary, roots, shoots, and annual branches are shortened.
The formation of root suckers is sometimes caused artificially. On this day in the spring, the bush is pruned on two opposite sides, and by autumn, dense growth forms in the pruning areas, which can be used for dividing, cuttings, etc.
Dividing the root shoots. The natural formation of root shoots is characteristic of lilac, cherry, and rose hips. From dormant buds of plant roots, young shoots are formed, which later form their own root system.
At the end of the growing season, the root system of the shoots is separated from the mother one. After several weeks, when the young shoots grow completely independently, they are dug up and replanted.
Many ornamental plants(royal begonia, iris, canna, lily of the valley, mint, rosemary, peony, sansevieria, etc.) are propagated by dividing the rhizomes.
Rhizomes can grow in two ways. For example, in the garden iris, the apical bud develops into a peduncle, and growth in the horizontal plane is carried out due to lateral bud. In the next season, this resulting lateral shoot forms its own apical bud, forming a peduncle, and the plant continues to grow horizontally, laying new lateral buds. In another; In case, for example, in mint, the growth of the rhizome is carried out due to the prolonged functioning of the apical and sometimes lateral buds, which usually produce flowering shoots. Rhizomes different plants may differ in other characteristics: the rhizome of asparagus, for example, gives a very slight annual growth, and the rhizome of mint is characterized by rapid and prolonged growth, due to which the shoots spread over a large area in a relatively short time.
Cuttings- a method of vegetative propagation by rooting certain parts of the plant. Cutting- this is a section of a stem with leaves and buds (less often a root or leaf) separated from the mother plant. Cuttings can be:
- stem,
- root,
- leafy.
The survival rate of cuttings is also influenced by cut quality: it should be very even and smooth. Therefore, cuttings are cut with a sharp instrument to avoid roughness and lacerations that contribute to the development various diseases. Then the cuttings are rooted in a sandy substrate, which is poured in a layer of 4-5 cm on top of the nutrient mixture in greenhouses or pick boxes in greenhouses. The cuttings are planted obliquely so that the lower cut is in the sand and does not touch the ground, and the upper bud is located at the level of the sand surface. When planting cuttings in greenhouses, the distance in rows should be 3-5 cm, and between rows 5-8 cm. Up to 100 cuttings will be placed in one picking box.
The rooting time of cuttings from different plants varies. Cuttings of geranium, carnation, lupine, delphinium, mallow, sedum, phlox take root quickly (in 6-3 days). Shrubs - roses, lilacs, viburnum - take root in 20-24 days, and most coniferous plants– spruce, cryptomeria fir, araucaria – 3-4 months after planting and even after 6 months.
Leaf cuttings Gloxinia, violet, ficus, primrose, etc. are propagated. In these plants, when the leaves are rooted, adventitious roots and a bud are formed, from which the stem develops.
Layerings Unlike stem cuttings, they are shoots that take root without separating them from the mother plant. Therefore, the rooting process is not difficult.
When propagating beautifully flowering shrubs (rose, lilac, hydrangea, clematis, spirea, etc.), horizontal, vertical, arched, and air layering are used.
Horizontal layering. Young shoots are placed in shallow grooves, pinned, and as the shoots grow, they are spudded 2-4 times per season.
Arc-shaped layers. After preliminary pinning, part of the shoot is added dropwise.
Vertical layers. If you cut a young tree, a vigorous growth of stumps appears. When the shoots reach 8-10 cm in height, the first hilling is carried out (necessarily with nutritious soil for 2/3-3/4 of their length), the second - when the length of the shoots is 15-18 cm, the third, when their length reaches 45-50 cm. At the end of September, the soil is removed, rooted shoots are cut off and planted in a nursery or in a permanent place.
Air layering. This method is used to propagate yucca, aralia, rhododendron, dracaena, agave, and echeveria. This method is used in cases where the plant is very elongated and its height needs to be reduced. At a certain height, the leaves are removed and the stem is covered with moss. Then, below the formed root system, the stem is cut off and the plant is transplanted into a new pot.
Graft consists in transferring parts of one plant to another and merging them, which allows preserving the varietal characteristics of the grafted plant. Roses, lilacs, azaleas, and cacti are propagated by grafting.
The plant or part of it that is grafted onto is called rootstock, and the grafted part is scion. The scion can be a bud with a small piece of bark and wood (an eye or a shield or a cutting. There are many methods of grafting (budding, butt grafting, split grafting, etc.). Grafting is one of the methods of vegetative propagation of plants. It consists of transplanting buds or cuttings - scion - of one plant to another, called rootstock. Grafting in floriculture is applied to roses, azaleas, cacti, Camellias, rhododendrons, citrus fruits and some other plants.
Reproduction by lashes or whiskers. Indian strawberry, saxifrage (saxifraga), tradescantia, chlorophytum, nephrolepis and some other plants produce more or less thin creeping or hanging stems ending in new small plants. The latter take root easily, developing into independent plants.
The world of indoor plants is many-sided and multifaceted. I just want to have the most beautiful flowers on the windowsill. Lovers of indoor plants do not always purchase new items in specialized stores or greenhouses. Potted flowers are not cheap. Having seen a strange plant from your friends, you can add to your collection yourself.
The propagation of indoor plants has its own characteristics. There are several ways to grow flowers in an apartment, they depend on the type of plant. Some of them are not particularly difficult; even novice gardeners can handle them. Other breeding methods are only suitable for experienced indoor plant lovers.
Most often when propagating flowers they use vegetative way. Thanks to it, you can get a new plant that will completely preserve its original characteristics, varietal purity and other properties. Flowers grown vegetatively bloom earlier than those grown from seeds.
Pieces of stems, leaves, roots, and bulbs are suitable for growing. In addition, many plants, especially if their historical homeland is humid subtropics, do not form seeds. They are not available, for example, on:
- aloe and ficus;
- tradescantia and
- , curculigo.
There are many ways of growing season, each with its own characteristics and secrets.
Using the underground part
Peculiarities of propagation of bulbous flowers
Bulbs are used to obtain new plants from:
- hippeastrum;
- marshmallow;
- Hymenocallis and other bulbous plants.
The babies are located in the axils of the mother's bulb - a modified stem. Annual indoor plants need to be replanted annually using young bulbs.
In some plants, the baby bulbs are very small and require about three years to grow. After this, they need to be transplanted to a permanent place. To planting material takes root faster, the pot must be covered with glass.
Propagation by tubers
Many plants have an underground part - a tuber - a thick, fleshy shoot that retains nutrients and ensures the normal development of an indoor flower.
Planting material is dug up for germination. After the eyes (buds) appear, it is cut. Each piece should have up to two eyes. The cuttings are placed in disinfected bowls with prepared soil.
A similar method of vegetation is inherent in the plants that Russians most often grow:
- cyclamens, oxalis;
- , caladium;
- sorrel, ;
- anemones, gesneriaceae.
Features of using root suckers
To propagate indoor plants such as agave, agave, and clivia, root suckers are used. They form on the roots of an old bush. The attractiveness of planting material is that each offspring already has its own root system.
If you plan to immediately transplant the mother bush into a new pot, then the offspring are selected as you work. This applies to clivia. In other cases, a part of the plant is simply cut off with a sharp knife and transplanted to a permanent place. This is what they do with aloe and agave.
Dividing a bush is a good option
Getting a new houseplant by dividing a bush is the most common method. This is how they grow:
- asparagus;
- violets;
- Saintpaulia;
- chlorophytums;
- cyperus;
- ferns.
Plants develop stems that have their own root system.
How the work is done:
- After removing the plant from the container, you need to shake off the soil and inspect the underground part.
- All shoots, leaves, and roots that are damaged are removed.
- A small plant is cut off from aspidistra and asparagus, and a rosette from violets.
All divisions should have roots and shoots with leaves. On the donor plant, you need to remove dense roots that resemble plugs.
New plants and the mother bush are transplanted into prepared pots. For irrigation, use warm water, adding complex fertilizer.
How to get a new flower from leaves
There are three ways:
- whole leaf;
- a piece of leaf;
- whole leaf with petiole.
Leaf without division
Whole leaves are used for plants with thick, succulent leaves, like Rex begonia.
Propagation by whole begonia leaf
The veins of the prepared planting material are cut from below. Before propagation, planting material is dried. Coarse sand is poured into a container with good soil on top and spilled. The sheet should be placed on the bottom side and pressed a little.
A piece of leaf
This option is suitable for:
- Mason Begonias;
- sansevierias;
- Streptocarpus.
The leaves are cut into pieces no larger than five centimeters. Planting is done using prepared soil. You can use compositions for indoor flowers, which are sold in specialized stores. The leaf plate should not come into contact with the soil; it should be supported by a support.
When creating favorable conditions(high humidity, warm air and watering) the root system forms quickly.
Whole leaf with petiole
Leaf with petiole - good material to receive:
- Saintpaulium;
- begonia.
The leaf should be taken from a healthy plant at the base. Use a sharp knife for cutting. The length of the petiole is usually 1 or 3-4 cm.
Propagation by leaf cuttings of Saintpaulia
You can get the root system in different ways:
- Place the leaf in a container of water. The petiole should be long, up to 4 cm.
- When rooting in the ground, the petiole is shortened to one centimeter. The cut is treated with a phytohormone solution. The leaf is placed directly into the hole with the bottom side facing the wall of the container. Planting material should not be allowed to come into contact with the ground.
Cuttings
Parts of the stem, leaf cuttings or unattractive plant stems are used as planting material for propagation by cuttings.
Stem cuttings
Some indoor plants can be propagated by part of the stem. Cuttings are taken from a healthy shoot no older than one year, cut into pieces no more than 8 cm long. Each of them should have two internodes and 2-3 leaves.
Propagation of geranium by cuttings
All leaves are removed from the bottom. After cutting the shoot by 1.5-2 cm, it is kept for several hours in a special solution that promotes growth. After this, place it in a pot with high-quality soil. It is impossible to bury more than 2 cm. After watering, put a plastic bag on top. Cuttings are carried out from March to May
Root directly in the ground:
- olive, eugenia and myrtle;
- callistemons, plumbago, pomegranates;
- pelargoniums, begonias;
- fuchsias, hibiscus, geraniums.
They quickly take root in an aquatic environment:
- epipremnuma, monstera;
- syngoniums, scindaptus.
As for hibiscus, myrtle, and ficus, rooting in water is successful, but if the plants fall into the ground, the roots may die. We'll have to wait for new ones to appear. Subsequently, the plants lag behind in development.
Leaf cuttings
If indoor flower has short stems or a rosette; it will have to be propagated by leaf cuttings.
This is what you do with:
- , Kalanchoe; Begonia Rex;
- zamiocalcas, Uzumbara violet;
- Crassula, Crassula, Echeveria;
- ficus, echeveria, some lilies.
The leaf stalk is cut and placed in a moist substrate. Glass is placed on the container. After a while, small plants grow in the places where the cuts are made. New flowers can be obtained from leaf cuttings from May to the end of July.
You can get a new lily from scales. They need to be separated from the bulb along with a piece of the bottom on which the plant is formed.
Propagation by a piece of stem
Unattractive stems appear on dracaena, dieffenbachia, and cordyline, which have decorated the apartment for many years. In this case, the stem itself is used to produce a new plant.
The cut stalk should be 5-7 cm long, with an internode. The lower part of the planting material is deepened into the ground. It should be noted that such reproduction does not always bring the desired results. To prevent the death of the cutting, you need to create a greenhouse condition. This can be done using a bag or a greenhouse.
Video “Propagation by cuttings”
How else can you propagate indoor flowers?
In addition to the listed methods of propagating indoor plants, there are the following:
- propagation by daughter plants,
- air layering,
- reproduction by whiskers,
- seeds and spores.
Let's look at these types of reproduction in more detail.
The kids are coming
Many indoor plants produce daughter plants, which are popularly called children.
Children are formed from:
Formed children on faded guzmania
- Kostenza bulbiferous, Kalanchoe Degremon;
- Saxifraga, Tholmia Menzies;
- multirow, Chlorophytum crested;
- cyperus alternate-leaved, pancratium;
- , Krinum and many others.
Let's consider the method of reproduction in more detail:
- In pancratium, hippeastrum, and crinum, children grow next to the mother plant. They are simply transplanted.
- On Kalanchoe - directly on the leaves, on cacti - on the stem. Daughter plants should be placed on moist soil. Watering is stopped for a couple of days. The root system develops quickly, penetrates the soil, and the plant begins to grow.
- On Frisia, Aechmea, Cryptanthus, the place of development of daughter plants is the subcotyledon. There is no need to rush into separating the children: work begins when the daughter plant grows to the middle of the mother bush.
Reproduction by air layering
This method is rarely used due to its complexity. Beginners cannot do it, but experienced gardeners are experimenting.
In fact, propagation by layering is the oldest method; it is also called “Chinese”. This option is suitable for:
- rubber and lyre-bearing ficuses;
- hibiscus, dracaena;
- Scheffler and Monster.
The shoot is not separated from the main plant. The stem is cut to a third of its thickness at an angle. After this, they are treated with special compounds that stimulate the growth of the root system. A match is inserted into the incision site to prevent it from overgrowing.
Place a film and add wet moss to the place where the new plant will develop. The film is fixed at the top and bottom. As the moss dries, add water. It takes several months for the root to form.
When the roots are clearly visible, the film must be removed. Using a sharp knife, cut the stalk and plant it in a permanent place.
Reproduction by mustache
The mustache is well developed in:
- chlorophytum;
- epics;
- Saxifraga.
In fact, ready-made planting material with a formed root system grows on the mother plant. The mustache is cut off and planted in the prepared substrate. All that remains is to water.
Reproduction by seeds and spores
- Propagation by seeds
Indoor plants practically do not receive it. This is a very complex method that requires not only special knowledge, but also the creation of certain conditions.
Although experienced flower growers know several plants that reproduce only by seeds. This is exacum and thunbergia.
Pour a high-quality substrate into the pot and tamp it down a little. Spill hot water. After cooling, sow the seeds. If they are large, then sprinkle soil on top. Small seeds are left on the surface. The pot is covered with cellophane and placed in a warm place. For seed germination, a temperature of 16 to 20 degrees is required.
When the first sprout appears, the bag is removed and the pot is placed in a bright window.
Remember
Plants are afraid of straight lines sun rays! Water as the top lump of earth dries out. To keep the plants even, they are turned daily. Picking seedlings is carried out when the plants are stronger.
- Reproduction by spores
Fern-like houseplants reproduce by spores. The spores mature in the sporangia of the fronds. They need to be collected in a paper bag. The spores lose their germination within two days, so after collection they should be immediately distributed onto sterilized soil. There is no need to cover it with soil.
The container with the sown spores is covered with glass and put in a warm place, but the sun should not fall on it. After a while, green spots can be seen on the surface of the soil - these are seedlings. Water as needed. When the plants grow up, they are transplanted to a permanent place.
Let's sum it up
As you can see, if you have patience, you can always grow a beautiful indoor plant with your own hands. The main thing is to realize the significance of the upcoming work, to know the names of your green pets. Then you can choose the right way propagation and get beautiful plants that will delight you with flowers or colorful leaves.