Rhododendrons are common in the Northern Hemisphere. Most often, this plant is found in the coastal zones of the seas, rivers, oceans. Flowers of different species of this plant differ in shape, color and size. Experts count about 3,000 species, forms and varieties of garden rhododendron.
Rhododendron Landing
In our climate, only winter-hardy rhododendrons can be bred. Growing and caring for these plants is quite simple. Landing can be carried out both in the spring and in the autumn period. It is best to place a pink tree on the north side of the building, in the shade. The soil should be loose, well-drained, rich in humus, acidic. Rhododendron neighbors can be oak, pine, larch, pear and apple tree.
For planting, a pit with a diameter of 60 cm and a depth of 40 cm should be prepared. 8 buckets of a mixed mixture of high peat and loam in a ratio of 1: 1 are poured into it. The mixture is well rammed at the bottom, then they dig a hole in it for the seedling root.
Pre-seedling should be lowered into the water. After the root is lowered into the hole and covered with earth, well rammed.
The bush is abundantly watered and the trunk circle is mulched with peat, moss or pine needles with a layer of 6 cm.
Rhododendron Reproduction
Do you want the same beauty to grow on your site as in the photo below? But are funds limited? We offer to purchase several shrubs and eventually grow seedlings on their own.
Reproduction of rhododendrons in the spring can be carried out in several ways. These methods allow you to get new plants without spending money on the acquisition of new seedlings. The second option is to ask material from friends. To do this, it is enough to take the components necessary to obtain a new flower.
The method of propagation of rhododendron directly depends on the purpose of cultivation. When landscaping public places, parks, they most often use the vegetative method. For planting plants in the private sector use seeds. But breeders practice a combination of basic methods.
Seed way
The main method of propagation of rhododendrons is seed. To do this, pre-prepare boxes of small size and soil for seed. It is better to use acidic soil with an airy or loose structure. Such a mixture can be purchased at the store, or you can make it yourself.
There are 2 ways to prepare the soil:
- turf land, sand and peat are mixed in a ratio of 1: 2: 3;
- take in equal proportions sand, rotted coniferous earth and silt from the pond and mix thoroughly.
Landing and care
At the bottom of the box, it is necessary to lay out expanded clay drainage, on top of which soil 4-5 cm high is poured. Sprinkling material is introduced into the box, seedling material, which is then lightly sprinkled with sand. You can use both purchased seeds and those collected personally from wild-growing or domestic plants. Sowing seeds is better in late January - early February.
We make a greenhouse by covering the box with glass until shoots appear. Periodically we raise it to ventilate and prevent dampness. The ambient temperature should be from +15 to +20 ° C. Most often, the boxes are stored in greenhouses. Particular attention should be paid to the humidity of the earth. Watering is carried out with a diffused stream using a spray gun. It is better to use soft water - melt or river.
2 weeks after planting, you can notice the first shoots. After a few months, nutrients are added. Young plants are fed a solution of potassium, urea and phosphate. Fertilize plants 2 times a month. Weed should be removed daily and the soil gently loosened.
In the summer, a rosewood box should be placed outside in the shade. When the first strong leaves appear, each sprout is separated and transplanted into a new container. All summer the plant must grow and strengthen. It should also be moistened, loosened, fertilized. From autumn to next summer, rhododendron should be moved to the greenhouse. Next spring, the plant is dived again. With the arrival of heat, the green pet is taken out onto the street. Young rhododendron seedlings can be planted in the garden only a year later, in early August. And after 5 years it is already possible to move the handsome man to the open ground, at partial shade, to his “permanent place of residence”. The flowering period begins in 4 years.
As you can see, reproduction by rhododendron seeds is not difficult.
Cuttings
This method has a significant advantage over seed. After all, plants grown from cuttings bloom faster. The flowering period begins in a year after planting.
Reproduction by rhododendrons is as follows. A stem with developed 2-3 buds is cut from a young bush. All lower leaves are removed from it and placed in water. Experts recommend the use of cuttings of low-growing plants with large inflorescences. The procedure should be carried out in the early morning.
The soil should be prepared. To do this, mix peat soil and sand in a ratio of 1: 2. Before introducing the material into the soil, its lower part should be re-cut. Make a mini greenhouse by placing a glass jar over the planted cuttings.
Watering should be carried out by irrigation of the soil around the structure. Mini-greenhouse allows you to create favorable conditions for the development of the root system of the seedling:
- optimal lighting;
- constant humidity;
- nutrient land.
The container with planted cuttings should also be additionally covered with glass, which is removed only for the period of watering.
Plant transplant
After 2 months, the plant takes root. During this period, rhododendron seedlings should be transplanted into another container, with different soil. It can also be made independently. It will take 1 part of coniferous land, 1 part of sand, 2 parts of leafy land and 2 parts of peat. In the fall, the container must be moved to a cool place with an ambient temperature of +5 ° C.
The following year, rosewood can be transplanted into the open ground with a diffused shadow. It should be controlled by the humidity of the earth. All inflorescences that unfold must be removed. A plant can be transplanted to a permanent place when a lush, branchy structure forms.
Propagation of rhododendrons by cuttings is one of the most common methods in our area.
Propagation by layering
The simplest method of breeding rhododendrons is the use of layering. It is characterized by high survivability of new plants. This method of reproduction is often used when ennobling private sites. Its essence is the rooting of a new flower near the mother bush.
When rhododendron is propagated by layering, several healthy plant stems should be selected. They are cleaned of buds and leaves. Small cuts are made in the middle of the stem. In this place, the roots of the new plant will be formed. The layer is carefully bent to a hole up to 15 cm deep and sprinkled with peat and earth. The stalk in this place can be fixed with a bracket. The top is left above the ground and tied to a support.
Care for the layering is the same as for the formed bush. It is necessary to constantly monitor the soil moisture and the top of the shoot, which remained on the surface. It should not dry out. The root system of the plant develops slowly in the first season. You can transplant the plant only next year. The place should be located in partial shade.
Plant care after separation
Layers are carefully dug out and its root system is separated from the mother. The next 2 years, you need to regularly water the plant and add nutrients. After that, the bush can be transplanted to a permanent place.
If you want your site to have only one variety of rosewood, then this method is ideal. Plants grown in this way are characterized by a stronger structure. Experts recommend using this method of breeding in temperate latitudes to remove frost-resistant rhododendrons.
Vaccination propagation
The most effective way to propagate this culture is the vaccination method. Using rootstocks and joining shoots, you can form high-quality and chic plants. A feature of this method is the possibility of combining both cultures. Specialists use 2 types of vaccinations in breeding rosewood:
Cowling - placing on a branch of the base of the kidney of a plant. Copulation - placing the stem in a slice or splitting of the base.
This method of breeding rhododendrons allows you to grow crops that are ideally adapted to specific conditions. As a stock you can choose a variety with a well-developed root system. And for a good lush crown with a large number of large inflorescences, it is better to use special varieties. The basis can be plants up to 5 years old. Annual shoots with developed buds are ideal for grafted shoots.
If it is planned to grow rhododendron in open ground, the procedure should be carried out from April to the month when the movement of juice in the plant is activated.
Greenhouse vaccination
Most often, this procedure is performed in greenhouse conditions. In this case, the percentage of successful results increases significantly. To do this, dig a stock from the ground in the fall and plant it in a pot. The plant is placed in a greenhouse. 2 weeks before vaccination, the shoots are prepared and dipped in water. This procedure is performed in February or March. Connect the elements in a place so that it is closer to the ground. The junction is covered with plasticine or insulating tape.
The plant is covered with a glass jar. The ambient temperature should be within +21 ° C. It should also be taken care that direct sunlight does not fall on the plant. Over the next few years, the pet should be transplanted into deeper fossae.
Rhododendron Care
Want to decorate your suburban area? Get involved in breeding and growing rhododendrons! Care for these plants is the same as for others. It should be watered, sprayed, weed, fed and form a bush. It is also periodically necessary to combat pests and diseases.
You can not dig and loosen the soil around the bush, because you can damage the roots located close to the ground. Therefore, weeds should be removed manually.
During the formation of buds, rhododendron especially needs atmospheric and soil moisture. Watering is carried out with soft water - river or rain.
Trimming the plant is not necessary, it itself forms the correct shape. If you want to rejuvenate the bush or remove old shoots, then this procedure is best performed in early spring.
Conclusion
Rosewood is a wonderful plant that is especially popular with gardeners. Propagation of rhododendron by cuttings and seeds are the most common methods used in our climatic conditions.