Violet Plantlet
Violet Plantlet
Getting To Know Plant Propagation Techniques
Getting to Know Plant Propagation Techniques (Part 1)
Flower plants can be propagated either sexual (seeds) or asexual (stem cuttings, leaves, rhizomes, budding, grafting, layering, marcotting, and bulbs).
You can select any of these methods whichever is congenial to you.
However, you should have to learn the operational skills especially in asexual propagation in order to succeed in plant propagation.
You can acquire the skills through continues practice by hiring experts and at the same time observing the processes and learn the skills.
You should be keen in observing while the expert is doing – ask how the operation is being executed. Always ask if you think you can’t grasp how it is done.
This way, you’ll be guided and be prepared to do it alone when you’ll be the one to do it yourself.
This skills can easily be learned if you’ve the interest and take note the details while the operation is being done by the expert.
As a horticulturist, you should have to learn everything in the field in order to get the success you want as a gardener.
The following are the techniques in asexual propagation
Cuttings
These are pieces of vegetative parts obtained from any of the three primary plant organs such as; stem, leaf, and roots. This is the most common used asexual methods by horticulturists.
Different types of cuttings
1. Stem-tip (terminal) cuttings.
The tip of the stem about 3 inches long together with the leaves is cut and used to produce a new plant.
Terminal cutting may be obtained from herbaceous, softwood, semi softwood, and hardwood plants. You should make the cut at either the node or internodes of the stem.
This method produce new seedlings more rapidly than stem-section cuttings.
2. Stem-section cuttings.
This method sometimes simply called stem is done by cutting a piece of the stem which contains at least one bud used for planting.
Some types of stem cutting includes the following:
Softwood Cuttings.
These are made from softwood tissues of shrubs or deciduous trees. The parent source be actively growing and have leaves.
Examples includes; rose (Rosa spp.), forsythia, plum (Prunus domestica), dogwood (Cornus spp.), and lilac.
Because of the presence of leaves, softwood cuttings must be maintained under high humidity during root induction to avoid desiccation.
Semihardwood Cuttings.
This type are derived from tissues that are more woody than softwood cuttings and made from the spring growth of trees and shrubs, but they are more mature than softwood.
The operation is similar to softwood cuttings.
Examples are; Azalea (Azalea spp.), Rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.), Holly (Ilex opaca), and other broad-leaved evergreen ornamentals.
Deciduous Hardwood Cuttings.
Taken from plants before they produce a flush of spring growth in early spring or late winter, these are made from plant parts that are hardened and woody.
The cuttings don’t have leaves and have a measurement of 15 to 30 cm length. They can be rooted in a well-drained sandy soil.
To have a better root formation the cutting should be inserted vertically into the rooting medium.
Examples are; rose (Rosa spp.), forsythia ( ), honey-suckle ( ), willow (Salix spp.).
Conifer Cuttings.
Conifers, narrow-leaved evergreens, are propagated by hardwood cuttings obtained from plants in early spring.
These cuttings should have needles on the upper part. This type of cuttings produces roots slowly, sometimes they requires months to produce adequate roots.
They response better to produce roots in cool and humid environment, preferably in a cold frame with high light intensity.
Examples are; Junifer ( Juniperus spp.), Spruce (Picea spp.), Yew (Taxus spp.), and Pine (Araucaria heterophylla).
Herbaceous Cuttings.
Also considered as softwood cuttings, numerous potted succulent greenhouse plants are propagated out of this type.
Plants propagated by herbaceous cuttings are:
Geranium (Pelargonium x hortorum), Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus), Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum spp.), Coleus (Coleus blumei ), Ivy (Hedera helix, Plectranthus australis), Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum ), and Lantana (Lantana camara).
Leaf Cuttings.
This type of cuttings involves the use of either a piece or the whole leaf of a plant. The leaf stalk is dipped in a rooting hormone mixture before into geminating medium.
The leaf may also be rooted in a container of water before transplanting into the soil.
Example of this type are: Begonia (Begonia spp.), Gloxinia (Sinningia speciosa), Peperomia (Peperomia spp.), Echeveria (Echeveria secunda), Crassula ( ), Sansivieria (Sansivieria spp.), Gesneriads ( ), and African violet (Saintpaulia spp. ).
Two Types of leaf cuttings
1. Leaf-vein Cuttings.
This type of cuttings involves the use of plantlets by cutting through the veins at various point and placed face down so that the cut portion touch the growing medium. Plantlets grow from these cut portion.
2. Leaf-bud Cuttings.
Consists of a stem, leaf-bud cuttings with an attached leaf and a bud in the leaf axil.
This method is useful where the source of cuttings is limited. Instead of using a long piece of stem as a single stem cutting, each bud on the stem is removed and nursed to become a single plant.
High humidity and bottom heat are usually required to have successful rooting of the cuttings.
Root Cutting
This methods of propagation can be applied to shrubs and herbaceous plants. You have to cut the larger and fleshy root section into pieces (thongs) at about 5-8 cm in length.
In using the root cutting you should cut straight across the top end while the lower end should be cut in a slanting position to distinguish the rooting portion especially during planting.
To propagate root cutting, you have to insert the cuttings into the growing bed or plots with the straight cut just at the surface of the soil level while the slanting cut portion inserted into the soil.
Grafting .
This method of asexual propagation involves the use of two different plants of the same specie joining the stock (rootstock) and the top portion (scion ) to produce a new plant.
In this plant union, the material used as the top portion (scion) is being propagated and allowed to grow into a new plant shoot. The stock (rootstock) serves as the root which conducts nutrients from the soil distributing up the scion.
Methods applied in grafting operation
1. Detached Scion Grafting.
This strategy is the most common used applied by detaching the scion and let the stock (rootstock) remains rooted. Methods of detached scion grafting are:
2. Whip or Tongue Grafting.
This method involves the union of two plants of the same size about ¼ -1/2 inch (0.64-1.3 cm) in diameter. That is , the seedlings should be about one year old to get the exact plant sizes. Whip or tongue grafting is applicable in the winter.
3. Cleft Grafting.
As the name indicates, this method is applied by inserting the scions into the cleft of the same specie. In cleft grafting, you can insert multiple grafts in one stock since, unlike whip or tongue grafting, its stock is larger than the scion.
4. Bark Grafting.
This is applicable in early to middle spring to species whose bark separates easily from the wood. This method is also used for topgrafting or topworking trees such as broadleaf evergreens, like citrus and olive.
The operation is done by nailing the scion to the stock a unique characteristic of bark grafting.
5. Approach Grafting.
This operation is applied when the detached scion grafting is applicable. The two plants are united at a predetermined and prepared location where both the scion and stock remains as an integral part of parent plant.
The produce harvested from the plant reflects only the characteristics of the scion plant and not both stock and scion.
Specialized Methods of Grafting.
Side Grafting.
In this method, an angled cut is made into the stock. A scion is prepared and fitted into the cut by bending the scion gently backward to open up the cut then the scion is secured in place by tying.
This technique may be used to improve the shape and symmetry of a plant. Both the scion and the shoot from parent stock are allowed to grow and develop.
Bridge Grafting.
This method is apparent in regions where there is snow and some rodents can’t get their food in the ground so they gnaw away a portion of the bark forming a ring around the tree (Girdling).
The tree is deprived of food which passes through the phloem interrupting its food transport to the whole plant – eventually starved to death.
To solve this problem, the barkless portion is bridged with several pieces of scion to form bridges across the ring.
It is critical that the twigs used as scion be properly oriented, that is, the tips facing the tree and bottom parts facing down, then, the scions are nailed in place.
Inarching.
Similar to bridge grafting, except that the girdling occurs at the base of the tree and the bridging is done by using growing seedlings.
The seedlings are grown in a circle around the trunk, then the tips are cut and the stumps are prepared to be attached to the trunk. The seedlings are nailed to hold them in place.
Budding.
As the name implies, budding involves the use of a single bud as the scion.
This method is much easier to perform than grafting, since the bud is only inserted into an opening in a bark of a stem or branch of a plant actively growing.
Three Types of Budding Operation
1. T-Budding.
In this method, a “T”- shape cut is formed in the bark of a stem or branch (stock) actively growing at least one to two years of age.
At this age, the bark can be easily separated from the stem or branch.
Once the cut is formed a dormant but active scion bud is inserted into the “T” cut opening then push down to put in place.
When in place, wrap with a plastic or rubber bands. Budding operation is successful after three weeks to one month when the buds starts to grow.
Both the stock and scion must be compatible to have a successful union.
Buds are collected from bud sticks which are small pieces of shoot of the same plant specie, current season’s shoot , and growing vigorously.
Take note to collect bud sticks that are in its vegetative stage not fruiting.
The buds must be slender in shape and more pointed. You should collect the bud stick on the day where budding operation is to be done.
Collected bud stick must be wrapped properly with waterproof paper to prevent desiccation.
Select the buds on the middle section of the bud stick because they are mature and ideal for budding. There are two types of budding:
2. Patch Budding.
This methods involves the removal of a piece of bark of the stock which is equal the size of the scion bud fitted to the stock plant.
This operation easy, since the scion patch bud is just inserted into the opening of the stock plant and tied in place, but ensuring that the bud is exposed.
Make sure to remove all existing sprouts growing below the growing area. Patch budding must be done during mid to late summer to ensure a successful bud growth.
3. Chip Budding.
- Chip budding uses a cut that includes a larger chip of wood, that is, more wood than bark. A dormant bud is used in this method since the bark does not need to be separated from the wood.
The removed chip is replaced by a bud that is cut to fit the hole in the stock plant. To have a successful chip budding, see to it that both the cambia of the stock and scion are properly aligned.
So careful insertion should be executed with mastery. After the operation is executed, you should taped the union area with a rubber tape or any waterproof material.
When you observe that the operation is a success, cut the stock above the bud and paint the cut portion to prevent the new plant from disease attack and hasten the healing process.
Layering
Also described as a modified cutting, layering involves the use of plant parts that are allowed to be rooted before completely separated from the mother plant.
Roots or stems may be propagated by layering and can be accomplished either naturally or with the aid of humans.
Two types of layering
1. Natural Layering.
Layering occurs naturally in certain species because their anatomy permits portions of the plant to come in contact the soil at some point. Natural layering involves the following types:
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Cris Ramasasa, Freelance writer, writes about home gardening and Internet marketing tips. You can get a copy of his latest ebook “How to get started in Flower Gardening” and “Vegetable Gardening Made Easy”, and also get lots of tips, tools, Free articles, and bonuses at: www.crisramasasa.com
About the Author
Cris Ramasasa is a retired Horticulture teacher for 29 years and Freelance writer. Writes home gardening tips and resources. Written ebooks titled: How To Get Started In Flower Gardening and Vegetable Gardening Made Easy.
www.crisramasasa.com – Still under construction
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