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Rhododendron can be propagated not only with the help of ready-made seedlings purchased in a special nursery. If there is at least one shrub of this species on the site, you can use proven methods of cultivating an ornamental culture and expand your collection of rhododendrons.
How to breed rhododendrons
Rhododendron is a very beautiful ornamental crop, which is distinguished by its unpretentiousness to growing conditions. The external appeal of rhododendron and its botanical characteristics make the plant quite expensive. If you want to plant several shrubs on your site at once, you will have to spend a lot on the purchase of seedlings. However, it is possible to avoid unnecessary expenses and use planting material taken from existing plants.
You can save on the reproduction of rhododendron by resorting to self-breeding of the plant. There are the following ways to propagate rhododendron at home:
- cuttings;
- growing from seeds;
- reproduction by layering;
- division of the bush.
It should be noted that home breeding of rhododendron is a rather slow process, and this is its main disadvantage. A ready-made seedling allows you to enjoy the ornamental appearance of the plant the next year, while with independent reproduction, the shrub will enter into full force only after a few years. But planting a shrub on your own is very interesting, quite simple and allows you to do without costs. That is why the methods of breeding rhododendron are popular with gardeners.
How to propagate rhododendron by cuttings
The most common method for propagating a shrub is by cuttings or growing a single plant from a small shoot taken from an existing shrub. The advantages of cuttings include not only the simplicity of the process, but also the rate of reproduction of the rhododendron - in some cases, after 1-2 years, the shrub can begin to beautifully bloom for the first time.
The first step in grafting is to prepare the propagation material. It is carried out according to the following rules:
- from late May to mid-June, shoots are cut on an adult bush - it is necessary to cut the rhododendron with young annual shoots, which are already half lignified;
- the length of the cuttings is left from 7 to 15 cm, while on each blank, several leaves are left at the top, and the leaves in the lower part are removed;
- the lower part of the shoot is cut with a sharp, clean blade at an angle of 45 °, the cut should not be straight, but oblique.
After the cuttings for reproduction of rhododendron are prepared, they will need to be put in water for a day with the addition of a growth stimulator. Subject to the rules of reproduction, it is possible to root a rhododendron without a stimulant, but the process can be very delayed.
While the propagation of rhododendron by cuttings in water with a stimulant added to it is going on, it is necessary to prepare a nutritious soil and fill it in a small container. The soil for the cutting should meet the normal requirements of an adult shrub. Since rhododendron prefers soil with a high acidity level, it is customary to prepare mixtures of peat, sand and coniferous soil for cuttings, taken in equal proportions.
The further process is as follows:
- the prepared soil is placed in small containers, lightly tamped and leveled;
- cuttings at a slight slope of 30 ° with a slight deepening are installed in the substrate;
- the soil around the shoots is lightly pressed and watered abundantly;
- the container is covered with plastic wrap and the stalk is placed in a room with a temperature of about 25 ° C and with good lighting.
For rapid rooting, rhododendron cuttings require not only high temperature, but also high humidity - just for this purpose, containers are covered with a film. But since the cuttings need access to oxygen, the film needs to be lifted from time to time, so the plant can breathe.
In self-made miniature "greenhouses" cuttings remain for 2-3 months, this is the time they need on average for rooting. It is not difficult to grow a rhododendron from a cutting, the plant reproduces very well - if the rules of reproduction are followed, the shoots are almost guaranteed to give strong roots.
- Since the rooting of cuttings planted in early or mid-summer occurs closer to autumn, the first wintering of young plants takes place at home.
- The hardened cuttings are transplanted into new, more spacious containers, trying to preserve the old substrate around their roots. Fresh soil should also be acidic, consisting mainly of peat with the addition of pine needles.
- Transplanted cuttings are regularly watered, carefully monitoring the soil moisture level.
- A couple of weeks after transplanting, the plants can be fed with nitrogen fertilizers for the first time - this will ensure faster and more successful growth.
During the winter, young rhododendrons must be kept in a bright but cool room, best of all if the temperature does not rise above 12-15 ° C.
You can plant cuttings in open ground in the spring, at a temporary place where the plants can finally get stronger. You can also leave young rhododendrons at home for 1-2 years and simply transfer them to larger containers. In the latter case, after 1-2 years, the plants can be immediately planted on a permanent site.
Reproduction of rhododendrons by seeds
Reproduction, planting and care of rhododendrons is also carried out using the seed method - seeds can be purchased at the store or collected independently from adult rhododendrons in your area. The shrub seeds fully ripen in late autumn, when the capsule turns brownish-greenish, and the seeds inside it turn brown. At this time, in dry weather, it is necessary to collect.
Seeds are sown not immediately after harvest, but in February or early March. For sprouts, you need to pick up containers with drainage holes at the bottom and fill them with standard soil mixture for rhododendrons - soil consisting of peat, sand and pine needles. Before planting seeds, the soil must be disinfected - the seeds are especially sensitive to any infections.
When planting seeds, you need to adhere to the following algorithm:
- soil is poured into prepared containers, but they do not compact it and do not water it;
- seeds are scattered on the ground, since part of the planting material may not sprout, it is more practical to initially take sufficiently wide containers and place several seedlings in them at once;
- gaps of about 1.5 cm are left between individual seeds - this will avoid subsequent thinning of the seedlings;
- the seedlings are carefully watered with water, without falling asleep on top of the soil, and then covered with a film to create greenhouse conditions.
The first stage of seed propagation of rhododendron is the simplest. After sowing, the container with seeds should be placed in a warm, bright room with a temperature of about 25 ° C. The soil needs to be moistened as needed, and the film should also be periodically removed from the container to provide oxygen access.
The first shoots can appear in just 2-3 weeks, and the film can be removed from the containers. But it is at this stage that difficulties will appear in the cultivation of rhododendron.
- Seed-derived sprouts are temperature sensitive. You cannot leave the seedlings warm, they will grow too weak and quickly die with the slightest stress. It is best to place the container with sprouts in a cool room with a temperature not exceeding 12-15 ° C.
- Seed-propagated rhododendrons are demanding on the irrigation regime. Drying out of the soil leads to almost instant death of seedlings, but the sprouts react just as badly to waterlogging. It is necessary to constantly control the soil moisture level, and it is better to supply the sprouts with moisture through the pallet as before - this reduces the risk of moisture stagnation in the soil.
- When the seedlings get a little stronger, once a day they will need to be taken out to fresh air for a short time. The process is a hardening of plants, rhododendrons from seeds must get used to outdoor conditions in advance.
From the onset of June, seedlings can be transferred to larger containers and the distance between individual shoots can be slightly increased. With the establishment of warm weather, young rhododendrons can be taken out into the garden and left in the fresh air until autumn - this will strengthen the plants and make them more resilient. The container should be placed in a lighted place, however, protection should be organized from direct sunlight.
In the fall of the first year, rhododendron seedlings are brought back into the house in a cool room with a temperature below 18 ° C. It is not yet possible to leave the plant outside, the seedlings are still too weak and vulnerable. During the winter, they are carefully watered; it will also be useful to organize artificial illumination for seedlings so that the daylight hours for the rhododendron are at least 16 hours.
With the onset of spring in early March, young plants will need to be planted again and the distance between the shoots will again be increased. A couple of weeks after that, the rhododendron can be fed for the first time with nitrogen fertilizers for active growth. In the second summer, the plant is again taken out into the garden and left until autumn, and with the onset of a cold snap, it is returned to the room.
Thus, the planting of rhododendron from seeds into open ground is carried out only in the third spring after reproduction - in a temporary place. For another 1-2 years, the shrub must be strengthened in outdoor conditions, and only then it can be transferred to a prepared permanent site.
Reproduction of rhododendron by seeds is considered quite difficult, since young seedlings very often die at the slightest temperature change or in case of irrigation failures. The disadvantages of this method of reproduction can be attributed to the fact that it will be possible to plant the plants in the ground in the final place only after a few years, and the rhododendron will begin to bloom in 6-10 years.
How to propagate rhododendron by layering
Another popular method involves the cultivation of shrubs outdoors - the reproduction of rhododendron by layering. In this case, rooting occurs directly in the ground, and in the first year, the layers hibernate in the open air.It is necessary to carry out the reproduction procedure in the spring, if you postpone it until later, then the shoots will not have time to take root and will die.
The breeding procedure is as follows:
- an adult rhododendron is carefully examined and several long shoots are selected, located as close to the ground as possible;
- the shoots are bent to the ground and in the place where they come into contact with the soil surface, make a small cut along the wood, slightly splitting the stems;
- small chips can be put in the cuts - this will contribute to rapid rooting and prevent the cuts from closing;
- small depressions about 15 cm deep are made in the ground, incised shoots are placed in the holes and fixed with wire or a bracket;
- from above, the layers are thrown with a soil suitable for rhododendron and mulched with a layer of peat.
The upper part of the shoot should remain above the ground. During the summer, the cuttings are watered regularly.
As a rule, by the fall, the cuttings take root quite well. However, they must survive the first winter, being still associated with the mother bush, if the transplant is carried out in the fall, the plant will not have time to adapt in a new place and will die.
Before the onset of cold weather, the layers are thrown with spruce branches and dry leaves. In the spring, the shelter is removed and young plants are carefully dug out of the ground, after which they are separated from the main bush. It is better to preserve the earthy lump formed around the roots and transplant the rhododendron with it, so as not to damage the young shrub. Immediately after planting in a permanent place, the rhododendron is watered, mulched and carefully monitored throughout the season until the plant fully adapts.
How street rhododendron reproduces by dividing a bush
Reproduction by dividing the bush is a reliable, but not the most popular agricultural method. Despite the fact that it is quite simple to breed a rhododendron in this way, very few new plants can be removed from the mother bush, and besides, the bush itself receives quite serious damage.
Reproduction by dividing the bush is as follows:
- an adult, healthy, well-grown rhododendron is chosen on the site, the decorativeness of which will not suffer from the division procedure;
- in the spring with a sharp shovel, the uterine bush is cut into several separate parts, each of them must have strong intact roots and healthy shoots;
- small roots near the base of the bush are removed with a knife, the separated bush is planted in acidic prepared soil in a specially created greenhouse, or, in the case of a small bush, in a spacious container.
Further care for the separated bush is carried out according to the standard scheme - in the first year of life, the rhododendron needs regular watering, mineral fertilizing and protection from direct sunlight. For the winter, the rhododendron still remains in the greenhouse, although the temperature in it drops significantly.
A year after separation from the main bush, the plant has new shoots, and at the beginning of summer the rhododendron is transplanted to a permanent place in open ground, where it continues to form.
Experienced gardening tips
Reproduction of rhododendrons can be done in many ways. In addition to the existing algorithms for planting seeds, cuttings and cuttings, there are also some nuances of growing shrubs that experienced gardeners know about.
- Which breeding method for rhododendron to choose depends on its individual characteristics and the type of shrub. Seed propagation is most often used to increase the population of wild-growing rhododendrons.For varietal ornamental species, it is better to choose the planting of rhododendron by cuttings or use layering, so the plants are more likely to successfully root and retain all the characteristics of the main bush.
- For any reproduction, it is necessary to take planting material only from strong and healthy plants. Sick and weakened rhododendrons will give the same weak and withering offspring.
- When rhododendron propagates by cuttings at home, the plant in the second year of life can begin to form buds - even before planting in the ground. At this moment, it is best to cut off the buds and pinch the tops of the shoots of the plant, the fact is that early flowering is detrimental to the growth of vegetative mass. In the first years of a plant's life, care should be taken to ensure that it releases more strong roots and grows shoots.
- Cutting evergreen rhododendrons, like propagation by layers or seeds, is a more complex process than breeding deciduous rhododendrons. Shrubs that drop foliage for the winter are more unpretentious and, in general, are much more readily amenable to breeding at home.
In general, for beginners, gardeners most of all recommend the cultivation of rhododendrons by cuttings or layering. Both of these methods of propagation are very simple, while seed breeding or dividing a bush requires more experience and knowledge and, moreover, have significant disadvantages.
Conclusion
You can propagate rhododendron without unnecessary spending on ready-made seedlings - home breeding methods allow you to independently increase the number of beautiful and graceful shrubs. However, when breeding rhododendrons at home, you need to prepare for the fact that the process will be slow, and the plant will reach its maximum decorative effect only after a few years.
