Content
Reproduction of blueberries is possible by generative and vegetative methods. Generative or seed propagation is a complex method used by professional breeders to develop new varieties. To reproduce blueberries at home, a vegetative method is used using various parts of the plant.
How garden blueberries reproduce
Reproduction of garden blueberries is similar to other berry bushes. But compared to other crops, blueberries are more difficult to root. Also, garden blueberry varieties differ in their ability to shoot, so the amount of planting material from different bushes may differ. With vegetative propagation by the method of layering, cuttings and dividing the bush, all the varietal characteristics of the mother plant are preserved.
How to cut blueberries and at what time
For propagation of garden blueberries with lignified cuttings, the harvesting of planting material is performed in early spring or at the end of winter, in regions with a warmer climate. Cutting cuttings is often combined with general shrub cutting. The main rule when collecting lignified cuttings is that the mother plant is in a dormant period. To obtain planting material, annual shoots that are well ripe are cut off.
A video about the propagation of garden blueberries with green cuttings shows that planting material is collected in the middle of summer. Harvesting time is limited to a few weeks during the dormant period of the plant. Depending on the region of cultivation and the weather conditions of the current season, the collection of green cuttings begins at the end of June. At this time, the first wave of shoot growth is completed, and the next has not yet begun.
Planting material in the case of green cuttings of blueberries is collected from the growth shoots of the current year or branching shoots.
How to propagate blueberries with woody cuttings
Sliced lignified shoots are tied in bunches. Before planting, they must be stored in a refrigerator or a specially constructed glacier, where the cuttings are left in an alternating layer of snow and sawdust. The temperature during storage should be about + 5 ° С. Cuttings during this period must be periodically inspected to prevent them from drying out or the appearance of mold.
For propagation of blueberries by cuttings at home, a place in the greenhouse is prepared in advance. An acidic substrate is poured into a separate box. A mixture for planting is prepared from 3 parts of high-moor peat and 1 part of river sand. With a direct planting in a greenhouse bed, the soil is removed from it to a depth of 20 cm and replaced with a suitable one for growing heather culture.
Depending on the equipment of the greenhouse, the planting of cuttings is carried out in the spring one month after storing them in the refrigerator. From the video about the propagation of blueberries by cuttings, you can see that the prepared shoots are shortened for tall varieties of blueberries up to 10-15 cm and for undersized varieties up to 7-10 cm.The lower cut is made obliquely under the bud, the upper cut is even, 1.5-2 cm above kidney.
Depending on the expected time spent in the greenhouse, the cuttings are planted on the garden bed more densely or sparsely according to the scheme 5 by 5 cm or 10 by 10 cm.The cuttings are stuck vertically into the soil mixture and watered. To create the necessary microclimate, arcs are installed over the garden bed and the planting is first covered with plastic wrap, then with any non-woven material. In the greenhouse, it is necessary to maintain a high air temperature in the range of + 26 ... + 28 ° С and constant humidity. Watering is carried out by sprinkling.
With the method of reproduction of blueberries by lignified cuttings, rooting takes about 2 months. At this time, the plants need constant care. The greenhouse is regularly ventilated, maintain a constant temperature of the air and soil without sudden changes. Seedlings are watered and treated for diseases.
After the cuttings take root, the shelter is removed. Before planting in a permanent place, seedlings are grown for several years. With good care, the results of propagation of blueberries by cuttings can be obtained after 2 years.
Blueberry propagation by green cuttings
With the method of green cuttings of garden blueberries, the planting material is harvested early in the morning to prevent dehydration of the stem. The lateral shoot is clamped with the thumb and forefinger at the base and cut off with a sharp downward movement so that the "heel" remains at the shoot - a part of the bark from the main branch. Too long a strip of wood is cut off with a disinfected sharp knife or pruner. The length of the cutting should be about 10 cm. The lower leaves are cut off, leaving only a few upper leaves, which are shortened to half.
For the cultivation of green cuttings, high-moor peat and rotted coniferous litter are mixed in equal parts. The planting material is placed in a prepared substrate in a greenhouse. The cuttings are placed in a common planting container or cassettes so that the leaves do not come into contact with each other. When caring for plantings, it is important to maintain a high temperature of the air and soil. When blueberries are propagated by green cuttings, their leaves should always remain moist; for this, frequent spraying is carried out or a fogging system is installed.
In the case of propagation of blueberries by green cuttings in a greenhouse, additional shelter is not required in the summer. With proper care, cuttings take root in 4-6 weeks. In autumn, young plants are sheltered or transferred to a cool room. In the spring of the next season, the sprouts are transplanted into larger containers for further cultivation.
The survival rate of blueberry propagation by green cuttings is somewhat lower than lignified ones. But harvesting green cuttings is easier and does not require storage space during the winter. Lignified cuttings are recruited from formation shoots, which are less on the bush than branching shoots from which planting material is taken for green cuttings.
The cuttings method is one of the only possible methods of propagation of tall blueberry varieties.
How to root a blueberry stalk
Blueberries take root for a long time, so before planting the cuttings, the lower cut is dipped in a special powder that stimulates the formation of roots. For heather crops, which include blueberries, root growth accelerators based on indolylbutyric acid are also used. If all growing conditions are observed, the average survival rate of sprouts when grafting blueberries is about 50-60%.
How to propagate blueberries by dividing a bush
You can propagate blueberry seedlings by dividing an adult bush. With the method of dividing the bush, the mother plant is dug out completely. Several independent plants are obtained from one adult shrub during reproduction.
The root system of blueberries is shallow, so digging up the bush is easy.After removing the bush from the soil, shake the ground, examine the roots. Only a completely healthy plant is suitable for transplanting. Damaged or dry roots are cut. The bush is divided by hand in such a way that on each independent part - the cut - there is a well-developed root, more than 5 cm long. 3-4 cuttings are usually obtained from an adult bush. After separation, the roots are sprayed with disinfecting compounds, as well as root formation stimulants.
When propagating by dividing the bush, it is important to prepare a place in advance for transplanting new plants. When planting, the roots are straightened so that they are evenly distributed in different directions, otherwise the plant will not take root.
Reproduction of garden blueberries by layering
Blueberry propagation by layering is characterized by a long waiting time and a low yield of planting material. But this method of reproduction does not require special conditions for keeping the seedling, while the plant grows strong and hardy.
For reproduction by layering, the lateral shoot of the mother plant is not separated, bend to the soil and covered with an acidic substrate for growing blueberries or sawdust from coniferous trees. During cultivation, upward shoots grow from the place where the buds are located. They take care of them as well as an adult bush, maintaining the moisture and acidity of the soil.
Rooting during reproduction by layering occurs after 2-3 years. After the formation of their own roots, the new plants are carefully dug up, cut off from the mother shoot with a sharp garden tool and immediately transplanted for further cultivation in a separate place. If the location is not determined, it is permissible to grow blueberries in a container with a suitable substrate.
How to propagate blueberries by root shoots
Root shoots of blueberries, which form independent plants near the mother bush, can also serve as planting material. In order to propagate the culture in this way, the earth around the separately growing shoot is dug in. A binding root is found in the soil and cut off with a garden tool. The shoot together with the rhizome is dug up and transplanted to a new place or container.
Reproduction of garden blueberries by cardinal pruning
A method in which the bush is completely replaced with several new plants. All shoots are cut in the spring. A complex mineral fertilizer is applied under the remaining root in a double dosage. Sawdust from coniferous trees is poured on top. The sawdust layer should be about 30 cm.
A small greenhouse is installed above the growing area in order to maintain the necessary humidity and growing temperature, as well as to protect young plants from a sharp cold snap. In place of the cut shoots, new ones will soon appear. But the development of their own roots will take place within two years. They are formed above the original root system, in a poured sawdust layer.
After 2 years, young shoots with their own root system are separated from the mother bush and planted separately. With the method of pruning the bush and growing new shoots of replacement, the bush is grown for several more years to get the first berries.
Conclusion
Reproduction of blueberries is a more complex and time-consuming process than other berry bushes, and requires experience and dexterity from the gardener. Rooting takes place over several months. And the first berries can be harvested from the bush 4-6 years after planting. But the vegetative propagation method is especially suitable for obtaining repetitions of rare or favorite varieties.
