Content
The plant is known among breeders and landscape designers for its unusual color of leaf plates, which changes several times per season. Reproduction of Heuchera is possible in several ways, the choice of which depends on the capabilities of the gardener.
How Heuchera reproduces
The plant is light-requiring, but it grows well in partial shade. Heuchera quickly dies on waterlogged and heavy soil. For its reproduction, the following methods are used: seeds, cuttings and division of a shrub, leaf.
When choosing a seed for breeding heuchera, it should be borne in mind that it will be possible to change the varietal qualities of the culture, which forces gardeners to choose a different method.
Propagation of heuchera by cuttings
The optimal breeding time for Heuchera by cuttings without roots is the spring and summer months: May and June. The procedure is carried out before the first flowers bloom on the crop.
Principles of Heuchera cuttings:
- the mother bush must be healthy: it is necessary to cut off the shoot with a part of the root from the growing heuchera;
- use for the procedure must be sharp, sterile, treated with alcohol, scissors or a knife;
- it is recommended to sprinkle fresh cuts on branches with ash;
- the leaf plates are removed from the cut cutting, leaving 2-3 pieces on the outlet;
- it is important to plant cuttings in a shaded area (greenhouse or greenhouse), the temperature in the room should be lower than in the environment, so that the plant directs all its forces towards rooting, and not the formation of buds and leaf plates;
- in a greenhouse, the stalk must be covered with a cloth, and on top with a film, which will create the most optimal humidity, excess condensate will be absorbed into the fabric;
- when planting cuttings, it is important to place them so that the rosettes are above the ground level. Their deepening will lead to the death of the flower.
Caring for the planted cuttings of heuchera consists in timely watering and loosening the soil. For speedy rooting, it is allowed to use growth stimulants (Zircon).
The first roots are formed 3-5 weeks after planting: the more comfortable conditions are created for the plant, the faster the adaptation of heuchera takes place.
Planting cuttings in open ground is possible after complete rooting. If this process is completed by the fall, then it is better to postpone the procedure to spring.
Frequent watering is not required for geychera: just 1 time in two days is enough. In dry weather, you need to moisten the soil more often. Top dressing of the cuttings is not required if it was planted in fertile soil. When growing heuchera in acidic, loamy and heavy soil, it is recommended to feed the plant in a limited amount, halving the dosage.
Before the onset of winter frosts, the cuttings are covered with spruce branches or moss, or left in a heated greenhouse.
Reproduction of heuchera by dividing the bush
Annually, the root rosettes of the flower grow in height, while the lower, dried leaf plates fall off at the same time. This process leads to the exposure of internodes, which creates the external similarity of the plant with a palm tree. Most often, you can notice changes in 3-4 years of culture life.
It is recommended to divide shrubs with “palm” trees. If this method of reproduction of heuchera is neglected in spring, the flower begins to experience a lack of nutrients, the shoots themselves dry out.
The division of the shrub has a beneficial effect on its growth and development:
- the reproduction procedure rejuvenates the shrub, allows it to better endure winter frosts and summer heat;
- strengthening immunity, increasing resistance to harmful insects and diseases.
If this method of reproduction is abandoned, the "palm" character of the shrub increases, as a result of which the bare stems break under the influence of external factors, which leads to the death of the plant.
Rules for dividing heuchera in the spring:
- the bush is removed from the soil, trying to keep the root system intact as much as possible;
- the roots are thoroughly washed using running water;
- with a sharp knife, they divide the bush into several parts so that each of them has several outlets;
- unnecessarily long roots are recommended to be cut;
- all rotten, diseased or pest-affected parts are removed to a healthy white tissue;
- fresh cuts should be sprinkled with a composition of coal and growth powder, or use the Kornevin and Rootkoreit remedies;
- remove all dry parts of the plant, then plant the separated parts over the site, for this, place a heuchera in the prepared hole, then sprinkle it with earth so that the leaves and rosettes remain above the surface of the soil, after which the plant is abundantly watered;
- as the heuchera grows, it is recommended to add soil or mulch until the ground around is completely leveled.
Favorably takes root after the reproduction procedure of Heuchera with proper care: immediately after transplanting, the shrub needs shelter and regular watering, loosening, and weeding until it is completely rooted.
Propagation of heuchera leaves
Cultivation of a culture by germinating leaf plates in water with their subsequent rooting is not practiced. As an alternative to propagating heuchera with a leaf, it is preferable to use the method of grafting or dividing the bush.
Propagation of Heuchera by seeds
Among the advantages of cultivating a crop with seeds are minimal labor costs and simplicity of the technique. The main disadvantage of using seeds for reproduction is the absence of beautiful inflorescences, low decorativeness of leaf plates.
To propagate Heuchera in the spring, containers and seeds must be prepared. The seed must be fresh, it must be stored for six months after collection. When storing seeds in foil, they retain the ability to germinate for 1.5 years.
Before planting, the container is thoroughly washed and dried, covered with earth. The soil is moistened with a spray bottle. Since the seeds of Heuchera are small, they are distributed as evenly as possible over the surface, not deepened.
Seeds germinate well provided sufficient sunlight is provided, so the container with seedlings must be placed on a windowsill without drafts. To ensure the greenhouse effect, it is recommended to cover the container with seeds with foil or glass before the first shoots appear. This procedure will allow you to create an optimal temperature and prevent the development of fungal diseases.
After the appearance of the first shoots (after 2-3 weeks from the moment of planting), the glass is raised or a hole is made in it. When three leaves appear on the geyher, the seedlings dive, leaving 4-6 cm between the plants.
Caring for Heuchera, which is propagated by seeds, consists in timely moistening of the soil and removing weeds. Before planting in open ground, seedlings must be hardened in the fresh air for two weeks. The optimal time for transferring Heuchera to the site is the beginning of June.
Conclusion
Planting, breeding and caring for Heuchera is a fun process that takes time and patience. A wide variety of crop cultivation methods allows you to choose the optimal technique suitable for the site.
