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Very often, gardeners plant peonies by cuttings. This is an easy way to get new seedlings at the end of the season. Propagation of a tree peony by cuttings does not always give the expected results. In addition, there are simpler breeding methods, for example, dividing a bush. To choose the best breeding method, you need to familiarize yourself with each of them.
Tree peony propagation methods
Tree peonies are propagated by seeds and vegetatively:
- dividing the bush;
- cuttings;
- layering;
- vaccinations.
Vegetative propagation methods ensure that an exact copy (clone) of the mother plant is obtained. The simplest division is considered to be the division of the bush - you need to cut the rhizome with a knife and plant the divisions in a new place. A more difficult way is seed propagation. In this case, the "children" may have new signs. Some gardeners like to experiment, which allows them to diversify their flower garden.
Tree peonies can be propagated in any suitable way
Rules for propagation of tree peony by seeds
Seed propagation is considered the most time-consuming method, since it consists of several stages - it is necessary to collect and prepare the planting material, process it and plant it. However, all these processes can be done at home.
When to plant tree peony seeds
Treelike peony fruits are small seed pods that appear in mid-August.
The collection of seed material begins at the end of September, during this period the capsules begin to open
First, the seeds should be dried for several days, and they can be planted in early October (in Siberia and the Urals, the dates are shifted to mid-September).
Selection of containers and soil preparation
Seeds of tree peonies are grown in the open field, but you can do this at home, with subsequent transfer to the open ground. Any container for seedlings, small cups or pots will do.
The soil should be fertile and loose. You can purchase a special composition for seedlings or mix garden soil (1 part) with humus (1 tsp), add peat (2 tsp) and sand (1/2 tsp).
How to plant tree peony seeds
Tree peony seeds can be sown both in open ground and in small containers. In the first case, they are transplanted into fertile soil to a shallow depth of up to 3 cm. It is best to take a wooden box, dig in it and bury the seeds in it. The soil is dug up and moistened in advance. For the winter, seedlings must be mulched. In March, the box can be kept at home for several weeks, and in April it can be taken out again in the open ground. Seedlings will appear in the same spring.
When propagating at home, the seeds are first sprinkled with moist peat and stored at room temperature until early February.At this point, they are transferred to the refrigerator, on a shelf with vegetables (temperature 5-8 ° C) and kept there until mid-May. Then they are sown in open ground to a depth of 5 cm. The first shoots will appear in the same summer.
How to grow a tree peony from seeds
The sprouts that appear should be especially taken care of:
- provide stable hydration;
- feed 2-3 times (nitrogen in spring, superphosphate and potassium salt in summer);
- for the winter, mulch with peat, dry foliage, cover with spruce branches.
After wintering, tree peonies can be transplanted to a permanent place.
Tree peony propagation
Cutting is one of the most affordable ways to propagate a tree peony. It is advisable to harvest cuttings from those bushes that are 4-5 years old.
Timing of reproduction of tree peony by cuttings
You can prepare cuttings for propagation of a tree peony at the very beginning of summer. If the deadlines are out, it is better to wait until next season or divide the bush, otherwise the cuttings will not have time to grow and take root in the open field.
Cutting and preparation of planting material
To obtain a cutting, a sharp knife is taken and the blade is disinfected. Cut several cuttings from the middle of the branches. Each of them must have at least 2 internodes. The upper cut is made 1-2 cm above the last sheet.
The lower oblique cut is carried out directly under the base of the sheet.
The cuttings are kept in a solution of a root growth stimulator for 3-4 hours.
Rooting tree peony cuttings
For rooting, it is necessary to prepare a mixture of soil from the following components:
- sod land - 1 part;
- humus - 1 part;
- sand - 0.5 parts.
You only need to mix the earth with humus - they are poured directly onto open ground (in a small hole) and moistened. Sand is added on top with a layer of 5-6 cm and watered again.
Planting cuttings
Cuttings are planted in the resulting mixture at an angle of 45 °. Then they are covered with a film, they are grown for a month, periodically airing. At the end of August, the film is finally removed. In September, sprouted cuttings of a tree peony are mulched with peat, straw or spruce branches. After 2-3 years, they can be transplanted to a permanent place.
Propagation of a tree peony by layering
To get layering from a tree peony, choose relatively young bushes aged 3-4 years and older. Breeding begins in May (in the southern regions - at the end of April), and the process ends at the beginning of September.
Sequencing:
- Choose a powerful bush with developed lower shoots.
- One of the branches is carefully bent to the ground and fixed with hairpins, wire, or other improvised means.
- Sprinkle with soil. The branch should be under a layer of soil.
- Water along the shoot.
In the future, it is not necessary to specially care for this branch, since it will receive the necessary nutrients from the mother bush. It is advisable to additionally water and mulch the soil so that it retains moisture longer.
By the beginning of September, the shoot will give roots in several places, i.e. this method of propagation of the tree peony guarantees the appearance of at least two layers. They are carefully separated with a sharp knife, the cut points are sprinkled with charcoal, then planted on a permanent or temporary site.
Full-fledged bushes from cuttings will grow in 3-4 years
Reproduction of a tree peony by dividing a bush
Reproduction of a tree peony by dividing a bush is considered the simplest and at the same time effective method, providing almost 100% survival rate of the bush. The procedure is recommended only for adult plants that are at least five years old. It is better to start reproduction in early September, that is, at least 1 month before the onset of the first frost on the soil.
Before the reproduction of the tree peony, it is necessary to prepare the tools - sharpen the shovel and disinfect the knife blade in potassium permanganate or alcohol-containing solution.
If the bush has grown too much, all the lower shoots are shortened with pruning shears by 1/3 or half so that they do not break during reproduction. Use a shovel to cut the ground around the peony and dig out the bush. Remove the soil by hand and wash off with water so that the rhizomes can be clearly seen.
Use a knife to divide the rhizome.
Each section should have 2-3 healthy shoots
Sections are sprinkled with ash, charcoal or a weak solution of potassium permanganate (1-2% concentration). The bush is returned to its place. It can be additionally watered, but you cannot feed it - at the beginning of September, the tree-like peony is already preparing for the winter period.
If possible, each cut of a tree peony is best kept for 30-40 minutes in a mixture of clay and water. Then plant at a distance of 40-50 cm or more (depending on the characteristics of the variety).
Delenki are planted in pre-prepared holes, and the root collar should remain 3-4 cm above the surface. You can add a mixture of humus and garden soil in equal amounts to the planting hole, then water abundantly.
How to propagate a tree peony by grafting
As a rule, propagation by grafting is used if other methods (dividing a bush, grafting or obtaining layering) did not work. A tree-like peony is planted on the shoots of any herbaceous variety. It is better to reproduce in late May - early June.
Many gardeners believe that the propagation of tree peonies by grafting is a very difficult process, although in fact the procedure is not difficult. The procedure is carried out as follows:
- An upper shoot is taken from a peony (not a peduncle, but an ordinary branch) and a cut is made so that 3-4 buds remain. It must be done at an acute angle so that the surface area is large enough. It is advisable to make it in one sharp movement. The result is a scion - a branch that will be grafted onto an adult bush (stock) for further growth. Cut off shoots can be set aside on a clean rag or in a bag.
- It is necessary to process the stock - this is the middle part of the stem with one leaf and a well-developed bud. A straight cut is made, and then a crevice, the parameters of which are adjusted for the scion.
- The next step is to insert the scion into the crevice of the rootstock.
- The structure must be secured with grafting tape, which can be purchased at a specialized store.
- The next stage in the reproduction of a tree peony is to immerse the stock in a solution of Epin, Kornevin or another root growth stimulator for several hours. Then rooting is carried out in fertile soil (you can choose any container).
- Water it abundantly, and if excess moisture remains, remove it with a cloth or napkin. Cover with a dark cap and incubate at room temperature until the scion grows together with the stock.
- The last stage of reproduction is the transplantation of a tree peony to a permanent place. This must be done exactly one year later. During this time, the cuttings are grown at home like a normal houseplant.
Planting care
Caring for plantings of a tree peony is not difficult.
- seedlings are regularly watered or moistened from a sprayer so that the soil remains consistently moist;
- at the end of summer, superphosphate and potassium salt are added - such a mixture will allow you to successfully survive the winter;
- cover with spruce branches, peat or scrap materials;
Conclusion
Propagation of a tree peony by cuttings is an effective, but not the only way to breed a plant. In practice, gardeners often choose to divide up a mature mother shrub as it is faster and easier to do. You can prepare cuttings or bend the lower branches to the ground to obtain layering.
