Few people know, but spruce trees can be propagated not only by cones, but also by cuttings. The latter method is faster and more reliable. If you want to plant this beautiful tree, do not rush to buy seedlings; over the winter you can grow them yourself from a spruce branch.
What you will need:
- sharp knife;
- drug Kornevin;
- plastic bottle 5-6 l;
- peat;
- sand;
- agroperlite;
- expanded clay
The process of rooting spruce cuttings
In the second half of November, branches for cuttings are cut.
For 100% survival rate, it is necessary to use last year's shoots from the very tips of the lower branches. If the material is being prepared far away, during transportation it should be wrapped in a damp cloth so that it does not dry out.
At home, the central branch of each workpiece is cut at the bottom with an oblique cut 2-3 fingers long. Then the needles from the cut to the first lateral branches are removed.
Next, you need to cut off all the branches of the cutting, leaving only its tip. When cut, 5-10 mm are left from them. Along the bark, freed from needles at the bottom of the cutting, it is necessary to make several longitudinal cuts with the tip of a knife. Roots will then grow through them.
The prepared cuttings are immersed in Kornevin’s solution.Water will prevent the tree's internal resins from sealing the pores, which must remain open for roots to grow. Soaking continues for 1 day.
On the second day, the cuttings are laid out to dry, and at the same time the soil for rooting is prepared.
To do this, mix 3 parts of peat, 2 sand and 1 agroperlite.
The PET bottle is cut in half.
5 holes are punched in its bottom with a hot nail to drain excess water during irrigation. Also, 1 ventilation hole is burned in the lid of the upper half of the bottle.
A little expanded clay is poured into the bottom of a homemade pot.
The son-in-law collects the prepared soil.
The pot is filled with water until it begins to run down through the drainage holes.
Kornevin is rubbed into the notches in the bark of the cutting with your fingers. Then it is stuck into the ground at a 45° slope. Next, a cap is put on the seedling. It needs to be inserted inside, not on top of the pot. Be sure to make 2 ventilation holes on the side above the ground level.
The planted seedlings are installed on a windowsill or in a greenhouse and turned to the north side. After this you can no longer move them.
Once every 2-3 days, the cuttings need to be sprayed. To do this, remove the cap on the bottle and wet it with a spray bottle. You only need to irrigate the needles; this moisture will be enough.
Caring for seedlings continues throughout the winter. In the spring they are hardened off before planting in open ground. First, for several days, the seedlings are taken outside during the day for a couple of hours, then they are left from morning to evening 2-3 times, and then overnight a couple more times. Hardened sprouts are planted in the ground along with soil from the pot.
