Summer residents and gardeners often encounter the dishonesty of some sellers of seedlings, who sell completely different varieties of trees under one variety. If you need to propagate a specific variety that is already available on your site, then it is best to make seedlings with your own hands. To do this, you do not need to grow the rootstock in advance and graft it on it, since there is a much simpler and faster method.
What you will need:
- Thread;
- sharp knife;
- large plastic disposable cup with lid;
- electrical tape or tape;
- coconut substrate;
- any rag.
The process of seedling formation
Using this method, a seedling is formed from a branch on a tree, without cutting it off until the very moment of transplantation. It is necessary to select an even, strong shoot, preferably no older than 1 year. If it grows crookedly, it can be pulled to the main trunk of the tree by tying a thread.
At the bottom of the selected branch, 2 shallow cuts are made in a circle with an indentation of 3-4 cm.Then between them the bark is removed along with the cambium to white wood.
Next, the plastic cup is cut along one wall to the center of the bottom. You need to put it on the selected branch so that the cut of the bark is inside.
Then the cut on the glass is sealed with electrical tape or tape.
The glass is filled with coconut substrate. If it is not available, ordinary soil will do. After filling, the substrate is spilled generously with water.
Then you need to cut the lid of the cup to the middle and put it on top. It is also sealed with electrical tape to minimize evaporation. The cup itself is fixed so that it does not slide down under its own weight.
Now caring for the branch comes down to watering the substrate in a glass so that it is constantly moist. After a month, the roots that have sprouted from the cut in the bark will be visible through it.
When the roots begin to show through, it is better to protect them from ultraviolet radiation. To do this, tie a cloth over the glass. It is worth watering more frequently, as the tree will quickly drink water through the roots.
After a month and a half, the roots will have grown enough to support the seedling without feeding from the mother tree. You need to cut it off from the main trunk.
This seedling is planted in open ground or in a pot so that it can overwinter in the cellar. It is planted like an ordinary tree in a nutritious soil mixture. If necessary, you can cut off some of the branches on it to facilitate survival.
Using this method, you can create strong seedlings of any variety of apple, cherry, plum, peach, etc. It also works with shrubs, including grapes and currants. Everything is very simple and fast. You receive free seedlings that are more viable than purchased ones, and most importantly, you know for sure that this is the variety you need.
