How to propagate cherries with green cuttings and layering at home
Self-breeding of trees is a complicated process. It is important to perform all the necessary subtleties and techniques for the plant to take root. The breeding of cherries will not cause particular difficulties even for beginners. Strict adherence to the recommendations will lead to a positive result.
Seed germination
It is easy to do this at home, only the process will take a long time:
- First of all, it is necessary to select bones, which should be healthy externally, without visible damage and traces of insect activity. They are selected from the largest and most delicious berries.
You shouldn't risk growing cherry pits from the market. The seedling will grow, but its characteristics may not be suitable for the growing region, they may freeze out.
- To obtain high-quality planting material, it is necessary to plant not 1-2, but many copies. This is necessary in order to subsequently choose the strongest and healthiest seedlings.
- Often a plant grown from a seed produces fruits that are completely different in taste and other characteristics.
It is not easy to breed cherries in this way, you need to show patience and diligence to get the result.
Spring landing
In the fall, it is necessary to prepare a place for planting. Choose a lighted place, protected from drafts. Humus and mineral fertilizers are introduced. To awaken, the bones are laid out in wet sand and kept at a temperature of 0 ⁰С.
In the spring, when the snow melts, the soil warms up a little, you should plant the bones in the ground. Only the best specimens are selected. For best results, they are soaked in a growth promoter.
It is necessary to sow in rows, to facilitate the care process, the distance between the grooves is 40 cm, between the seeds 15-20 cm.The planting depth is 2-3 cm.
Autumn planting
The seeds selected for planting are stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. The landing is planned for October. The garden bed is prepared similarly to planting in spring.
The grooves are made 5 cm deep, the distance between the bones is 15 cm. Sprinkle well with soil on top. This is necessary so that the seeds and sprouts that arise in them do not freeze in winter.
In the spring, after the emergence of seedlings, plantings are thinned, leaving the strongest sprouts.
The advantages of the overgrowth method
There are many ways to grow a fruit tree. One of the most promising is reproduction by shoots.You don't need to do anything special when landing.
Planting material is selected, young seedlings must be strong and strong. Weak, deformed and diseased plants will not take root. Scions 2 years of age will work best.
You should choose cherry seedlings that are at a considerable distance from the parent tree.
Shoots are left to grow in the summer so that they are ready for transplant by autumn. They are cut off with a small part of the maternal root, this will improve the survival rate in a new place.
The advantages of the method are that the tree quickly takes root and grows without wasting time on adaptation and formation of the root system.
Breeding technology with green cuttings
This method of propagation of cherries allows the plant to retain its ability to frost resistance, as well as become more resistant and capable of rapid recovery.
For this breeding method, branches are selected that are on the lower tier. Each should have 4-5 leaves. You need to cut them off at an angle, with a sharp object, being careful not to damage the bark.
The lower leaves are removed, this will help to take root better. The branches cut from the cherry are placed in a growth stimulator for a day.
The soil is mixed in a 1: 1 ratio of peat and sand. A layer of coarse river sand 5 cm thick is poured on top, everything is mixed well and green cuttings are planted. To speed up the process, they create a greenhouse effect, tighten the soil with a film.
Reproduction by air layers of sweet cherry is practiced by many gardeners. This method consists in the following. A fruiting branch is selected, several cuts are made on it. Then a plastic bag with soil is tied to this place, which is regularly watered.
Over time, the branch takes root, the branch is cut off and planted in another place. Such seedlings retain all the features of the mother tree, including the taste of the fruit.
Dates for planting
It all depends on the growing region. In the south they try plant cherries in autumn... It calmly takes root, hibernates and begins to grow in spring. In the northern and central regions, on the contrary, they tend to plant seedlings in the spring. In the summer they strengthen and prepare for winter. Having overwintered well, the plants are gaining strength and growth, starting in spring.
During the rooting period, the gardener monitors the condition of the tree and applies the necessary agrotechnical techniques in a timely manner.
Seeding schemes for seedlings
Much depends on whether the trees are planted correctly. It is recommended to initially choose suitable schemes by planting cherries on the beds.
It is advisable to place 2-3 plants on the site, or plant several cherries. The distance between trees is 4-5 m.
If grown columnar cherry, then it is planted at a closer distance: between seedlings 1 m, and between rows 2-3 m.
It is recommended to plant cherries correctly, fulfilling all the necessary requirements. Otherwise, the tree may never bear fruit at all. Since a thickened planting creates a lot of shade, young trees interfere with each other's development.
Tree care after rooting
When a cherry seedling has taken root, it should be properly cared for. Timely activities will help to avoid some problems. Growing cherries need feeding, watering, loosening and pruning.
Watering mode
Rooted seedlings must be watered frequently, avoiding drying out or waterlogging of the soil. The first time is watered once a week, then reduced to 1 time in two weeks. But while increasing the amount of water for one seedling.
Soil and foliar feeding
Without fertilizers, the plant will not be able to fully develop. Top dressing applied on time will help form a healthy root system and an equally strong aerial part of the seedlings. The basis of the future harvest.
If everything is done correctly when planting, then the first year the cherry will not need mineral fertilizers. Organic matter is introduced during planting, it is thoroughly mixed with the earth for backfill.
In subsequent years, it is recommended to feed the plants with organic matter several times a year. You should carefully monitor the appearance of the seedling and, based on observations, determine what the growing cherry is lacking.
Fertilizers are applied along with watering or a day after it. Spraying or foliar feeding is carried out in the evening or cloudy weather. This is done no earlier than in the second year of the plant's life.
When processing by the foliar method, it is necessary to use chemical protective equipment, gloves, glasses, and a protective suit.
In any business, it is important to comply with the norm, it is better to underfeed the plants than overfeeding them.
Crown formation
It is not enough just to plant a seedling, weed and water. It is necessary to shape the tree correctly. To get a sweet cherry with a developed crown, you need to start forming from the first year of the seedling's life.
The features of pruning depend on the variety, but there are general subtleties. Cherry pruning required to increase yields, prevent the appearance of diseases, increase the fruiting period and improve the quality of berries.
In regions with a cold climate, cherries are formed in the form of a bush, so it can more easily endure severe winters.
It is necessary to form a tree at a young age, when the branches are still easy to bend, direct them at the required angle. If the cherry is grafted, it is necessary to remove all the shoots on the rootstock. Otherwise, she is able to hammer the scion, and nothing will come of the vaccine.
Formation begins from the first year of life of a young tree. Start trimming from the bottom tier. Delete those branches that are not skeletal. Then the central shoot is necessarily shortened. This is necessary for the formation of lateral skeletal branches. The first year, all lateral branches are removed from the skeletal ones.
If there is no pronounced central shoot, choose the highest branch and shorten it by 2-3 cm. All side branches are cut into 3 buds.
In addition to formative pruning, there is a sanitary one. It is necessary so that the tree does not get sick and does not die. All diseased and deformed branches are removed. It is imperative to process the cut sites with garden pitch.
Insect and disease control
At first, treatment from pathogens and pests is especially relevant. It is difficult for a young, fragile tree to cope with this problem on its own. Therefore, the summer resident needs to closely monitor the appearance of the seedlings and try to detect diseases in time.
It is easier to carry out timely preventive treatment than to eliminate the consequences later. To combat pathogens, it is recommended to carry out treatment with chemicals. But only until the seedling begins to bloom, then it is processed with folk remedies.
In the fight against insects, the installation of traps with special contents that attract and kill insects helps. And also treatment with drugs.
Digging in young cherries for the winter
In order for the tree to endure the winter easier, some gardeners add soil to the seedlings. A layer of earth will help them survive the severe frost and continue to grow with renewed vigor in spring.
Saplings are buried even if they do not have time to plant. Then a ditch is dug, young trees are made into it and covered with earth until warming in spring.
Possible difficulties
It is not difficult to grow fruit berries, it is necessary to clearly follow all the necessary techniques and requirements. The gardener faces some problems, solving them, he leaves feedback to help others. The novice summer resident looks for answers to questions, finds, successfully applies and becomes more experienced.
Difficulties that can arise when the cherry is propagated in different ways:
- The seedling does not grow. Possible reason is lack of fertilizers, moisture.
- Does not take root. You need to make sure that this is the case. Then take action. Treat with a nutrient mixture, apply mineral fertilizers.
- Sweet cherry does not bloom. It is possible that mistakes were made during planting, the root collar was deepened, and more.
When faced with difficulties, the main thing is not to give up. It is necessary to understand the reasons, then try to eliminate them. Everything can be fixed with patience and hard work.
Reproduction of cherries on their own is a big plus. The gardener will be confident in the quality of the tree obtained as a result of the work done.
