How to propagate boxwood

Seed propagation of boxwood

Seeding bed

In early September, choose loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam as the sowing bed, apply base fertilizer (organic fertilizer), mix in insecticides and fungicides, and deep plow and level the soil to use as the sowing bed.

Seeding rate

50-60 grams per square meter. First mix the seeds with an appropriate amount of sand, then spread them evenly on the seedbed, then cover them with 1-1.5 mm fine soil and cover them with straw mats to keep them moist.

Post-sowing management

After sowing, the seeds will only grow radicles but will not germinate in the same year. In order to prevent frost damage, before the soil freezes in mid-to-late November, it is necessary to cover the straw mat with 5-8 cm of soil. In mid-to-late March of the second year, remove the straw mats and covering soil, and then build a plastic arch shed on the seedbed. The temperature needs to be controlled between 25-30℃. It takes about 20 days for the embryo to grow out of the soil. After that, the temperature in the shed must be maintained between 20-25℃, and appropriate watering is required. In late April, the temperature will stabilize and the plastic shed can be removed. During the seedling stage, it is necessary to weed and loosen the soil, water and fertilize in time, and also prevent and control diseases and pests in time.

Cutting propagation of boxwood

seedbed

Choose a plot with high terrain, deep soil, loose soil, and good drainage and irrigation. After removing the grass roots and stones, level the soil into a high ridge of about 1-1.2 meters, then use 1500 times of 5% mancozeb and 1000 times of 10% imidacloprid to eliminate underground pests and harmful bacteria. After the seedbed is leveled, pat it flat with a shovel, water it with 10% decomposed diluted human manure, and then spread a layer of yellow soil or sifted burnt mud ash on the bed, with a thickness of about 5 cm.

Cuttings

Cutting propagation can be carried out at any time, but it is best to use young branches grown that year as cuttings in summer. For cuttings, choose high-quality woody or semi-woody branches of the current year. After collection, cuttings should be done in a cool, sheltered place. When pruning, if small branches have grown from the internodes, cut them off 0.5 cm above and below the nodes, then split the stem nodes into two halves according to the attachment position of the small branches, and divide them into two branches for cuttings. If no small branches have grown from the branches, 2 nodes need to be left, and the upper end should be cut into a flat section 1 cm above the bud, and the lower end should be cut into a horse ear shape or flat cut 0.5 cm away from the bud.

Cuttings

It should not be too deep. The depth of large branches should be 1 cm into the soil at the next stem node. When dividing and propagating small branches, the flat cross-section should face downward, and the depth should be 1 cm when the mother plant enters the soil. The cuttings should be inclined at about 45 degrees to the ground. Shallow and oblique insertion is beneficial for the early rooting and survival of the cuttings. After cuttings, the soil around the cuttings needs to be compacted, and then watered thoroughly to make the lower part of the cuttings stick to the soil. The row spacing for cuttings is generally 12-15 cm, and the plant spacing is 6-8 cm. When cutting, do not leave too many leaves on the cuttings, but do not cut them all off. The lower leaves can be cut off together with the petioles, leaving 2 leaves on the upper part, and then depending on the size of the leaves, cut each leaf by 1/2 to 2/3 to reduce excessive consumption of water and nutrients.

manage

After cuttings, build a shed to provide shade, reduce transpiration, and avoid direct sunlight on the seedbed. When taking cuttings in early spring or late autumn, you also need to cover them with a film to prevent winter damage. After cuttings, you should also pay attention to watering frequently to keep the soil in the seedbed moist, and it is best if the soil on the surface of the seedbed does not appear white. Top dressing can be combined with watering, or potassium dihydrogen phosphate and urea can be sprayed on the leaves. Weeding should be done carefully and the cuttings should not be hit.