How to propagate Buddha's hand by cuttings

Cutting propagation of bergamot

Cutting preparation

Select high-quality mother trees that are 7 or 8 years old in advance, select and cut off vigorous and healthy branches, then cut off the leaves and tender shoots at the top, and cut the branches into cuttings about 17-20 cm long.

Land preparation and cuttings

It is best to use thick sandy soil for the seedbed to facilitate later removal of seedlings. After selecting the land, it is deeply plowed and harrowed, and human and animal manure is applied to provide nutrients, forming a high ridge with a width of about 1.3 meters. The width of the ridge ditch is about 30 centimeters and the depth is about 20 centimeters. The time for cuttings can be chosen between February and March in spring or between August and September in autumn. Generally, autumn is the best time for cuttings because roots can grow in the year of cuttings, and they grow rapidly after germination in the spring of the following year. When transplanting, dig a horizontal groove with a spacing of about 23-27 cm on the bed. Then insert the cuttings into it at a spacing of about 15-17 cm between plants. Be careful not to insert them upside down. After the cuttings are completed, the soil can be covered and compacted. At this time, a bud at the tip should be exposed to the soil surface and the soil surface should be kept moist.

Seedling management

After cuttings, daily maintenance work should be carried out, weeding should be done in time, watering should be carried out frequently, and drainage should be done well if there is a lot of rainfall. At the same time, a shed should be built to provide shade. When the seedlings are 7-10 cm tall, remove the weak seedlings in the clusters and generally keep one strong seedling for each plant. After that, apply light human and animal manure or ammonium sulfate 3-4 times, and it can be transplanted after one year of cultivation.