How to propagate purple leaf plum by cuttings

Cutting method of purple leaf plum:

Seedbed preparation:

The best time for cutting purple-leaf plum is from when the trees shed their leaves in autumn until the ground freezes. Before cutting, the seedbed needs to be prepared in advance. You should choose a sunny, ventilated and fertile plot of land as the seedbed, deep plow the land, apply enough fertilizer, and then make it level.

Prepare cuttings:

For cuttings, choose strong purple-leaf plum branches grown in the current year and cut them into segments about 10 to 15 cm in length. The lower end of the cuttings needs to be cut into an oblique horseshoe shape, so that the rooting surface will be larger, which is conducive to rooting. Cutting the top flat and reducing the cross-section can reduce water loss in the cuttings. Tie the cuttings into bundles of 100 to 150, then soak them in a 50 ppm indolebutyric acid solution for 24 hours and set aside.

Cuttings of purple-leaf plum:

First, fill the prepared seedbed with enough water, and after the water has completely seeped into the soil, you can start transplanting. The depth of the cuttings should be two-thirds of the length of the cuttings, with one-third exposed. Generally, cuttings are carried out horizontally, with a plant spacing of about 3 cm and a row spacing of about 5 cm. After the entire bed is filled with cuttings, a thin layer of fine soil is sprinkled on the bed to prevent the surface from drying out and moisture evaporation.

Scaffolding and film covering:

Use thin bamboo poles to cross each other to build a simple small arch shed on the seedling bed for cuttings, and tie the intersection of the bamboo poles tightly with ropes to prevent it from swaying left and right. After the arch frame is erected, immediately cover it with plastic film to keep it warm and moist.

Management of purple leaf plum seedlings:

1. Ventilation, watering and weeding: From the time of cuttings to the warm spring of the following year, the cuttings have basically taken root, but the root system is still relatively fragile and requires careful care. By around mid-March, the climate is stable and it is necessary to remove the plastic film at both ends of the seedbed early and cover it late to ventilate and harden the seedlings. When the climate stabilizes and warms up, completely remove the film, remove weeds in time, and water regularly. 2. In mid-April, remove the greenhouse film and spray 0.5% urea solution on the leaves to enhance their growth. After that, apply nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium compound fertilizers every 45 days or so, and water according to the soil. Stop fertilizing before the end of August. The plants can be transplanted into the nursery for cultivation in the spring of the following year.

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