How to propagate sweet alyssum by cuttings

Preparation before cutting

You can use materials specially used for cuttings, such as nutrient soil, river sand, peat soil, etc. It is recommended to use prepared and sterilized cutting media for home cuttings, and medium-coarse river sand can also be used.

The substrate should be rinsed with clean water several times before use. Sea sand and river sand from saline-alkali areas should not be used because they are not suitable for the growth of flowers and plants.

Selection of cuttings

The selection of cuttings is usually combined with the work of pinching, and the thick, disease-free and insect-free tops are used as cuttings, and the tops are directly used for cuttings.

Management after cutting

The most suitable temperature for rooting of cuttings is 18℃-25℃. If the temperature is lower than 18℃, rooting of cuttings will be difficult and slow. If the temperature is higher than 25℃, the cut ends of cuttings will be easily infected by pathogens and rot. The higher the temperature, the greater the proportion of rot.

When encountering low temperatures after cuttings, the main insulation measure is to wrap the flower pots or containers used for cuttings with film. If the temperature is too high, it is necessary to shade the cuttings, blocking 50%-80% of the sunlight, and spray the cuttings 3-5 times a day.

After cuttings, the relative humidity of the air must be maintained at 75%-85%. You can increase the humidity by spraying the cuttings 1-3 times a day. The higher the temperature on sunny days, the more times you spray. The lower the temperature on rainy days, the less often you spray or you don’t spray at all.

Cutting propagation cannot be separated from sunlight, but the stronger the light, the higher the temperature inside the cuttings, the more vigorous the transpiration of the cuttings, the more water is consumed, which is not conducive to the survival of the cuttings.

Therefore, after cuttings, 50%-80% of the sunlight must be blocked. After the roots grow out, the shading net can be gradually removed. On sunny days, it should be removed at 4 pm every day and covered before 9 am the next day.