Cutting
When cuttings are (also Pluggers, scion, plug wood or root cuttings), in contrast to the natural impulse ( spin-off ), the purpose of vegetative propagation cut shoot parts of plants called. A cutting is that part of a plant that is put into a growing medium so that it takes root and then develops into a new, independent plant. The prerequisite for the propagation of cuttings is the ability of the plant to root the parts of the shoot, i.e. to form natural offshoots , the blastochoria .
Types of cutting
Head cutting
Head cuttings consist of a shoot tip with a stem and usually a few leaves. They can be cut from most plants whose shoot tips are at the end of above-ground shoot axes (stems, trunks, branches). The rosette cuttings , which are cut from plants with rosette-shaped growth and therefore short internodes, also belong to the head cuttings. Head cuttings grow more easily than most other types of cuttings and are therefore used both commercially and privately. Above all in private, head cuttings are not only used for reproduction in the true sense of the word, but also as a substitute for unsightly or overgrown plants. Plants in particular, which are rather difficult to propagate by cuttings, are preferably propagated by head cuttings, provided their growth allows this. As many head cuttings can be cut from the mother plant, as the shoot tips have formed. Upside-down cuttings can be cut from the vast majority of plants : here the cut is made in the above-ground area of the plant, whereby the interface can be chosen relatively freely. On the other hand, plants that form a hollow stem have to be cut at the base of the cuttings : the interface lies below the transition between the stem and the root attachment, and each cutting must have a piece of the root attachment that is not hollow. Some plant species can only be propagated by cracks . The crackling is also a head cutting with a small piece of root at the bottom. Cracked cuttings and basic cuttings already represent borderline cases between cuttings and stick division .
Numerous potted plants, perennials and herbs are suitable for propagation by head cuttings. Suitable potted plants are e.g. B. fuchsias , pelargoniums , ficus species, dragon tree species, yucca , poinsettia , begonia , peperomias , cissus , chrysanthemums , monstera species, philodendron species, efeutute , tradescantia species, money tree and many cacti . From Ivy both the room options and the outdoor variants are suitable for propagation by cuttings head.
Suitable perennials and herbs are z. B. sun rose , sage , lavender , thyme and shrub basil . The larkspur and the many-leaved lupine are examples of perennials that can only be propagated by cuttings. Some saxifrage species can only be propagated by rosette cuttings. Purple bells can only be multiplied by cracks .
Trunk cutting
A trunk cutting or partial cutting consists of a stem without a shoot tip with some leaves or without leaves. Trunk cuttings can be cut from most plants whose shoot tips are at the end of above-ground shoot axes (stems, trunks, branches). In contrast to head cuttings, stem cuttings of some plant species grow much worse, in these cases head cuttings are avoided if possible. From a mother plant, much more stem cuttings can usually be taken than head cuttings. In extreme cases, the above-ground part of the mother plant is completely cut into head and trunk cuttings, which is mainly used in the commercial sector to obtain large numbers of genetically identical plants. A border shape between head and trunk cuttings is a stem without a shoot tip, which has developed side shoots.
Most of the potted plants, perennials and herbs that can also be propagated by head cuttings can also be propagated by stem cuttings. This is not possible with plants that can only be propagated by basal cuttings, cracks or rosette cuttings. If the appearance of the stem cutting with its usually lateral shoot is not desired, a head cutting is preferred. On the other hand, some houseplants, such as the dragon tree species, are almost only visibly pulled from stem cuttings in the trade.
Leaf cutting
A leaf cutting consists of a leaf with or without a stem. Only certain types of plants can be propagated by leaf cuttings, but these also include plant species that cannot be propagated by head or stem cuttings. Leaf cuttings are sometimes very soft and accordingly prone to rot. The growth behavior varies greatly depending on the type of plant. A very large number of leaf cuttings can generally be obtained from a mother plant.
Suitable for propagation by leaf cuttings are z. B. African violets , twist fruit , peperomies , money tree and stonecrop .
Leaf cuttings
A leaf cutting consists of a part of a leaf. Only a few plant species can be propagated by partial leaf cuttings, but there are also plant species that cannot be propagated by head or stem cuttings and in some cases only poorly by complete leaf cuttings. Leaf cuttings are sometimes very soft and accordingly prone to rot. The growth behavior varies greatly depending on the type of plant. As a rule, a very large number of leaf cuttings can be obtained from a mother plant.
Suitable for propagation by leaf cuttings are z. B. leaf begonias and bow hemp .
Cuttings
The cuttings or wood cuttings usually consist of a lignified rod of the wood to be propagated. The so-called stick-wood rods are cut from the mother plants after the wood ripens and leaves are shed during the vegetation break from November to February. Annual rods are used to harvest cuttings; Exceptions are plane trees , where two-year-old wood must be attached to the cuttings. After the cut, the rods are cut into pieces approx. 15 to 20 cm long, at the lower end, mostly at an angle below a bud , at the upper end approx. 1 to 2 cm above a bud. The cuttings are bundled vertically in moist sand and stored frost-free over the winter. In spring, the cuttings are then individually stuck into the ground so that, depending on the type and intended use, the topmost or topmost buds are above the soil. They need to be kept moist throughout the year. In the following spring, the cuttings with roots can be dug up and then planted in the desired location with the shortened shoot ( plant cut ). In the year of sticking, shoots of 10 to 120 cm form depending on the species.
Indigenous trees that are suitable for propagation by cuttings are, for example, broom , fig , laburnum , honeysuckle , elder , poplar , eu cone , sea buckthorn , willow or hawthorn .
Root cuttings
The root cuttings or root cuttings consist of a piece of root without stems, leaves or shoot tips. Only a few plant species can be propagated by root cuttings, but there are also plant species that cannot be propagated by other cuttings. The growth behavior varies greatly depending on the type of plant. A very large number of root cuttings can usually be obtained from a mother plant.
Suitable for propagation by root cuttings is z. B. the ball primrose .
Process of propagation
Mother plants (plants for obtaining the cuttings) should be healthy, pest-free, in good nutritional condition and vigorous. Plants that are in bloom and are in the process of fruiting are not as suitable for producing cuttings as plants in the vegetative growth phase. To propagate cuttings from potted plants, temperatures between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius are usually required. After planting, the cuttings should not be colder than the mother plants, otherwise there is a risk of rot or at least delayed growth.
For head and trunk cuttings, cuttings that are too soft and too lignified should be avoided if possible. A sharp, disinfected knife should be used for cutting, not scissors to avoid bruising. However, if the logs are thick enough, the use of a saw is unavoidable, and a saw blade with a fine tooth pitch (e.g. metal saw blade) should be used to prevent fibers from tearing out of the log. The cut should be made just below a node (= stem knot at the base of the leaf), as the new roots form out of the node, provided there are no aerial roots on the cutting that continue to grow in the soil. With a few exceptions such as marsh plants, the cutting should be stored for a few hours with the interface facing up before planting, so that the interface dries out and is therefore less endangered by infections. Cuttings of cacti and many succulents are stored for several days or even weeks before they are planted. In the case of milkweed plants , mulberry plants and dog poison plants , the milky sap that emerges after cutting must be washed off with lukewarm water before it hardens. The rooting of cuttings in water works in many cases, especially with moisture-loving plants. However, when planting in soil there is a risk of damaging the roots. Some plants generally do not tolerate switching from water to soil well. In the vast majority of cases, the cuttings can be planted in the ground. Rooting in water is ideal if the plant is to be kept in hydroponics later .
To avoid dehydration and evaporation stress, it is necessary to keep the relative humidity high (approx. 90%). To make this possible, propagation from cuttings under greenhouse conditions is advisable. In the simplest case, these conditions are met by a transparent film that is pulled over the pot with the cutting. Evaporation stress, infections by fungi and bacteria, lack of light, too much light irradiation (south-facing windows, summer and midday sun), too high, too low or too fluctuating temperatures hinder the formation of roots. It is therefore important to ensure high humidity, good lighting and ventilation against rot and fungal attack, as well as a correctly set and constant temperature. A loose and nutrient-poor potting soil such as potting soil is used as a growing medium. Sometimes a universal potting soil is stretched with sand as an alternative.
In particular, head cuttings from plant species whose cuttings grow very easily usually require less effort. Moist, but not wet, soil and spraying several times a day with the mist sprayer are often sufficient for the growth. These cuttings usually grow in universal potting soil, which is simply stretched with sand to improve drainage for less moisture-loving plants. This makes it possible to put the cuttings straight into the containers provided for the plants.
Cuttings from cacti and many succulents do not require high humidity. They can even rot in it. These cuttings are kept in normal ambient air and moistened with the mist syringe at most once a day. The soil is also kept dry until the cuttings show growth. Special cactus soil or a mixture of approx. 50 percent universal potting soil without very coarse components and approx. 50 percent sand with little cohesive components are used as growing media.
horticulture
In professional horticulture, foil tunnels, automatic spray mist systems and under-table heating are common for propagation beds. Given the vast number of plants that can be propagated by cuttings, only these “rules of thumb” can be mentioned. In general: The better the optimal living conditions, growth mode and growth cycles of the plant to be propagated are known, and the better these are taken into account during propagation, the better the successes in propagation should be.
Auxiliary materials
To promote the rooting of cuttings, the use of rooting promoters (growth substances) such as the auxins 1-naphthyl acetic acid (NAA), naphthyl butyric acid , 4- (indol-3-yl) butyric acid (IBA) and indole-3-acetic acid (IES, IAA) ) proven. However, at the moment there are hardly any products of this type to buy in Germany because the approvals have expired and have not been extended (e.g. for Wurzelfix and Rhizopon ). An example of a product that is still on the market but not approved in Germany is Clonex .
Specialist journalists recommend simple home remedies as a substitute for industrial products. So are potato tubers , dry yeast or a decoction of young willow branches ( "willow water") containing growth hormones mentioned above. Apple cider vinegar , cinnamon , honey , or aspirin are offered as fungicides and antimicrobials to protect the plant from infection.
literature
- Fritz Köhlein: Plants multiply made easy , Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 1972, ISBN 3-8001-6052-8
- Fritz Encke: Plants for rooms and balconies , Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 1964
Web links
- baumpfingstrosen.de-Lexicon: Plant propagation
Individual evidence
- ^ Ulrich Sachweh (editor): The gardener, Volume 3, tree nursery, fruit growing, seed growing, vegetable growing . 2nd edition, Ulmer, Stuttgart 1986/1989, ISBN 3-8001-1148-9 , p. 101 f.
- ↑ Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety: List of approved plant protection products in Germany with information about terminated approvals (as of April 2015)
- ↑ Ines Jachomowski: Use rooting powder correctly . In: garden journal . Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ↑ Ramona Berger: Make your own root hormone for cuttings and naturally promote root formation . In: Deavita . May 31, 2018. Accessed May 16, 2020.
- ↑ Rooting Powder: 8 Natural Remedies and Home Remedies . In: Selbstversorger.de . Retrieved May 16, 2020.