Stem and Leaf Propagation Cuttings Asexual Propagation Asexual

Stem and Leaf Propagation – Cuttings

Asexual Propagation • Asexual propagation is the reproduction of new plants from stems, leaves, or roots of a parent plant. • Portions of parent plants are used to make new plants.

Benefits of Asexual Propagation – Asexual propagation allows one to: • produce more plants faster. • propagate plants that do not produce viable seeds. • produce plants that are identical to the parent plant. • A plant that is identical to the parent plant is known as a clone.

Stem Cuttings • When you cut off a portion of the stem on the parent plant and place it into a growing media. • One stem can be made into multiple pieces. 4 new plants

Leaf Cuttings • Consists of a leaf blade or leaf blade with petiole attached. • In the case of the leaf blade, the primary veins are cut and the blade is laid flat on top of the growing media. • The leaf is pinned down, new plants will form at the point where the veins were cut.

Good Growing Media • • Compost Soil Bark Humus Sphagnum Moss Sawdust Rice Hulls Sand • • Perlite Vermiculite Peat Moss Coconut Coir Fibers Worm Castings Lime Gypsum

Good Growing Mixes • Peat moss and perlite mixture - good moisture retention, yet provides good aeration. • Vermiculite - good moisture retention. • Sand - provides good aeration and drainage. • Sand peat moss mixture - good mix of moisture retention and aeration.

Making Cuttings • Make cutting 1 -3 inches long. • ¼ Inch below a leaf, bud, or side shoot. • Remove any blooms on cutting.

Making Cuttings • Place cutting in a sanitizing water/bleach solution immediately after taking cutting. • Be sure to remember which is the top of the cutting. – If you bury the top of the cutting, the cutting won’t root.

Caring For Cuttings Cont. • Cut bottom at a 45° angle. – allows more surface area to contact media for water absorption.

Preparing Container • Fill plug tray with sterilized medium. • Use a dibble to dibble holes in the media for easy insertion of cutting.

Treating Cuttings • Strip cuttings lower leaves. – will prevent the cutting from rooting. • Dip cutting in rooting hormone. – chemicals which help cuttings grow more quickly and grow a larger number of roots.

Inserting Cuttings • Place dipped cutting in dibbled hole. • Gently press media around cutting. • Label cutting with name and variety, include name of rooting hormone used.

Rooting Of Cuttings • Check for roots by pulling out cutting. – Immature root system= roots don’t hold soil, so soil crumbles in hand. – Root bound= roots coiled tightly around soil.

Rooting Of Cuttings – *Mature root system= roots hold soil, so soil doesn’t crumble in hand. • *Ideal and ready to transplant. • Growth on the tips or sides is normal, but does not indicate root growth.