Summer cherry cuttings guide: from choosing cuttings to caring for a new tree

Cutting is a popular way of propagating stone fruit crops, including cherries. It allows you to preserve varietal qualities, but the percentage of rooting of wood material is not high. There are certain rules for cuttings, depending on the selected raw material from the mother tree. How to propagate cherries at home, we will tell in the article.

Is it possible to propagate cherries by cuttings in summer

This method is considered the fastest. Cherry cuttings in summer occur by ordinary rooting in the ground or by grafting on a wild stock.

The first method allows you to get a rooted tree, the second - a cultivar with a more powerful, winter-hardy, unpretentious root system.

Many beginners are interested in whether it is possible to reproduce cherries at home. Professional gardeners say this is no big deal, and beginners should try the method of rooting the cuttings in the ground (instructions are provided below).

Reference. Cuttings are used by gardeners who want to increase the number of fruit trees of their favorite variety or to rejuvenate a perennial garden. At the same time, they save a significant amount of money on the purchase of seedlings.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of propagating cherries by cuttings:

• experimenting with plant material;
• there is no need to use complex technical devices;
• preservation of the best characteristics of the variety;
• saving money.

disadvantages:

• before rooting, cuttings need careful care;
• it is very difficult to get a new tree without certain knowledge and experience.

Optimal timing for summer cuttings

Cuttings are prepared in the first days of June... At this time, the collection of green mass slows down in the sweet cherry, and the shoots are gradually overgrown with wood.

Auspicious days

According to the lunar calendar of 2020, cherries can be cuttings on June 3, 5, 7, 9 and 10. It is permissible to carry out the procedure from June 12 to 15.

Suitable varieties of cherries

The following are considered good varieties:

• Fatezh;
• Franz Joseph;
• Backyard yellow;
• Beauty of the Kuban;
• General's;
• Dagestanka;
• Tyutchevka.

The vigor of the tree is another problem that summer residents do not like. The berries are too high, spoil quickly, or are eaten by birds.

therefore such low-growing varieties are appreciated:

• Colt;
• Maxma Delbar 14;
• Pico;
• Gisela.

It is good if the culture can withstand frost, hot or rainy summers.

Interesting on the site:

The best varieties of cherries for the Moscow region

Review of the best winter-hardy cherry varieties

Why are cherry and sweet cherry hybrids good

Selection and preparation of cuttings

Green cuttings are prepared as follows:

1. Choose a cool day.
2. Cut well-developed shoots about 30 cm long.
3. 2-3 healthy leaves are left on each.
4. The slices are immersed in "Kornevin" to stimulate root growth and kept in the solution for about 12 hours.
5. Then they put the material in clean water for 2 hours.

How woody cuttings propagate:

1. Young mother plants are selected, in which the lower part of the shoots begins to lignify, and the upper part remains softer.
2. Cut off shoots 25-30 cm long with 3-4 growth buds.
3. They put them in a bucket of water, moisten the leaves.
4. After 2-3 hours, the workpieces are cut into cuttings 5-7 cm long with two internodes.
5. Remove half of the sheet plates.
6. Place the material in a solution of "Heteroauxin" (dilute 250 g of the preparation in 1 liter of water) to a depth of 2.5 cm.
7. Planted in the morning.

The propagation of cherries by air layers is used very rarely.when the mother tree is weak and the cutting does not take root in the open field. An incision is made on a fruiting branch. This place is wrapped in a plastic bag filled with earth. The soil is constantly watered. The branch will take root only after 2 years.

During the procurement of raw materials for beginners it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

1. Do not take cuttings from old trees. They will not give roots.
2. Choose material from cherries, the fruiting of which lasts 2-3 years.
3. It is better to cut the lower, even, well-developed shoots from young, strong branches.
4. Separate samples in the morning or evening after 18.00 hours.
5. Use only clean tools. Pre-process the knife in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
6. Make the lower cut at an angle of 45 °, and the upper cut at a right angle.

With the help of shoots, not only cherries are propagated... The method is chosen for obtaining new cherry, plum, and apricot trees.

Ways to root them

Root blanks in two ways: planting in the ground or grafting.

How to plant cherries by planting in the ground:

1. Prepare the greenhouse and the soil. A greenhouse or mini-box is a good option. For the substrate, take equal parts of peat and river sand.
2. Lay the mixture on the bed with a layer of 12 cm, carefully leveled. A 1.5 cm layer of sand is poured on top.
3. Moisten the soil. Then the harvested cuttings are planted.

For propagation of cherries by grafting, use the method for the bark.

The rules are as follows:

1. For the stock, choose a healthy branch of plum, apricot, cherry or another variety of sweet cherries.
2. With a clean, sharp knife, separate the upper part of the stock so that the length of the working material is 30-45 cm.
3. A longitudinal cut is made on the bark, carefully separating it from the wood.
4. An oblique cut is made on the scion so that 15 cm and 2 healthy kidneys remain.
5. The stalk is inserted into the incision of the mother branch with the cut side inward.
6. The parts are wound with polyethylene, and the open areas are treated with wood ash.

Vaccination is performed in cloudy weather in the afternoon, no later than June 15th.

Planting ready-made cuttings

Cuttings are planted on a temporary site according to the scheme 70x70 cm... Water abundantly. Cover with polyethylene to protect from sunlight. The seedlings are left until next spring. During this time, they will have time to gain strength, form a powerful root system.

Cherries are transplanted to a permanent place at the end of May... Maintain a distance between trees from 1 to 1.5 m. They take care of them like an adult shrub.

Features of cuttings depending on the type of cherry

The previously described grafting methods are suitable for any kind of sweet cherry... The main thing is to follow the general rules for harvesting and subsequent planting.

Depending on the region

In the southern regions, cuttings are performed from June 1 to June 15, but no later.

In the middle lane and northern areas - no later than July 10. But in the latter case, experienced gardeners recommend harvesting cuttings in the fall, leaving them in a container with soil until spring.

Further care

The rooting process of wood cuttings lasts up to 6 weeks... It is considered difficult because the shoot is rootless and needs constant heat and high humidity.

Care is as follows:

1. Maintaining optimal day and night temperatures. New trees are sprouted in closed greenhouses. They are opened a little every week. They monitor the temperature: the optimal performance day and night is from +20 to + 27 ° C.
2. Regular abundant watering. Do not allow waterlogging of the soil, otherwise the lower part will begin to rot, the process of root formation will stop. Water as the top layer of the earth dries up. Pour up to 3 liters of water under one stalk.
3. Exclusion of drying out of seedlings.They are sprayed in hot weather with soft, slightly warmed water. In winter, the soil near the cutting is covered with a thick layer of peat or fallen leaves. After the appearance of snow, they rake a high snowdrift and make sure that an ice crust does not form on it. In the spring, the soil around the seedling is tamped, watered abundantly with warm water and a layer of mulch is again laid.
4. Top dressing. Only those cherries that have successfully wintered are fed. The earth is watered and 2.2 g of superphosphate per 1 sq. m plot. They are fed 2-3 times during the whole season.

Care measures are performed for another 1 year, and then young cherries are transplanted to a permanent place. The buds that appear are removed. The plant is looked after as an adult tree.

Experienced gardening tips

Cutting requires taking into account the following recommendations:

1. Only a healthy mother tree is chosen. Otherwise, diseases of an adult cherry will pass on to a young one.
2. Follow care measures. Control the temperature and watering regime.
3. In the southern regions, cuttings are harvested no later than June 15th. In the north, they prefer to perform the procedure in the fall.
4. The lower branches are separated. The place of the cut is sprinkled with ash.
5. Use only a clean, sharp instrument.

Conclusion

Cutting is an affordable and economical way to propagate cherries, but it will seem difficult to a beginner. In order to prevent the death of shoots at the rooting stage, it is important to follow the recommendations of experienced gardeners, water it correctly, and maintain the optimal temperature.