How to propagate cherries with green cuttings and layering at home

Growing trees yourself is a complex process. It is important to follow all the necessary subtleties and techniques to ensure that the plant takes root. Cherry propagation will not cause any particular difficulties even for beginners. Strict adherence to the recommendations will lead to a positive result.

Sprouting from seed

It’s easy to do this at home, but the process will take a lot of time:

• First of all, it is necessary to select the seeds, which should be healthy in appearance, without visible damage and traces of insect activity. They are selected from the largest and most delicious berries.

There is no need to risk growing cherry pits from the market. The seedling will grow, but its characteristics may not be suitable for the growing region, and they may freeze.

• To obtain high-quality planting material, it is necessary to plant not 1-2, but many specimens. This is necessary in order to subsequently select the strongest and healthiest seedlings.
• Often, a plant grown from a seed produces fruits that are completely different in taste and other characteristics.

Growing cherries this way is not easy; you need to be patient and diligent to get results.

Spring planting

In the fall, it is necessary to prepare a place for planting. Choose a well-lit place, protected from drafts. Humus and mineral fertilizers are added. To awaken, the bones are placed in wet sand and kept at a temperature of 0 ⁰C.

In the spring, when the snow melts and the soil warms up a little, you should plant the seeds in the ground. Only the best specimens are selected. For better results, they are soaked in a growth stimulator.

It is necessary to sow in rows; to facilitate the maintenance process, the distance between the furrows is 40 cm, between the seeds 15-20 cm. The planting depth is 2-3 cm.

Autumn planting

The seeds selected for planting are stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. The landing is planned for October. The bed is prepared in the same way as planting in the spring.

The grooves are made 5 cm deep, the distance between the seeds is 15 cm. The top is well sprinkled with soil.This is necessary so that the seeds and the sprouts emerging in them do not freeze in the winter.

In the spring, after the emergence of seedlings, the plantings are thinned out, leaving the strongest sprouts.

Advantages of the shoot propagation method

There are many ways to propagate a fruit tree. One of the promising ones is propagation by shoots. There is no need to do anything special when planting.

Planting material is selected, young seedlings must be strong and strong. Weak, deformed and diseased plants will not survive. 2 year old cuttings are best.

You should choose cherry seedlings that are located at a considerable distance from the parent tree.

The shoots are left to grow in the summer so that by autumn they are ready for transplanting. They are cut off with a small part of the mother root, this will improve survival in a new place.

The advantage of this method is that the tree quickly takes root and grows without wasting time on adaptation and the formation of the root system.

Propagation technology with green cuttings

This method of propagating cherries allows the plant to retain its ability to resist frost, as well as become more resilient and capable of rapid recovery.

For this method of propagation, branches located on the lower tier are selected. Each should have 4-5 leaves. You need to cut them at an angle, using a sharp object, being careful not to damage the bark.

The lower leaves are removed to help root better. Branches cut from cherries are placed in a growth stimulator for a day.

The soil is mixed in a 1:1 ratio of peat and sand. A layer of coarse river sand 5 cm thick is poured on top, everything is mixed well and green cuttings are planted. To speed up the process, a greenhouse effect is created by covering the soil with film.

Propagation by air layering of cherries is practiced by many gardeners. This method consists of the following. A fruiting branch is selected and several cuts are made on it. Then a plastic bag with soil is tied to this place, which is watered regularly.

Over time, the branch takes root, the branch is cut off and planted in another place. Such seedlings retain all the characteristics of the mother tree, including the taste of the fruit.

Deadlines for planting

It all depends on the growing region. In the south they are trying plant cherries in the fall. It takes root quietly, overwinters and begins to grow in the spring. In the northern and central regions, on the contrary, they tend to plant seedlings in the spring. In summer they strengthen and prepare for winter. Having overwintered well, the plants gain strength and growth starting in the spring.

During the rooting period, the gardener monitors the condition of the tree and promptly applies the necessary agrotechnical techniques.

Schemes for planting seedlings

Much depends on whether the trees are planted correctly. It is recommended to initially select suitable schemes when planting cherries in the beds.

It is advisable to place 2-3 plants on the site, or plant several cherries. The distance between trees is 4-5 m.

If grown columnar cherry, then it is planted at a closer distance: 1 m between seedlings, and 2-3 m between rows.

It is recommended to plant cherries correctly, fulfilling all the necessary requirements. Otherwise, the tree may never bear fruit at all. Since dense planting creates a lot of shade, young trees interfere with each other’s development.

Caring for trees after rooting

When a cherry seedling has taken root, it should be properly cared for. Timely measures will help avoid some problems.Growing cherries need fertilizing, watering, loosening and pruning.

Watering mode

Rooted seedlings must be watered frequently, preventing the soil from drying out or becoming waterlogged. At first, water once a week, then reduce it to once every two weeks. But at the same time increasing the amount of water for one seedling.

Soil and foliar feeding

Without fertilizers, the plant will not be able to fully develop. Timely application of fertilizing will help to form a healthy root system and an equally strong above-ground part of the seedlings. The basis of the future harvest.

If everything is done correctly during planting, then the cherries will not need mineral fertilizers for the first year. Organic matter is added during planting and thoroughly mixed with soil for backfilling.

In subsequent years, it is recommended to fertilize plants with organic matter several times a year. You should carefully monitor the appearance of the seedling and, based on observations, determine what the growing cherry tree lacks.

Fertilizers are applied along with watering or a day after it. Spraying or foliar feeding is carried out in the evening or in cloudy weather. This is done no earlier than in the second year of the plant’s life.

When processing using the foliar method, it is necessary to use chemical protective equipment, gloves, goggles, and a protective suit.

In any case, it is important to follow the norm; it is better to underfeed the plants than to overfeed them.

Crown formation

It is not enough to just plant a seedling, weed and water it. It is necessary to form the tree correctly. To get a cherry tree with a developed crown, you need to start forming the seedling from the first year of life.

The specifics of pruning depend on the variety, but there are some general subtleties. Cherry trees need pruning to increase productivity, prevent the occurrence of diseases, increase the fruiting period and improve the quality of berries.

In regions with cold climates, cherries are grown in the form of a bush, so they can more easily withstand harsh winters.

You need to shape a tree at a young age, when the branches still bend easily, and direct them at the required angle. If the cherry is grafted, it is necessary to remove all growth on the rootstock. Otherwise, she is able to kill the graft, and nothing will come of the graft.

Formation begins from the first year of a young tree’s life. Start pruning from the bottom tier. Remove those branches that are not skeletal. Then be sure to shorten the central shoot. This is necessary for the formation of lateral skeletal branches. The first year, all side branches are removed from the skeletal ones.

If there is no clearly defined central shoot, choose the highest branch and shorten it by 2-3 cm. All side branches are cut into 3 buds.

In addition to formative pruning, there is sanitary pruning. It is necessary to ensure that the tree does not get sick and die. Remove all diseased and deformed branches. It is imperative to treat the cut areas with garden varnish.

Treatment against insects and diseases

At first, treatment against pathogens and pests is especially important. It is difficult for a young, immature tree to cope with this problem on its own. Therefore, the summer resident needs to carefully monitor the appearance of the seedlings and try to detect diseases in time.

It is easier to carry out timely preventive treatment than to eliminate the consequences later. To combat pathogens, it is recommended to treat with chemicals.But only until the seedling begins to bloom, then it is treated with folk remedies.

Installing traps with special contents that attract and kill insects helps in the fight against insects. As well as treatment with drugs.

Digging in young cherries for the winter

In order for the tree to survive the winter more easily, some gardeners dig the seedlings in with soil. A layer of soil will help them survive severe frost and continue to grow in the spring with renewed vigor.

Seedlings are also buried if they do not have time to plant. Then a ditch is dug, young trees are placed in it and covered with earth until the weather warms up in the spring.

Possible difficulties

Growing fruit berries is not difficult; you must strictly follow all the necessary techniques and requirements. The gardener faces some problems, solving them, he leaves feedback to help others. A novice summer resident looks for answers to questions, finds them, successfully applies them and becomes more experienced.

Difficulties that may arise when propagating cherries in different ways:

1. The seedling does not grow. Possible reason: lack of fertilizers and moisture.
2. Doesn't take root. You need to make sure that this is the case. Then take action. Treat with a nutrient mixture and apply mineral fertilizers.
3. The cherry tree doesn't bloom. Perhaps mistakes were made during planting, the root collar was buried, etc.

When faced with difficulties, the main thing is not to give up. It is necessary to understand the reasons, then try to eliminate them. Everything can be fixed with patience and hard work.

Propagating cherries yourself is a big plus. The gardener will be confident in the quality of the tree obtained as a result of the work done.