Plant Propagation Day. Lilacs, Nandina, Plums, Quince, Forsythia. 1.11.14

Lilac Sucker

Shovel Placement for Lilac Sucker

 More plant propagation.  I found suckers on 2 more lilac bushes.  So I removed those for propagation.

The method with the shovel, is to stand it vertically close to the parent shrub, between the parent and the sucker.  Make a rapid, firm slice into the soil.  Sometimes it takes more than one try.  That severs the connection, but leaves most of the sucker's roots intact.

I make the same type of slices around the sucker / baby bush, then slice under it.

Much of the root mass is probably from the old bush, and not connected to the baby bush.  That root matrix hold the soil together.  Removing it could damage the roots of the new bush, so I left the soil / root matrix in place.  It would be nice to see how many roots the baby bush has, but not required.  I'm sure there are some.

I also took prunings from Hollywood Plum, Shiro Plum, Pussy Willow - un known variety, Flowering Quince.  After removing side branches, I have a bundle of each to experiment with as hardwood cuttings.

Hardwood Cuttings and Lilac Starts

 It's a cloudy drizzly rainy day, so not much risk of drying out.

Then I wandered around the yard, looking for other starts.  I found two Nandina suckers - Heavenly Bamboo.  Pretty bush, bright red berries.  So I removed those.  Same method as lilac.  The suckers did not have much by way of roots, so I pruned the tops to avoid dehydrating the plants until the roots take.  Haven't done this with Nandina before.

Then planted the sucker / baby shrubs in vegetable raised bed.  They will have a few months to grow more roots, before top grown begins.

I treated the hardwood cuttings in a similar manner to the fig cutting prep - make an incision in the lower end, to expose cambium.  Dip in Dip-and-grow 1:5 dilution for 10 seconds.  Then used trowel to make slice into soil.

Lilac Starts and Nandina Starts

Quince Starts

Inserted the cuttings, firmed soil into place.

I don't know if there is even a remote chance for those plums and the quince to take root.  Nothing lost if they don't.

I also took a few forsythia prunings.  Those were inserted in soil without wounding or dip-and-grow.  Mainly because I didn't have any dip-and-grow remaining.  Should be OK.  Forsythia grows easily.

The pussy willows can just be stuck into the grown about 1 foot deep.  Ning did that last year when I was sick, and about 90% took root and grew.  Deer then ate some.  Others should take off and grow this year.  We'll have a hedge of pussy willow.