Propagation Basics by Pam Perry
The mission of the Master Gardener Program is to teach people to select, place, and care for plants in an environmentally responsible manner based on research specific to the low desert.
What is Propagation? Making more plants-sexually Seeds Making more plants asexually Tip, stem, leaf, or root cuttings Offsets/pups/bulbils Division Grafting
Sexual Propagation Seeds Flowers are male, female or both Pollen: male flower parts fertilize ovaries: female flower parts Diversity of DNA Numbers, sheer numbers insure survival
What is a Seed? Complete carefully engineered plant package Protective seed coat Nutrients An embryo: shoot and root: Represents DNA of parent plants Can be hybrid, species, or variety
What Initiates Growth? Ambient temperature Soil temperatures Soil moisture content Stratification chemical or physical deterioration of the seed coat Availability of light
Planting Seeds Benefits Greater choice of varieties Selection of strains to meet specific needs Seeds are easy to share or transport Seeds are magic
Seeding sow direct or start as a pot plant? Germination requirements Seed scarcity-how rare or hard to obtain Transplant ease Spacing requirements Age and conditions of seeds Seed size
Directly Sowing Into the Garden Plusses No special space, lights, tables, equipment needed No hardening off time No transplant shock
Minuses-limited control Hard to control soil surface moisture content Weather can stress seedlings Germination can be a little erratic Controlling pests can be a challenge Season too short, plants need more time to mature
Starting Seeds in Pots Control of conditions to manage pests, bacteria, and fungal problems Control over seed starting conditions- Light Temperatures Moisture levels
Planting Vegetable or Flower Seeds Refer to UA publications Start seeds for vegetables 4-8 weeks before you expect to transplant into the ground Larger seeds will need transplanted sooner than smaller seeds
Other Seeds Research specific varieties Take notes on what happens naturally Provide necessary stratification Treat seed coats as recommended Contact plant societies for references and tips
A Note About Peat and Other Fiber Pots They do not decompose in our soils Roots have trouble growing beyond their limitations Containers made from sterilized manure Dry out quickly Do not warm on a heat mat
Seed Starting Equipment Sterile containers-- 3 inches deep with holes in bottom for drainage Recycled containers w/drainage OK Use 10% bleach solution to sterilize washed containers: 9 parts water 1 part bleach Scale the pot to the seed/plant size Waterproof trays or pans
Sterile, soil-less seed starting mix Commercially prepared Mix your own Finely milled peat moss Vermiculite Perlite These should be fresh
Do not use Non-sterile compost Manure Leaf mold Soil These contribute bacteria and fungus Can reduce germination vigor, cause damping off or plant diseases
Labels and indelible, waterproof marker Plant name Date of seeding, or cutting Any other useful info you want to remember! Spacing Light requirements Growth habits.
Adequate space: Temperature as recommended for germination Light must be strong but indirect. Too little will grow spindly seedlings that reach and flop 1 1-2 inches above soil surface
Air circulation prevents disease, and prepares seedlings for the real world Room for plants to develop-crowding may encourage pests, and disease
Select seeds Planting Seeds Read planting instructions Prepare labels Perhaps start a journal??? Moisten soil mix This should feel as moist as a wrung out sponge Fill containers, firming soil
Do not compact Allow space to cover the seed Sow seed Cover seed as package indicates Label everything as you seed it! Set containers into non-aluminum shallow tray
Bottom watering Fill tray with water Allow moisture to wick into soil Pour off extra water Allow seed trays to drain Remove any remaining water **If soil seems too wet, set seed tray onto fat dry towel and allow the towel to take up excess moisture
Light, Moisture, Temperature: How do you know what is needed? READ THE SEED PACKET Ball Red Book Other specific references to your selected seeds Observation
Root Development Root bound, pot too small, transplant Too few-do not transplant yet, adjust watering Fertilize lightly after second set of true leaves appear- use 20% of the recommended dose of a balanced water soluble fertilizer, weekly
Look at Your Seed Packets. Find: Seed planting depth Days to germination Spacing Thinning information Additional info on harvest, history, uses and lore
Handling Seedlings Always handle seedlings by roots or leaves. They will grow more, if these are damaged it is not the end! Do not damage the stem, the little plant only has the one stem. It must be a healthy conduit for water and nutrients between roots and leaves!
Vegetables to Plant from Seed Root vegetables Beets, carrots, parsnips, radishes, turnips Easy to grow Lettuce, spinach, kales and other greens, sunflowers, zinnias and cosmos Big seed Beans, peas, corn, squash, melons, gourds, cukes
Testing for seed viability Lay several seeds between moist paper towels Place this in a Ziploc bag and close Date it, name it Wait the # of days indicated on seed package Open up the bag and towels and count how many are growing!
Asexual Propagation: Cloning Tip, stem, leaf, root cuttings Bulbils, other offsets, or pups Layering: Manipulating stems to force roots Division: taking plants apart Grafting Attaching two plants together
Equipment Soil mix Clean, sterile containers 3 inches deep have drainage holes Scaled to the size of the cuttings Use a sterile medium, a little coarser than the seed starting mix. Add pumice
Tools and equipment for taking cuttings Sharp pruners Sharp small scissors Dibble Root hormone Shallow pan Pots with drainage and soil mix
Take cuttings from plants before stems get hard While actively growing. Cuttings should not be tender new growth Select several branches for cutting and prepare cuttings from these at the planting bench
Nodes Nodes are found where the leaves join the stem More than one node inserted into the planting mix increases your success. Choose cuttings where two nodes are reasonably close together. Nodes can be found on roots, or leaves Where there are nodes, roots can grow
Preparing Tip and Stem Cuttings Cuttings 2-5 inches long are best. Trim cuttings close to the bottom node Remove leaves at bottom nodes Gently damaging or scarify the stem to enhance rooting Use a mild root hormone if one is fresh and available
The Process Research plants to confirm best time for successful propagating, as a rule of thumb, when they are actively growing Prepare labels Trim off large leaves to reduce transpiration stress Scale pot size to cuttings
Remove flowers, seeds, or buds Use a dibble to make a hole in soil mix Insert the cutting into the hole Press the mix firmly around the stem Water from the bottom as for seed trays Place in a warm place with moderate humidity and indirect light 2 inches above the plants
Keep growing medium moist, but not soggy Misting new cuttings occasionally can reduce stress As plants root water needs increase LEAVE THEM ALONE Do not tug, pull or wiggle cuttings for at least 6 weeks
Make cuttings directly into the garden Choose a moist location with light shade or indirect light Protect cutting Transplant when rooted and new growth appears Label, label, label
Layering Manipulating stems to initiate root growth while they remain on the plant Bend chosen stem[s] to the ground Remove leaves where the stem touches soil. Pin this in place with long staple or bent wire Cover with loose soil or compost and keep the area moist
Allow several weeks for root development When rooted, cut stem loose from mother plant and dig new plant gently from soil Plant into clean pot with quality potting soil or plant into landscape. Protect new plants from intense sun and wind until established
Air Layering Select site, scarify stem by removing leaves Wrap 3-6 inches area of stem with moist sphagnum peat moss, secure Wrap firmly in aluminum foil and then wrap in plastic, secure Allow several weeks for roots to form before checking
When roots are formed cut stem loose from mother plant below new root mass and pot up. Select soil mix appropriate to plant. Keep new plant in bright, indirect light and a moderately humid location Once established, transplant
Leaf cuttings Other Cuttings Use shallow containers African violets, streptocarpus, begonias, succulents Lay leaf with cut edge just in sterile mix, keep in bright indirect light and maintain humidity, bottom water Watch new plant grow. Transplant into soil mix developed for these sort of tropicals.
Root cuttings Use coarse medium Use shallow containers large enough for several pieces Place cuttings into about 2 inches of medium.
Label, label, label When both roots and shoots appear transplant into quality potting soil Fertilize regularly with dilute, balanced, water soluble fertilizer When roots fill container transplant into garden or larger container
Pups, Offsets Agaves, Aloes, Succulents, and Cacti Soak the ground a few days in advance to expedite this part of the project Remove pup from mother plant by excavating around base and cutting or pulling selected pup[s] loose
Bulbils Small plants form on flower stalk after blooming Sometimes in conjunction with seed Sometimes instead of seed Onions Agaves Aloes
Gently remove them from the stem Plant into clean containers in a loose mix of potting soil or seed starting mix appropriate to the variety you are propagating Or plant into the garden or landscape Water as appropriate for the specie and variety
Plant Division Grasses, herbaceous perennials, bulbs, rhizomes, corms all can be propagated by division Plant should be well hydrated Soil should be moist, not soggy, nor too dry Use a pointed or trenching shovel to dig under and around the plant loosening all sides
Shake plant free of soil Lift plant onto tarp to control mess Remove mature leaf growth to facilitate handling if separating plants in late summer or fall Identify separate crowns or sections to be removed from main clump Cut away damaged or rotted roots
Use sharp, sterile tools to divide, whether by snipping or slicing. Shovels, knives, pruners, loppers are all used depending on the plant and the amount of resistance it puts up.
Replanting Amend soil as needed to backfill the hole Return part of the plant to the place it came from if you like Divisions can be planted into the garden or potted up, depending on need, size, and season Use good potting soil when potting up Water well and label
Protect newly transplanted plants from heat and wind stress in garden with shelter for a few days Containerized plants should be placed in bright, indirect light until they begin to root out and new growth appears And again: label, label, label
Bulbs Garlic and Onions
Under ground modified stems and leaves Cloves form in the axils Separate and plant individually, pointy end up 2 x deep as they are big Fat cloves make fat heads
Corms Corm is a swollen base of a stem axis Distinct nodes and internodes Can form additional corms at the base Store energy during dormancy Lift, separate Gladiolas and crocus
Stem Tubers Swollen, modified stems have same anatomy as a stem Eyes = nodes Attached to a stolon on parent plant Storage of energy as carbohydrates Idaho type potato, some begonias, gloxinias
Tuberous roots Modified, swollen root Stores carbohydrates Sweet potatoes Green leaves are adventitious shoots
Rhizomes, Stolons Horizontally growing fleshy stems Produce new shoots/roots at soil contact Rhizomes are underground Iris, ginger, bamboo Stolons are above ground fleshy stems which root at nodes Bermuda grass, mint, dogwoods
Runners Horizontal or Hanging Stems originate from leaf axils and can root at nodes Small plants will form at nodes or axils
Grafting Attaching buds or scion from one plant onto another When new growth is imminent Cambium layers will bond at the cell level New growth can absorb nutrients like the rest of the plant Apples to apples, citrus to citrus
What is important about grafted plants Know where the graft is Do not bury the graft as the plant will most likely revert back to rootstock Remove all rootstock suckers as they will outgrow the preferred, grafted plant
Extra Plants Make great gifts Are an inexpensive way to enhance your landscape Are great to trade with other plant enthusiasts
Now Go into the world and make babies!!!
Resources ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/propagati on/index.html cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1483.pdf cals.arizona.edu/pubs/crops/az1029.pdf cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1100.pdf cals.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/az1005.pdf California Master Gardener Manual Arizona Master Gardeners Manual