Propagating azalea is an operation that is performed on many courtyard and garden plants to make large, showy flowers bloom. To propagate azalea, there are several methods, manageable by anyone with a pair of gardening gloves and shears. Follow the steps in this article to learn how to propagate azaleas.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Propagate via the Layering Method
When using this method, you don't have to remove any part of the mother plant
Step 1. Look at the azalea bush and choose one of the lower branches
Step 2. Dig a hole under the branch, and parallel to it, about 5 cm deep
Step 3. Make a cut in the branch and apply liquid fertilizer
Step 4. Push the branch into the furrow and bury it about 10cm deep
Cover it with soil.
Step 5. Put a weight on the branch
It can be a brick, some stone or a piece of wood.
Step 6. Wait a year for the branch to form independent roots
Step 7. Cut the branch off the original plant once it has developed a strong root system
Method 2 of 3: Propagation of Azaleas by Cutting
Step 1. Put some moist, soft earth in a pot about 15cm deep, several days before
Step 2. Make sure you wet it generously
Step 3. Look for the branch to be picked towards the top of the plant, where new shoots are growing
Step 4. Cut a twig about 10 cm long
Step 5. Choose a flexible but strong one
Step 6. Remove all leaves except those on the top
Step 7. Wet it, seal it wrapped in plastic and then let it rest for several hours
Step 8. Make a cut at the bottom, about 1.20 cm from the base
Step 9. Soak 2.50 cm of the cutting in liquid or powder fertilizer
Step 10. Remove excess fertilizer by dabbing the branch with a rag or shaking it, depending on the type of fertilizer
Step 11. Make a hole for each cutting, using a pencil
Step 12. You must have a distance of 5-10 cm between each hole
Step 13. Insert the cuttings and water generously, avoiding getting the leaves wet
Step 14. Cover the entire jar with plastic to prevent it from drying out
Step 15. Place the pot in a well-lit place, but out of direct sunlight
Step 16. Wait 8 weeks for the root system to develop
Step 17. Gradually open the plastic cover during the ninth week
Step 18. Transplant the cuttings into a mixture of peat and sand
Step 19. Move the jars inside, when the temperature drops below freezing, during the first year
Method 3 of 3: Propagate during the Fall
Step 1. Collect pods from plants in early autumn
Step 2. Make sure they are not completely brown and still intact and closed
Step 3. Place the pods of each variety in a paper bag and label them to recognize which species they belong to
Step 4. Wait about a month for them to open
Step 5. Clean the seeds
Step 6. Plant them over the winter as follows
Step 7. Prepare a pot, one for each species, entirely filled with peat and sand up to 2.50 cm from the edge
Step 8. Fill the remaining space with peat only
Step 9. Water the soil mixture generously, then let it absorb the water
Step 10. Sprinkle the seeds on the soil and water them gently
Step 11. Seal the jar tightly with plastic
Step 12. Place the pot under an artificial lighting system
Step 13. Wait six weeks to two months for the seeds to begin sprouting
Step 14. Remove the sprouts with a toothpick and transplant them into other pots
Step 15. Space the shoots 5-7.5 cm apart
Step 16. Gently water the surrounding soil
Step 17. Seal the jars again with plastic
Step 18. Place them back under an artificial light source and wait until the temperatures stabilize above freezing
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When moving plants outdoors, be sure to place them in the shade.
Propagate Azaleas Step 44Bullet1
Step 19. Remove the plastic after approximately one week
Step 20. Water generously
Step 21. Wait a year before replanting the seedlings
Step 22. Divide the soil into cubes instead of separating the roots
Step 23. Place each plant in a shaded area and water them abundantly
Advice
- Layering is probably the most effective way to reproduce azaleas identical to the mother plant.
- Stratification often occurs naturally, when the lower branches extend so far that they are trapped in the ground.
- The seeds of the azalea must be grown in a controlled environment.
- Cuttings produced by evergreen azaleas grow much better during the rooting process than deciduous varieties.
- When cutting a deciduous azalea, cut it early in the season when the wood is still completely green.
- It is possible to propagate more plants by cutting many branch shoots at the same time. Just cover the cut branches with a fairly thick layer of well-draining soil.
- A colander or sieve is the ideal container for growing azalea seeds.
- When propagating by cuttings, the healthier the mother plant, the better the one propagated.
