We propagate honeysuckle by cuttings - the easiest way!

Edible honeysuckle is unpretentious, frost-resistant, its harvest ripens earlier than other crops - at the end of May or in June. Ornamental honeysuckle are shrubs and vines that are distinguished by their exotic beauty and spicy, fruity-vanilla aromas during flowering. In this article we will tell you how to propagate honeysuckle, what are the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Features of honeysuckle propagation

Honeysuckle reproduces by vegetative methods and seeds. During vegetative propagation, the beginning and end of the plant’s growing season are taken into account, because honeysuckle wakes up when there is still snow and ends development in July.

The timing depends on the chosen method:

• cuttings are carried out from the beginning of flowering to leaf fall;
• dividing the bush is carried out in early spring or autumn after the leaves fall;
• layerings are fixed in the soil in early spring or summer during the growing season;
• seeds - spring, summer, autumn.

When propagating by cuttings, optimal conditions are created for the formation of a strong root system - temperature +20...+25°C and humidity 90-95%.

How to choose a parent plant

Vegetative propagation methods are simple and reliable, since they retain 98% of varietal characteristics, and the survival rate of seedlings is high.

When choosing a parent plant for seedlings, follow the following rules:

• select a bush of the desired variety;
• choose a strong and healthy plant;
• To divide the rhizomes, take a plant at the age of 5-6 years.

Methods of propagation of honeysuckle

There are several vegetative methods:

• propagation by layering is suitable for bushes with strong lower annual shoots;
• cuttings are suitable for all types of honeysuckle; cuttings are prepared from spring to autumn;
• root shoots - shoots growing from a root adventitious bud (rarely formed);
• propagation of the plant at the age of 5-6 years by dividing the rhizome.

Growing from seeds is mainly done by breeders. Propagating honeysuckle in this way can lead to the loss of varietal characteristics in seedlings. This is due to the fact that the plant is cross-pollinated.

Cuttings

The method involves harvesting and germinating honeysuckle cuttings. Young green shoots of the current season and annual woody branches are suitable for this.

How to cut honeysuckle in summer or autumn:

1. Select a fruiting branch that is 1 year old.
2. Cut cuttings from it 10-12 cm long. Make cuts at an angle of 45°. Each cutting should have 2-3 internodes with dormant buds.
3. Remove the leaves from the bottom and treat it with a stimulant (“Epin”, “Kornevin”). Cut the top leaves in half.
4. Place the cuttings in water or a nutritious moist substrate (peat + sand) so that the internode is recessed in the substrate or water. Roots form on it.
5. When the roots are 5-8 cm long, plant the plant in open ground or in a container.

In the first 3 weeks, the cuttings are kept in greenhouse conditions (warm, humid, diffused light) for rapid root germination. To create a greenhouse effect, cut plastic bottles are used.

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Dividing the bush

The best time for propagation by division is September and October. Before dividing the bush, in the spring, the plant is hilled to a height of 30 cm to stimulate the growth of lateral roots.

Procedure:

1. Choose a bush that is 5-6 years old. Plants older than 6 years will have difficulty dividing the root ball.
2. Dig up the honeysuckle.
3. Using pruning shears or a saw, divide the bush into several parts.
4. Treat the cut areas of the roots with potassium permanganate or ash.
5. Plant the cuttings in new places at a distance of 2-2.5 m from each other.

You can carry out partial division of the bush. To do this, 3-4 side branches with roots are separated and planted in a new place.

Attention! Each division should have 3 or more shoots and a developed root.

Horizontal layering

This method is simple and least labor intensive. Instructions for the procedure:

1. In spring, choose a bush with strong lower annual shoots.
2. Weed and loosen the soil under the bush.
3. Gently press the branches to the ground and secure them with slingshots.
4. To stimulate root formation, cut the bark of the pinned branch.
5. Place a 5 cm thick layer of soil on top.
6. Water and make sure the soil is always moist.

Until autumn, the branch will grow roots and new shoots will appear. Next spring, the seedlings are separated from the mother plant with pruning shears and transplanted to a new location.

Air layering

This method is used when the branches on the bush are located vertically and cannot be bent to the ground.

What to do:

1. In the spring, select a branch and make cuts on the bark.
2. Wrap the areas with cut bark in moss and place them in a vertically cut plastic bottle with nutrient substrate.
3. Wrap the bottle around the branch, secure it and seal the cut with tape.
4. Make sure the soil in the container is always moist.
5. After the roots appear, cut the branch and plant it in the ground for growing.

Root suckers

The formation of root suckers rarely occurs when the roots grow strongly. In this case, the adventitious root bud wakes up and gives rise to an underground shoot.

Such a shoot is separated from the mother bush after 2 years and transplanted to a new place.

Seeds

When propagating from seeds, the varietal properties of the plant are often lost. Due to cross-pollination, cultivated, wild or ornamental honeysuckle can grow from seeds. It's difficult to predict.

How to plant:

1. Crush large ripe berries, spread on a napkin and dry.
2. Plant the dried seeds in the soil to a depth of 0.2 cm and water.
3. Cover with film or glass.

After 15-20 days, shoots will appear.

If the seeds are planted in June, sprouts will appear by autumn, which are covered for the winter so that they continue to grow in the spring. You can plant seeds before winter and wait for germination in the spring. The third method is planting in prepared soil in March.

A year later, seedlings are transplanted from seeds to a permanent place.

Which method is the easiest and why?

According to reviews from gardeners, the easiest way is to propagate honeysuckle by horizontal layering. Advantages of this method:

• during the growth of layering it feeds from the mother plant;
• the procedure for forming layering is simple;
• no need to prepare additional soil;
• no containers or containers needed for growing.

However, if honeysuckle bushes have only vertical branches, the easiest method of propagation is cuttings. With this method, you can plant a large number of plants at the same time.

Timing of the procedure

Reproduction is carried out in spring, summer and autumn, depending on the method:

• propagation by layering - in early spring and autumn, a month before the onset of frost;
• dividing the bush - in September and October, so that the plant has time to adapt to the new place before frost;
• cuttings of the current season - in May and June, the best time is the end of flowering (if cut earlier, their viability will be much lower);
• cuttings 1 year old, lignified, cut after leaf fall or in early spring.

The nuances of growing edible and decorative honeysuckle

Edible and decorative honeysuckles belong to the same family, so the rules and timing of reproduction do not differ:

1. 3-4 varieties of honeysuckle are planted on the site for cross-pollination and increased productivity.
2. Provide greenhouse conditions for the growth of seedlings (warmth, high humidity, lots of diffused light).
3. Cuttings are made no longer than 15 cm, otherwise the root system will be weak.
4. Young, unhardened plants are not planted in open ground before frost. This is done in the spring or covered with peat and leaves. It is optimal to plant a two-year-old plant in the ground.
5. The soil mixture for planting is prepared light, drained, with a slightly acidic reaction (pH 5.5-6.5). Before planting, add 3 kg of compost or rotted manure, 300 g of ash, 3 tbsp. l. "Nitrofoski". Drainage - expanded clay, broken brick.

Conditions for successful breeding

Success in growing edible and ornamental varieties of honeysuckle depends on several conditions.

Choosing a landing site

Honeysuckle loves the sun. Plant it in lighted places, protected from the wind. It is optimal if it is the lower part of a slope or elevated areas without close groundwater.

Watering

Water honeysuckle regularly during dry periods, 1-2 buckets per bush. Make sure that the ground under the bush is slightly damp. The plant cannot tolerate stagnant water and may die.

Young seedlings and bushes especially need regular watering during the ripening period of berries. A sufficient amount of moisture removes the bitterness from the berries.

Top dressing

2 years after planting, the plant will require regular feeding. In the spring, organic matter (rotted manure) is added to the trunk space and watered with a urea solution (1 tablespoon per bucket of water). After fruiting, feed with double superphosphate.

Trimming

Edible honeysuckle bushes are pruned 5 years after planting. It is carried out in early spring before buds open or in autumn after leaf fall. Dry old branches are cut out, leaving 6-8 strong shoots.

Decorative types of honeysuckle are subjected to formative pruning as needed at the same time, in order to give the plant a more aesthetic appearance.

Diseases and pests

Sometimes honeysuckle is affected by fungal infections, especially powdery mildew. This happens if the summer is humid and there are not enough sunny days. The plant is treated with Fitosporin or other fungicides.

From pests Honeysuckle is more often affected by leaf rollers and aphids. Treat the bushes with a solution of laundry soap or “Confidor”, “Aktellik”.

Seedling care

Young honeysuckle does not require fertilizing for 2-3 years if the plants are planted in prepared soil. The soil is always kept moist, without stagnant water. Once a week, the soil under the bushes is loosened to saturate it with oxygen and develop the root system.

Plants are regularly inspected for diseases and pests. If affected areas are detected, seedlings are treated.

Subject to these conditions within 5 years the bushes will bear a harvest of healthy berries.

Conclusion

Propagation of edible and decorative honeysuckle is not difficult. The plant is unpretentious, rarely gets sick, and the survival rate of seedlings is high. By observing the timing of cuttings and creating optimal conditions for the growth of seedlings, gardeners receive strong plants adapted to local natural conditions. After planting, honeysuckle grows and bears fruit in one place for up to 20 years.