My How to Grow and How to Root Lilacs from Cuttings are two of my most popular posts this time of year, seems Lilacs are a favorite of many. I love them too. The method to propagate lilacs from suckers is easy to do and faster too.
Suckers grow up from around the Lilac base and for some can be a menace but most folks just cut them off with a mower or weed wacker.
This is a white Lilac in a friends yard. She said I could come dig up all the suckers I wanted. Now it does take a good sharp shovel and a bit of muscle but it is not hard. Find some suckers that are far enough away from the parent bush to get in there with a shovel and have some leverage.
With a good push with your foot shove the shovel straight down and cut through the sucker root. You will have to put your weight into it, slicing through can be tough.
Do that all around the sucker and pop it up out of the ground, hoping you have a good portion of root.
Dig up as many as you can, the more you dig up the better chances of getting some to make it and live on. I always lose a couple and I just expect that but if I have dug up plenty that is not an issue.
I have a bucket of water nearby and I put them right in it. Keeping them moist helps to lessen the shock.
I had something come up and could not get to them right away but they seemed to do fine in the water for a few days. They were kept in the greenhouse but a shady spot in the yard will work just fine too.
I cut the large roots back so it is easier to fit them in the pots, the smaller roots will be fine to get started.
I fill some gallon pots with potting soil halfway then plop in a sucker before filling the pot the rest of the way with soil.
I had to use the larger diameter pot for this mass of roots.
So far they are all looking okay, I did this a week ago and I have been keeping a close eye on them.
A couple weeks ago I noticed that the starts I had rooted from cuttings had suckers coming up in the pots. So I decided to divide those too. It is much easier as the roots are not that big yet.
I popped the Lilac out of the pot and was pleased with the healthy root mass. They really do need to be potted up or divided and I opted for dividing, I am not sure where I want to plant them yet.
I grab my garden knife and slice through the entire root mass between the center rooted cutting and the side shoots, which are the suckers.
This is the same knife I use to divide my Iris in Spring as well.
Now repot them up in separate pots with fresh potting soil.
You can see the mother plant and two daughter plants all in their very own pots.
I did this a few weeks ago and they are growing strong and healthy. Not even a bit of droop from shock.
And that is how you propagate lilacs from suckers.
I wish you a sweet smelling garden!
If you enjoyed this please PIN and share.
Original article and pictures take http://www.flowerpatchfarmhouse.com/propagate-lilacs-suckers/ site
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий