Gardening Matters PROPAGATION
It’s summer, my A Level examining is almost over and your gardens are looking fab, with the hard work done for the moment. So, let’s look at propagation, just for laughs. In gardening terms, propagation means ‘free plants’, although, to be strictly accurate, it’s from the Latin ‘propagare’, meaning ‘to spread/increase’ (hence ‘propaganda’: language is so cool). There are several methods of propagation, but here is Part 1: seeds and layering. Seeds are the simplest way of propagating and are produced by pollination, with the help of insects/the wind/people/animals and pets/butterflies and moths. Some plants - eg pansy/pea/tomato - are self-pollinating, meaning they produce an exact replica of the plant. The advantages of seed? More chance of genetic variation; a greater number of offspring from the parent plant; less skill required (always a bonus in my case); essential for annuals and biennials; it’s cheaper; less chance of passing on disease; it’s easy to store. Some seeds, eg poppy/love-in-a-mist/aquilegia , are ready straightaway; others, eg acer and peony, need storing. Store green seeds in polybags, dry seeds in paper bags, and all seeds in dry, cold, dark conditions if possible. If you’re working with plants with low germination rates, eg peas and carrots, you may want to consider chitting or ‘pre-sprouting’. To chit seeds, put them in
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a paper towel, put the towel in a plastic bag and spray it until it’s wet. Leave the bag in a bright, shady part of the house, checking daily for root growth progress. As SOON as the tiny tip begins to emerge from the seeds, it’s important that you sow them outside as you would normal seeds, as you don’t want the seeds to grow into the paper towel. Some seeds have a thick seed coat and need to be nicked in order to germinate well. You can use nail clippers to chip away a piece of the seed coat, but go carefully with a knife. You can usually tell which seeds might benefit from such a treatment: if they’re very small/fine/straw-like, eg zinnias or marigolds, you don’t need to nick them. Many tree and shrub seeds, plus seeds such as morning glory and other large seeds, do need nicking in order to germinate. Propagate plants by placing a young stem, still attached to the mother plant, in contact with soil, either in the ground or in a pot – layering it. This will encourage it to send out roots. Pin down the stem, and once rooted, the branch can be severed from the mother plant, roots and all, and planted elsewhere. It’s best done in April, May and early autumn, as roots form more quickly at these times. Forsythia (yuck, yellow) propagates itself by layering every flipping branch that bends to the ground. So far, so exciting, and so many free plants. Future delights include division and cuttings. I bet you can scarcely wait. Happy hols.
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