If you would like to grow a beech tree yourself, the methods available are sowing, mossing or cuttings. There are a few things you need to keep in mind when propagating from cuttings. Beech cuttings generally do not root well, so not all cuttings will root.
How do I grow a beech tree from cuttings?
To grow a beech from cuttings, cut semi-woody shoots to 10-20 cm long in April/May or mid-July, remove the lower leaves and coat the cut sites with rooting powder. Place the cuttings in pots or directly outdoors and protect them from animals. Note that not all cuttings will root.
The most favorable time for cutting the cuttings
The best time for cutting cuttings is April and May or mid-July. At these times beech trees are just emerging so that the shoots are full of sap.
Choose semi-woody shoots. The mother plant should not be too old. The younger it is, the more successful the reproduction is.
Preparing the cutting
- Short cuttings
- cut diagonally
- Lace caps
- Remove leaves at the bottom
- Treat interface with rooting powder
The cutting is shortened to 10 to 20 centimeters. Cut it slightly diagonally at the bottom and straight at the top.
Remove all leaves from the lower third. Coat the bottom ends with rooting powder. If the cuttings are thicker, you should cover the upper end with artificial tree bark.
Place the cuttings in prepared pots or in the desired location in the garden.
Grow it in a pot or put it outdoors straight away?
Beech cuttings can be grown in pots or outdoors. Both options have advantages and disadvantages.
Cuttings in pots are protected from browsing by wild animals. However, the pots must be kept in a frost-free place over the winter, for example in the garage. If the cuttings are planted straight away, they should be protected from mice and birds.
Cuttings in the pot are planted the following spring.
Not all cuttings root
Propagating a beech tree from cuttings does not always work. It's actually only worth it if there are no mannable beech trees growing nearby that you can harvest fruit from.
When growing from cuttings, you should cut at least three times as many shoots as you need. This increases the likelihood that at least some cuttings will form roots.
Tip
Propagation is easier if you sow beech trees. To do this you need beechnuts, which you can collect in beech forests. Beechnuts are slightly poisonous and should therefore be kept out of the reach of children and animals.
