Propagation is not very easy with the relatively easy-care witch hazel and requires certain knowledge and a lot of patience. You should only attempt this task if you are an experienced gardener. Otherwise, it is better to buy a suitable young plant.
What is the best way to propagate a witch hazel?
To propagate a witch hazel, the easiest method is to lower a flexible, he althy shoot. Cover the leaf-free part of the shoot with soil, secure it and make a cut on the underside to facilitate root formation. Propagation via seeds or cuttings is more complex and less promising.
Is it easy to grow witch hazel from seeds?
It takes a lot of effort to grow witch hazel from seeds. It belongs to the cold germinators, but has to go through the so-called stratification (a cold treatment) twice. Collect a few seeds from your witch hazel before the seeds are ripe and place them in a container with moist growing substrate. You can put this container in the fridge over the winter or dig it in the garden.
The container then spends the following summer in the garden, but in a shady place. This is followed by another winter in the cold. However, the substrate must not dry out during this entire time.
The seeds will not be ready for germination until next spring. As you can see, the whole process requires a lot of patience until you can plant a witch hazel in your garden.
How do I propagate my witch hazel?
You can propagate your witch hazel with cuttings as early as February if you encourage the plant to sprout early, or in late summer if you prefer that time. The cuttings taken in February require relatively high humidity (€69.00 on Amazon) and should be placed in a heated greenhouse. These witch hazel plants usually remain smaller than others.
The easiest way to propagate witch hazel is to lower a flexible, he althy shoot. Remove part of this shoot from its leaves and cover it with soil. The tip should protrude about 20 cm from the ground.
So that the sinker stays in the ground, you can weigh it down with a stone or fix it with a tent peg. You can make root formation easier by making a small cut on the underside of the buried shoot.
The best propagation tips for witch hazel:
- Sowing difficult, only recommended for experienced gardeners
- Hamamelis grown from cuttings often remain small
- Simplest way of propagation: lowering plant
Tip
If you want to increase your witch hazel, then it's best to try reducing plants.
