If you want an immediate green fence around your entire property, it probably makes more sense to buy all the plants and use them straight away. However, if this is not necessary, you can easily propagate the hedge yourself and save a lot of money. We'll tell you how to proceed.
How to propagate a hedge?
Hedges can be propagated by cuttings or cuttings. Young, non-woody shoots are cut off and rooted in soil or water, or young shoots are fixed in arches on the ground until roots emerge. The new plants can then be planted in the desired locations.
Propagation from cuttings
For cuttings you need certain parts of the plant. These should:
- Relatively young
- and not be woody.
Pruning waste that is generated during annual pruning can be easily reused.
If you want to cut cuttings from the mother plant, you should do this in winter or early spring. Choose a spot that is not directly in your field of vision and use a sharp, clean knife to cut it off. The cutting takes place at the point where the old wood merges into the fresh one.
Raising cuttings
Old flower pots are suitable as growing containers because they are sufficiently deep. Mix normal potting soil with a little compost so that there are enough nutrients in the substrate..
Alternatively, you can place the cuttings directly in a bed or in the ground at the future location. The distance here should be twenty centimeters.
- Short the cutting to a length of 15 – 20 centimeters.
- Remove the leaves from the shoot in the lower area.
- Stick it into the substrate so that only the top leaves are sticking out.
- Water well.
- So that the offspring develop roots quickly, water every two days.
After about three months, tweeze the tip. This forces the cutting to form side shoots. As soon as they have grown strongly, the tip is cut off. Continue to trim the plants regularly so that they continue to grow bushy.
Propagate trees through planters
Some hedge plants can alternatively be propagated using planters. This method is very simple and requires little effort.
- Bend individual, young and non-woody shoots downwards in an arc.
- The end of the shoot protrudes upwards in a U-shape.
- Remove leaves from the area that rests on the soil.
- Fix with tent hooks.
- Cover the fixation area with substrate and press firmly.
After two to three months, new roots form below the fixation point. Now separate the offspring from the mother plant and place the small plant in its final location.
Tip
Rooting in water also works very well for some hedge plants. To do this, simply place the cuttings in a container filled with water and place it in a bright place. As soon as roots five centimeters long have formed, you can plant the offshoots.
