Noble Delphiniums. Vegetative Propagation

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

You fall in love with slender delphiniums once and for all. There is a desire to increase the collection due to the variety of hybrids. Vegetative reproduction allows you to preserve all the hereditary properties of the parental forms. What methods are suitable for a noble culture?

Breeding types

Several options are suitable for a delphinium:

• seed;

• division of the bush;

• cuttings.

The plant is cross-pollinated, therefore, with seed propagation, a splitting of traits into the original parental forms is obtained. Therefore, do not be surprised, when sowing seeds collected from a smoky variety, you can get the whole gamut of various colors: blue, blue, tricolor, azure. This method is often used by breeders to develop new hybrids with improved properties.

Let's take a closer look at vegetative methods.

Dividing the bush

The division of overgrown bushes 4-5 years old is within the power of even a novice gardener.

In early spring, at the time of the awakening of the dormant buds, fully adult specimens are dug up, freed from the ground. Cut into parts with a sharp knife, leaving 2-3 replacement sprouts in each with a sufficient amount of root system.

Powerful delenki are planted in a permanent place in flower beds. Small specimens are grown in the beds.

Cuttings

To obtain large peduncles, partial removal of excess stems is carried out. In early spring, shoots are expected to grow up to a length of 8-10 cm. 3-4 are the largest, the rest are cut out at the level of the root collar so that no cavities remain at the base.

For 2-3 hours the cuttings are kept in a solution of heteroauxin, the sections are powdered with ash. Planted at an acute angle in nursery beds with loose fertile soil. Spill the rows with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Press the soil to the shoots, achieving tight contact. A layer of river sand 3 cm high is poured on top.

Through the arcs, the beds are covered with a film, and the top is shaded with non-woven material. Keep the ground moist. A month later, a root system is formed, the branches start to grow.

In August, the film is gradually removed, accustoming young plants to the dry air of open ground. Overwinter cuttings remain on the ridges under a layer of sawdust. The next spring, the seedlings are moved to a permanent place in flower beds.

In the first year, the buds on the cuttings are removed so that the plants spend all their strength on the formation of a powerful root system.

This method allows you to get a larger amount of planting material from one plant than when dividing the bushes.

Bouquet cut

For early distillation of buds in the spring, temporary film shelters are installed in the beds with delphiniums. An alternative option is to plant bushes in greenhouses in the fall.

For the development of plants, a temperature of 12 degrees is sufficient. In this case, flowering begins in May, a month earlier than usual. Cut off half-open arrows in the morning. They are placed in high heavy flowerpots (preferably outdoor ones). You can use ordinary vessels with weights at the bottom (pieces of brick, stainless steel).

The water is changed daily, washing the container, the lower ends of the stems, refreshing the cut. Dried buds are removed with scissors. With proper care, the bouquet lasts 10 days without losing its decorative qualities.

Pacific hybrids

Of the wide variety of delphiniums, Pacific hybrids are distinguished by the best winter hardiness in the conditions of the Middle Strip. I have been growing this variety for over 20 years. The mixture contains a wide range of colors: white, pink, blue, tricolor, blue, smoky, lilac. Arrows 1-2 meters high, with dense cobs of simple and semi-double inflorescences.

The hybrids were successfully tested in the fall of 2019 with freezing rain that formed a crust on all plants. She lasted the whole winter with little snow. I grow them annually from seeds and dividing the bush every 5 years.

We will consider seed reproduction of delphiniums in the next article.