Burning bush, also known as Euonymus alatus, is a popular ornamental shrub that belongs to the family Celastraceae. This plant is native to Asia and has become widely popular in gardens throughout North America due to its stunning red foliage during the autumn season. Propagating burning bush can be an excellent way of expanding your garden without having to spend any money on purchasing new plants from nurseries. In this blog post, we will take you through some easy steps on how to propagate burning bush.
Propagation by Cuttings
The most common method of propagating burning bushes is through cuttings. Follow these simple steps:
1. Choose the right time: The best time for taking cutting from a burning bush is in late spring or early summer when it starts producing new growth.
2. Select a healthy branch: Choose a strong and healthy-looking stem for cutting that has no signs of disease or pests.
3. Prepare the cutting: Using sharp pruning shears, cut off a 6-8 inch long stem just below where two leaves meet at an angle of about 45 degrees.
4.Remove lower leaves: Strip away all but one or two pairs of leaves near the top end of the cutting while leaving at least three nodes exposed and bare.
5.Treat with rooting hormone: Dip bottom ends (cut portion) in rooting hormone powder after moistening them slightly with water.
6.Planting: Push treated end about half-inch deep into potting soil mix consisting equal parts compost and peat moss kept moist but not soggy; cover lightly with plastic bag until roots form which may take anywhere between four-to-six weeks depending upon environmental conditions such as light, temperature etc.
Propagation by Layering
Another effective way to propagate burning bushes is layering, which involves bending down one of its branches towards moisture-laden soil so that it produces new roots while still attached to mother plant! Here are the steps:
1.Locate branch: Choose a sturdy, low-lying branch that can easily bend down to the ground without breaking.
2.Prepare soil: In the chosen area, remove any grass or weeds and loosen up the top few inches of soil with a garden fork.
3.Wound stem: Make a small wound on the bottom of the branch around 6 inches from its tip. A sharp knife will work fine for this purpose; just peel off an inch-long strip of bark from either side of stem in order to expose inner layer (cambium) which is responsible for root formation.
4.Peg down Wounded Stem : With help of U-shaped wire or any other suitable material like bent coat hanger etc., peg injured portion firmly into moistened soil mix consisting equal parts compost and peat moss kept damp but not waterlogged. Make sure it remains in contact with damping medium throughout process otherwise rooting may fail.
5.Monitoring progress & Transplanting: Regularly check if roots have started developing by gently tugging on it after three-to-four weeks; if resistance felt means roots formed successfully then cut parent plant connecting point carefully using clean shears before transplanting seedling into desired location.
Final Thoughts
Propagating your burning bush can be fun, cost-effective, and rewarding as you watch new plants grow from your efforts. Whether you choose to use cuttings or layering, make sure that you follow these simple instructions carefully for successful propagation results. Remember always to keep track of environmental factors such as lighting conditions and temperature levels while propagating plants at home!
