Crape myrtle is a beautiful flowering shrub that is widely grown in gardens and landscapes. It is known for its showy blooms, vibrant colors, and easy care requirements. If you’re a fan of crape myrtle and would like to propagate it in your garden or landscape, you’ve come to the right place.
In this blog post, we’ll be discussing how to propagate crape myrtle using different methods so that you can enjoy more of these beautiful shrubs in your outdoor space.
What is Crape Myrtle Propagation?
Propagation refers to the process of reproducing plants by various techniques such as cuttings, seed germination, layering among others. Crape myrtles are commonly propagated through two methods which include:
– Softwood stem cuttings
– Hardwood stem cuttings
Propagating Crape Myrtle Using Softwood Stem Cuttings
The softwood technique involves taking cuttings from new growth during early summer when stems are still tender and green.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Select healthy stems that have not yet turned woody.
2. Use sharp scissors or pruning shears to snip off a 6-inch long cutting just below a leaf node.
3. Remove all but the top pair of leaves from each stem cutting.
4. Dip the bottom end (about an inch) into rooting hormone powder or gel.
5. Insert each cutting into individual pots filled with well-draining soil mix.
6. Water thoroughly then cover pots with plastic bags for humidity retention purposes.
To promote root growths:
7. Place potted cuttings in indirect sunlight where temperatures range between 65°F – 75°F regularly misting them twice daily until roots form within six weeks.
8.Transfer rooted plantlets into larger containers filled with potting soil before transplanting them outdoors after they have outgrown their pots.
Propagating Crape Myrtle Using Hardwood Stem Cuttings
The hardwood technique of crape myrtle propagation is best done during winter when the shrub has lost its leaves, making it easy to identify stems that are well suited for cutting.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Select healthy stems that have grown enough and thickened up over time.
2. Use sharp scissors or pruning shears to snip off a 6-inch long cutting just below a leaf node.
3. Remove all but the top pair of leaves from each stem cutting.
4. Dip the bottom end (about an inch) into rooting hormone powder or gel.
5. Insert each cutting into individual pots filled with well-draining soil mix.
6. Water thoroughly then cover pots with plastic bags for humidity retention purposes.
To promote root growths:
7.Place potted cuttings in indirect sunlight where temperatures range between 65°F -75°F regularly misting them twice daily until roots form within twelve weeks
8.Transfer rooted plantlets into larger containers filled with potting soil before transplanting them outdoors after they have outgrown their pots.
Conclusion
Propagation through both hardwood and softwood techniques can be very successful if you carefully follow these steps mentioned above for propagating crape myrtles using either method, it will lead to forming new plants which can go on to brighten your garden or landscape space now and in years to come, adding more beauty and color throughout your outdoor area year-round!
