Propagating Sunshine Ligustrum
Sunshine ligustrum (Ligustrum sinense ‘Farreri’) is a popular, evergreen shrub with bright yellow foliage. Its compact and mounded form make it suitable for many landscape uses, from foundation plantings to hedges. It can be propagated from either cuttings or seed, though cuttings are the simplest and most successful method. The following guide provides an overview of how to propagate sunshine ligustum by taking cuttings.
Gathering Equipment
Before you begin propagating your sunshine ligustrum, there are some essential supplies that you’ll need: pruners, rooting hormone powder (available at any garden center), perlite or vermiculite, small pots, and a plastic bag or container large enough to cover the pots while they root in order to maintain humidity levels around them. You will also need clean water to mix with the rooting hormone powder and moisten the cutting medium prior planting your cuttings in it.
Taking Cuttings
Once you have all of your equipment ready-to-go, take several 4–6 inch semi-woody stem tip cuttings from new growth on your established plants using pruning shears or scissors dipped in rubbing alcohol between each snip to prevent spreading disease organisms. Make sure that each cutting has three sets of leaves on it; remove any flowers or flower buds as well as lower leaves before planting them into their medium so that all energy is devoted towards promoting root growth rather than producing flowers during this process .
Preparing Cuttings for Rooting
After gathering your desired number of healthy stem tip cuttings from established plants , dip them briefly into a mixture containing 1 part powdered rooting hormone mixed with 9 parts water until completely submerged before removing them and shaking off excess moisture . Once prepared , fill small containers halfway full with pre-moistened perlite/vermiculite blend before inserting one end of each cutting directly into it up until at least two sets of leaves remain above ground level . Firmly press down surrounding soil around each cutter afterwards while making sure no air pockets remain which could potentially cause rot later on and then mist generously overtop everything throughout the day but especially during warmer temperatures when evaporation rates increase quickly .