A hornbeam can be propagated in several ways. In addition to sowing seeds and digging up offshoots, propagation is also possible via cuttings. However, this process is very complex and takes at least two years. This is how the propagation of cuttings works.

The best time to take cuttings is in spring or August

How to propagate a hornbeam from cuttings

  • Cut 20 cm long cuttings
  • Clip the cuttings at the top
  • cut diagonally below
  • remove lower leaves
  • Halve the remaining leaves
  • Coat the lower end with rooting powder
  • stick in potting soil
  • set up shady
  • keep moist

The best time to cut the cuttings

It is best to cut the cuttings in spring or from August. Look for semi-lignified branches. They are most likely to form new roots.

Take more cuttings than you need. Expect half of the shoots to die.

Clip the cuttings at the top and cut them at an angle at the bottom so that you can tell where the top and bottom are. The purpose of cutting the leaves in half is to prevent excessive evaporation of the water. The cutting then also has more strength for the formation of new roots.

Put cuttings in potting soil

Hornbeam cuttings do not take root very well. It is therefore advisable to coat them with rooting powder from specialist shops.

Do not use humus garden soil, but lean growing soil. Place the cuttings in a shady spot and keep the soil moist but not too wet.

It will take two years before you can plant the cuttings.

Protect young trees from being bitten

If you place the young hornbeams in an open spot that wild animals have access to, you must protect the saplings from being bitten.

The young plants are also endangered in the garden by mice, which eat the roots. If you have a lot of mice in the garden, plant the hornbeam in a wire mesh.

The netting needs to be cut when the tree is big enough and mice can no longer do much damage.

tips

The easiest way to get new hornbeams is to dig up offshoots. They are created by self-seeding from the nutlets, which can be found up to a kilometer away from the mother tree.

Category:

Trees