Gloss medlars can be propagated in different ways. Not every method promises success. Which option you choose depends on your willingness to experiment. However, you should consider the timing, because not every method works at all times.
In autumn, the seeds can be collected for propagation
This is how you can multiply the medlar:
- through cuttings
- by sowing
- by sinkers
cuttings
In summer you can cut off 30 centimeter long shoots from the bush, which are half woody. In order for the cuttings to grow, you need at least three fully formed pairs of leaves. Remove the bottom pair of leaves and place the cutting in a pot filled with a mixture of sand or peat and potting soil. Put a clear plastic bag over the cuttings to create high humidity. Root formation occurs after a few weeks.
Propagation from cuttings is easy, but not every shoot forms roots reliably. One reason can be the lack of moisture in the air and in the substrate. If the cutting has successfully rooted, cultivation in a bucket is advisable. Older plants can be planted in the garden. Since the young plants are very sensitive to frost, they should overwinter in a mild place for the first two to three years.
sowing
The seeds from the berries are sown in an unheated cold frame and then watered sparingly. After a few weeks the seeds will germinate. The seedlings remain in the bed for the first winter. Be sure to place the bed in a frost-free location in winter. Transplanting is possible next year. After the ice saints in mid-May is the optimal time for planting out.
You can start sowing as soon as the first fruits hang on the bush. Since the fruit has a limited shelf life and birds use the berries as food, you should hurry with the harvest. The propagation method with the help of sowing the seeds promises the most success. Since the different varieties are the result of crossing two plants, the seedlings produced by sowing can have different properties. Unlike lowering and cuttings, these offspring are not identical to the original bush.
lowering
Dig a small hole next to the medlar, which is at least 30 centimeters from the bush. Fill the hole with compost. Choose a healthy and pliable shoot that you will pull down to the pit filled with compost. Score the bark several times on the part that is resting on the ground. This part is covered with earth and then fixed with stones so that the branch does not slip out of the earth.
It takes several weeks for the shoot tip to develop new roots. A fresh shoot indicates a successful root formation. In this case you can separate the branch from the mother plant. This method is not promising because it only works in rare cases.