You can easily propagate hawthorn yourself and thus raise numerous offspring from a mother plant. Both the fruits and cuttings or sticks are suitable for breeding. Propagation by grafting is also possible, but this is usually only done by professionals.

Propagation by seeds

In the fall, harvest some of the red fruits and remove the pulp completely. Let them dry on kitchen paper for a day. As a result, the seeds will germinate faster and will not begin to rot.

Potting soil or, as with many wild shrubs, very humus-rich topsoil mixed with sand is suitable as a substrate. Scatter the seeds in grooves a few centimeters apart in the jar and cover them with some soil. Keep the soil evenly moist and place a clear plastic bag over the jar.

Hawthorn germinates very slowly, in nature it can take up to a year for the seeds to sprout. If hawthorn fruits remain in the garden, they will germinate by themselves in the following spring if the conditions are right. You can carefully dig up the many small seedlings and transplant them to another place.

Breeding by cuttings

At the beginning of the growing season, cut seedlings four to three inches long from the annual wood. The hawthorn shoots should have at least one leaf and a leaf bud and be cut above a palpable node.

  • Cut the cuttings slightly at an angle.
  • Put the lower third in potting soil.
  • Dipping in rooting powder stimulates root formation.
  • Keep seedling evenly moist.
  • Cover with a bag to create a greenhouse climate.

Alternatively, the offspring can be bred using sticks, which you can cut as early as February. Strong annual shoots that are not yet fully mature are well suited. Using a clean pruning tool, separate the seedlings from the mother plant just below one eye. Two-thirds of the stick is stuck into the substrate or garden soil. Keep the plants warm and moist for rapid rooting.

tips and tricks

The hawthorn is one of the cold or frost germs. Stratify the removed seeds in the refrigerator. This cold treatment, which comes close to nature's model, causes the seeds to sprout more quickly.

Category:

Vegetable garden