If you want to propagate your hemlock, you have a number of options. Grafting is a method that is more suitable for professionals.
Anyone who owns a hemlock (bot. Tsuga) may want to consider propagating the attractive conifers. Perhaps a place has been found for another offshoot, or you have decided to create a hedge of hemlocks. If the needs of the plant in terms of location and soil are taken into account, this should not be a problem. How the hemlock can be propagated can be read here.
What types of propagation are possible?
- plug
- Cuttings
- Offshoot
- Seeds
Grafting is a method that is preferably used in tree nurseries, is quite complex and therefore unlikely to be relevant for the hobby gardener.
❶ Propagating hemlock by cuttings
The cuttings should be propagated in August and September. This has the advantage that the shoots have already grown quite vigorously and have also become more resilient than would be the case if they were cut in spring. Woody branches take root very poorly, so the cutting should be taken from a one-year-old shoot. Choose a strong and he althy shoot.
Propagation by cuttings - step by step
- Cutting
- Prepare the cuttings
- Plant cuttings
- Set up cuttings bright and warm
- Wait for root formation
The cutting is separated from the main shoot with a sharp knife. For conifers, a tried and true method is not to cut the cuttings straight, but to tear them. This does not result in a smooth cut edge, but the shoot has parts of the bark of the older shoot, the so-called heel and tongue. The cuttings are brought to a maximum length of ten centimeters.
Before the cutting is placed in the ground, the needles and scales are removed from the lower part of the shoot. Once the cutting is in the ground, these parts of the plant could begin to rot.
» Tip: Touch theDo not use your hands to remove the wound caused by the cut edge. Pathogens could be transmitted.
Now the cuttings can be placed in the ground. The planter is kept warm and humid and placed at room temperature. The cuttings can be covered with a plastic cover. The warm, humid microclimate favors root formation.
» Tip: Covers over seedlings should be aired regularly. Otherwise the substrate could start to mould.
It can now take a few weeks until the first roots form and the successful propagation of cuttings can be seen on the first fresh shoot tips.
❷ Propagating hemlock by cuttings
Propagation by offshoots is preferred when it comes to low-growing breeds. If the branches run close to the ground, it is not uncommon for offshoots to have formed automatically, which can be used and replanted immediately.
Propagation by offshoots - step by step
- Examine Plant
- Cut shoot
- Dig up Offshoots
- Replant offshoots
If you want to propagate your hemlock, you should take a good look at the plant in autumn. It is not uncommon for new roots to have formed on branches that reach to the ground. So the shoot has grown into the ground and a new plant has formed along the way.
In order to obtain the offshoot, the rooted shoot is first separated from the mother plant. Now the seedling, which has already formed roots, can be dug up. Care must be taken when doing this so that the sensitive roots are not damaged. The seedling should then be moved to its new location and replanted as soon as possible.
❸ Propagating hemlock by seeds
Hemlocks can also be propagated by seeds. Of course, this is useful if you don't have a plant yet and you want to gain several young plants, whether to plant a hedge or to have a gift ready for other garden friends.
Propagation by seeds - step by step
If you have the seeds, there are a few things to consider. Unfortunately, nothing will happen if you put the seeds in the ground immediately.
Warning: Hemlocks are cold germs. This means that germination must first be triggered by a cold stimulus. This succeeds if the seeds are placed in the refrigerator for four to six weeks. thereby becomethe germ-inhibiting substances contained in the seeds are broken down.
» Tip: Low-growing special breeds can usually only be propagated vegetatively.
- Get Seeds
- stratify seeds
- Soak Seeds
- Sow Seeds
- Wait for germination
After stratification in the refrigerator, soak the seeds in lukewarm water for a few hours, preferably overnight. The seeds are sown in commercially available potting soil. Alternatively, coconut fiber soil can also be used. The seeds are lightly covered with soil.
» Tip: The seed size determines the sowing depth. So a three millimeter seed goes three millimeters underground, etc.
It is important that you keep the substrate evenly moist. The soil must not dry out, but also must not appear too wet, this can cause the seeds to rot. Here, too, germination can be accelerated by covering it with foil or glass.
The germination rate is considered to be quite low. Therefore, use a larger number of seeds. Patience is required, it will take years for a seed to develop into a small tree.
» Tip: The seeds of the hemlock remain germinable for several years.
Propagation methods at a glance - advantages and disadvantages
| Propagation Method | Advantages | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Cuttings | ✔ Cuttings can easily be obtained from existing plants. ✔ The method has a relatively high chance of success. | ✘ There must already be a plant that is well developed and freshly sprouting. ✘ Root only the cuttings of one-year-old shoots. |
| Offshoot | ✔ Offshoots only need to be dug out of the ground. ✔ The new plant practically grew by itself. | ✘ Offshoots only form on low-growing species whose branches reach the ground. |
| Seeds | ✔ You can grow several plants without much effort. ✔ Even if you don't have your own plant yet, you can easily propagate. | ✘ The seeds have a low germination rate. ✘ As it is a cold germ, stratification of the seeds is necessary. ✘ The method is very time-consuming. |
What happens to the young plants?
The young plants are particularly sensitive. The root system is still very delicate and must not be injured. after germination,or rooting, the plants are converted into an independent planter. Young hemlocks have high moisture requirements and should be grown in warm but not full sun. You can meet the high nutrient requirements of the plants with a regular supply of organic fertilizer, preferably conifer fertilizer. Do not use saline fertilizers. This is not tolerated by the plants.