Propagating the snowberry is easier than many people think. All you need is sticks and you're good to go.
The snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus var. laevigatus), also known as the firecracker bush, can easily be propagated with sticks. You can easily cut the necessary sticks for this at the beginning of winter. The tree is also often abundant in public greenery as a ground cover. Or you can use cuttings from plants in your own garden.
Hardly any other plant can be propagated so easily with sticks. Just follow the step-by-step instructions below and you're guaranteed to succeed.
Propagating snowberries with sticks - it's that easy
Step 1: Cut the stick
Prune your sticks in the fall or winter. Choose annual shoots of the snowberry that are already well wooded and cut off the shoot tips. Each stick should be about 15 to 20 centimeters long and have several eyes. You can store cuttings cut in the fall in a cool, dry place for some time and wait until late winter to plant in the plant pots. However, cutting to size in late winter and inserting without waiting is also possible.
Step 2: Put the sticks in the plant pots
The pots should be big enough for the cuttings to sink about two-thirds into the substrate. Choose commercially available potting soil as the substrate. Very important: The sticks must be inserted in the direction in which they grew on the shoot. It is best to mark the top or bottom of each stick with a small notch. You can also cut the bottom ends diagonally and the top ends straight to avoid confusion.
Step 3: Let the stick grow
You don't need to fertilize the cuttings and you shouldn't water them excessively. However, a constant basic moisture content in the substrate is important. You can recognize the successful rooting of the cuttings by the fact that new leaves grow in the spring. When this time comes, however, you should wait about two weeks before planting the new snowberries in the garden. The more developed the root systemis, the better the plants grow.
Step 4: Plant snowberries in the garden
Snowberries are not very demanding in terms of location. All full sun to semi-shady places are suitable and even in permanent shade snowberries will not die. All you have to do here is accept somewhat weaker growth. Snowberries are just as unchoosy when it comes to soil conditions. Ordinary garden soil, loamy soil and sandy soil are equally suitable.
So simply dig a small planting hole at the location of your choice, insert the root ball and cover with a thin layer of soil. In the first few weeks you have to water the new plant regularly. Later, the snowberry copes very well with longer periods of drought.