Cranberries are becoming increasingly popular in home gardens. If you like, you can even multiply your plants and harvest even more delicious berries.
Cranberries are popular plants in domestic gardens because they are so easy to care for and therefore also ideal for beginners. In addition, cranberry bushes bear edible fruit, which makes jam makers and children particularly happy. If you want to plant several shrubs in the garden, you do not automatically have to buy several plants. It is also possible to propagate your own cranberries. You have several options for doing this. Particularly popular cranberry varieties include Coral (Vaccinium vitis-idaea Coral), Erzgebirge Pearl (Vaccinium vitis-idaea Erzgebirge Pearl) and Cranberry Red Pearl (Vaccinium vitis-idaea Red Pearl).
Propagation with reducers
The best time to propagate cranberries is autumn. The buried shoot can take root over the winter, so that it can be separated from the mother plant in spring. In order to propagate lingonberries with a planter, it is necessary that you have already planted a strong plant in the bed. This should be at least a year old and have good, slightly stronger shoots. Before you start propagating, you should also remember that the cranberry can spread widely. Once you have found a plant with a strong shoot, the work can begin.
❶ First a trough is dug in the ground with a spade. This does not have to be particularly deep. However, it should be long enough to almost completely bury the shoot.
❷ Now the shoot has to be worked on with a sharp knife or a razor blade. Score it lightly in several places so you can see the inside of the shoot.
❸ Now this one is ready to go underground. Press the shoot into the prepared gutter. Caution is advised here, because the shoot must not be separated from the mother plant.
❹ Then you have to cover the shoot with soil and weigh it down with a stone so that it doesn't jump up again. The tip of the shoot must protrude from the ground. There's a new oneEmerged lingonberry bush.
Propagation with cuttings
Another way to propagate cranberries is by cuttings. This is probably the easiest way to grow lots of new cranberry bushes.
❶ During the flowering period, in May or June, you need to cut off small strong shoots from the mother plant. These shouldn't be blooming right now.
❷ After cutting off the shoots, leave them in the shade for at least two hours. This is how the interfaces dry out, which is very important for propagation.
❸ Once the interfaces have dried, you can start propagating. Get small pots in which you can use the shoots later. There are pots that can later be placed in the ground and plastic pots. Depending on your preference, you can choose one of the two types of pots. The pots are filled with potting soil and the shoots are stuck deep into the ground.
❹ You must now store the shoots used in a warm place and keep the soil constantly moist. The heat is a must as it allows the shoots to take root faster.
❺ By September or October the shoots have developed enough roots to be able to be planted outside. After release, you must ensure that the shrubs continue to get enough water to root themselves in the soil.
Propagation by seeds
Propagation by seed is probably the most difficult method of growing cranberries. Therefore, this is usually not carried out by hobby gardeners. However, if you have a little experience in planting and growing garden plants, this option of lingonberry propagation is also not a problem.
Propagation by seeds should be done in the cold season, because lingonberries are cold-germinating plants. This means that the plant needs a cold stimulus to germinate. You can buy cranberry seeds in stores or you can take them from your own plants.
❶ First, small pots with potting soil are prepared. Then press the seeds deep into the soil and keep it moist. Now the seeds have to stay in this pot for four weeks. They should be kept at temperatures between 18 and 22 degrees. This time is very important for the seeds, as they take about four weeks to soften. The hard seed coat then slowly loosens. This process is important to guarantee germination later.
❷ Now comes the cold stimulus. The seeds, still in the pot, should now be at-4 to + 4 degrees can be maintained. It is good if the pots are covered by snow during this time, because this way the seeds get the cold stimulus, but also enough water. Alternatively, you can store the seed pots in the fridge. This phase lasts about 6 weeks.
❸ Once the seeds have gotten the cold stimulus, you have to gradually get them used to warmer temperatures again. Germination should now begin. This phase varies greatly in time. Once germination has taken place, you will see small green leaves and a tender shoot will grow out of the pot.
❹ In May the plants are ready to be planted. You should cut them straight away so that only the strong shoots are exposed. Reading tip: Plant cranberries.
Conclusion
If you want to propagate lingonberries, you have several options. Whichever method you choose, cranberries are fairly easy to propagate. Since the plants are very undemanding, even beginners can easily grow them. You just have to make sure that the plants get enough water and are placed in a semi-sunny place.