How to Start Young Blueberry Plants From Older Plants
If you have old blueberry bushes that produce fewer berries each year, you may start new, young, vigorous plants with stem or tip cuttings taken from the older plants. Propagating new blueberry seedlings using stem or tip cuttings requires no special equipment. The biggest investment by the home gardener is time. After the new cuttings form roots and are planted in the ground, they will not begin to bear fruit for at least three years and possibly only after four or five years. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Sharp knife
- Large, deep flowerpot
- Peat moss
- Powdered rooting hormone
- Large, clear plastic bag or large glass jar
Instructions
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Take cuttings in late winter or early spring---after temperatures have been below 45 degrees Fahrenheit for six to eight weeks---to allow the bushes the necessary chilling period. Make the cuttings about 4 inches long. Use a sharp knife to avoid crushing or bruising the stems. Take the cuttings from the previous season's growth. Shoots from which you take cuttings should be firm and well-matured.
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Fill a large, deep flowerpot with moistened peat moss.
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Dip the basal ends of the cuttings into powdered rooting hormone, then blow off the excess powder.
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Insert the cuttings into the large flowerpot so that only about 2 inches of each cutting is above ground. Space the cuttings about 2 inches apart in the pot.
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Place the flower pot full of cuttings into a large, clear, plastic bag, but do not fasten or seal the bag. Another option is to cover the cuttings with a large glass jar placed upside down on the surface of the soil, creating a mini-greenhouse.
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Keep the bagged or covered pot in a sheltered spot in partial shade until roots form, which should take three to four months. To determine if roots have formed, pull on the cutting gently. If it feels like it resists coming out of the soil, chances are good that the cutting has developed roots.
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Check the cuttings daily. If condensation forms on the inside of the bag or glass jar, remove the pot of cuttings to allow condensation to evaporate. Water as necessary to keep the peat moss moist but not sopping wet.
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Plant rooted cuttings in a nursery garden bed when roots have formed. Allow them to grow in the nursery bed for at least one year before planting the new blueberry plants in their permanent locations.
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Tips & Warnings
Stem cuttings have a high mortality rate, so start about twice as many cuttings as you think you need.
References
Resources
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