How to grow an apple tree seedling from a branch: rooting the cutting in water and soil

There are many ways to propagate an apple tree. One of the most popular is rooting cuttings. To ensure success, it's important to understand some of the nuances and subtleties of rooting mature apple tree branches. First, the cuttings and shoots must be at least a year old. Second, they must be cut so that the seedlings reach 20 cm in length and still have three buds remaining. Read on for other recommendations and guidelines for preparing and planting apple tree cuttings.

How to grow an apple tree seedling from a branch: the intricacies of rooting apple cuttings

This technology for apple tree propagation is considered one of the most successful, as it allows 70% or more of the seedlings to take root.

The process of preparing the escape:

1. One shoot can be broken off in several places at once, but count 20 cm for each cutting.
2. The branch should be bent at the break point—this isn't a problem, as you can simply wrap the break with regular insulation. A simple bandage can also be used for this purpose.
3. Then you need to secure the branch in this position by tying a stick so that the cutting does not straighten out.
4. In the spring (around early March), the plant's life-giving sap will begin to flow to the fracture sites. It will attempt to heal the fractures, so by early April you can safely cut off the bandage or tape and then divide the shoot along the fracture sites.

An important point is also the concern for the rapid formation of roots:

1. To start, cut the top off a clean plastic bottle so that you are left with only the wide bottom part.
2. Pour rainwater or melt water into the resulting container, having first placed a porous sponge on its bottom (its thickness should vary between 10–15 mm).
3. Add 3-4 tablets of activated charcoal (it is better to crush them first).
4. Place the cuttings in this water (their upper ends should be slightly above the edge of the container).
5. The container with the seedlings is left on the windowsill.
6. Next, you can simply observe the rooting process. After about 7 days, the first callus thickenings will appear, followed by root formation.
7. As soon as the roots grow to 50–70 mm (after another 14 days), they need to be removed from the water and transplanted into full-fledged soil.
8. Choose the planting site carefully – it should be well-lit but not in direct sunlight. If the weather is hot, it's best to shade the cuttings.
9. To begin, you should construct a homemade greenhouse over the seedlings using glass, transparent plastic, or film. This will help maintain a greenhouse effect for 14–21 days, until the cuttings root in the substrate.
10. Water the plants throughout the season to prevent the soil from drying out. By fall, you'll have mature cuttings from the planted shoots, ready to be transplanted into the ground.

Callus is a special cell type that forms on the wound surface of plants. This tissue, through the division of cells adjacent to the wound, forms areas with a corky surface, which helps wounds heal faster, grafts fuse, etc.

The process of burying a shoot for rooting

Since apple trees are among the most popular fruit trees, many gardeners ask a legitimate question: is it possible to plant an apple tree shoot and root it? The answer is simple – of course it is. However, for the shoot to take root, several important points must be observed:

1. Reproduction layering not the most popular method of propagating apple trees, but no less effective than, for example, cuttingsA layer is a long shoot (branch) that is placed in the ground but is not separated from the parent tree.
2. When choosing a branch to plant, remember that the tree you plan to propagate by layering should be very young. Older plants are not propagated by layering.
3. Initially, the tree should be planted at an angle. Once it has grown sufficiently, bury the shoots.
4. After you receive layering, transplant the apple tree horizontally.
5. If you are growing fruit trees in a dry region, it is best to bury two branches on both sides at once.
6. Provide the cuttings with sufficient care: water them, add soil if necessary.
7. In 2-3 years, these shoots will also develop roots. At this point, you'll need to dig up the fully grown seedlings and separate them from the mother tree.
8. Next, the seedlings are planted separately in open ground.

Rooting apple cuttings in water

For rooting in water, it is best to select branches at the end of February or at the very beginning of March (before the start of active vegetation).

Next, place the cuttings in a solution of "Kornevin" or "Heteroauxin" so that the rooting process goes much faster.

You can also try using folk recipes:

1. Fill a deep container with 1.5 liters of clean water and add 1 teaspoon of natural honey. Place the apple tree cuttings in the prepared solution, submerging them only a third of the way. Let them soak in the sweetened water for 12 hours.
2. Take a large raw potato. Remove any eyes or other defects. Make a hole in the tuber and insert the cutting. Water the tuber and cutting regularly; this will help the cutting grow roots faster.
3. Place the container with the seedlings on a strong magnet. This will help the plants form callus much faster. Instead of the usual 14 days, it will form in 5 days.
4. Add 3-7 drops of freshly squeezed aloe vera juice to a container of water. Place the apple tree cuttings in this mixture. This will help the seedlings root much faster.
5. Cut 1-3 branches from willow, poplar, pussy willow, or wild rosemary. Place them in a container of water. Add aspirin tablets (one tablet for every 20 ml). As soon as the first roots appear, remove the branches and replace them with apple tree saplings. Don't change the water in the container; just top it up.
6. Insert an apple tree seedling into a fresh aloe leaf. This will speed up root growth.
7. Pour 1 liter of clean water into a deep container. Add a tablet of succinic acid. Place the apple cuttings in the resulting mixture for 30 minutes.
8. Dissolve 100 g of yeast in a liter of clean water. Place apple tree branches in this solution for 24 hours. Next, rinse the cuttings under running water and place them in a container of clean water. Add a few pieces of charcoal.

Here are some tips for rooting apple cuttings in water at home:

1. Don't change the fluid; just top it up to the correct level. It's best to use room temperature water.
2. Do not place a large number of seedlings in one container at once.
3. If you prepared the planting material in the fall and only started sprouting it in late winter or early spring, then place the cuttings in water for a while, then trim off the dry part, and then place the seedlings in water again.
4. Be sure to add rooting-promoting compounds to the water. For example, standard Kornevin or any of the other folk remedies mentioned earlier.
5. If you cut the planting material in the winter, you should keep it in a container of water in a dark place, but if you are growing cuttings with leaf blades, find a well-lit place for them.

Rooting apple tree seedlings in the soil

There are several methods for rooting apple cuttings in substrate. However, to plant apple tree branches without roots, they need to be soaked in a container of water for some time.

First method:

1. Store apple tree seedlings in the cellar until May.
2. In May, plant the seedlings in disposable containers (for example, plastic cups or small pots) and cover them with a transparent plastic bottle on top.
3. Water the cuttings regularly.
4. As soon as you notice that leaves have appeared on the planting material, immediately pick them off.
5. About 30 days after planting, the cuttings will develop roots and can be planted in open ground.

Second method:

1. This method involves planting seedlings in wooden boxes filled with a nutrient substrate.
2. The box with the cuttings should be placed in a room where the temperature fluctuates between 10 and 12 degrees Celsius. Since this temperature keeps the roots warm and the branches cool, it will help the roots form more quickly.
3. Water the seedlings.
4. In autumn, you can transplant the cuttings into open ground (just cover them with lutrasil for the winter).

Important recommendations

To ensure the rooting process is successful, follow a few important recommendations:

1. Select only one-year-old shoots and branches for rooting. They usually have a greenish tint.
2. Rooting in water? Then don't change the water, just top it up to the right level.
3. Be sure to use special fertilizers that allow roots to grow faster.
4. If you plant cuttings directly into the ground, keep the room temperature between +10 and +12 degrees. Don't forget water planting material according to schedule.

Conclusion

Rooting apple tree cuttings is quite easy if you follow a few simple rules. Select only healthy plants that are at least 1-2 years old for planting. Water the cuttings regularly, add nutrients, and carefully select the planting site.