Because not all periwinkle kinds root best from seeds, learning the four techniques to reproduce vinca from cuttings is vital. The evergreen ground coverings Vinca major or common periwinkle, and Vinca minor or small leaf periwinkle, can be propagated by cuttings. Rooting from cuttings, on the other hand, is an easy process even for novice gardeners.
Plants such as vinca or periwinkle will thrive in the right conditions. Cuttings will root and thrive better in the greenhouse than any other method. Softwood cuttings should be taken from a healthy parent plant, and the greatest candidate for this is one that you’ve cultivated in the greenhouse.
A Complete Guide on Vinca Cutting Propagation
Vinca cuttings can be propagated in four simple methods, whether you’re a novice or an experienced vinca grower. Clones of your parent plant can be propagated by cutting or gathering, creating a growing medium, planting, and transplanting. To ensure that your cuttings of vinca are healthy and strong, you may either propagate them in a greenhouse or grow them in your own home.
Cutting
The horizontal and upright stems of your periwinkle plants must be distinguished before you take cuttings from them. Non-flowering plants have root-forming leaf nodes, but flowering plants produce flowers. As a result, the straight stems with blooms on them are useless in the process of propagation.
The best parent plant to use is one that is actively developing and not displaying any indications of stress. Vinca cuttings can be collected in the spring or early summer, but avoid doing so when it’s hot and humid outside. Cutting should be done when the softwood has sprouted, which is typically between May and July.
In addition, because the terminal cuttings at the tip root more slowly, employ secondary cuttings towards the stem’s base instead. Sharp shears and a sterilized branch should be used to get a 4-inch cutting from the branch. So that it can be rooted, remove all leaves from its bottom third.
Growing medium preparation
A mixture of coarse perlite and sphagnum peat moss would be great as a growing medium for your cuttings. It’s important to keep this medium moist, much like when growing cuttings of other plants. You can start planting as soon as you’ve prepared the medium if you live in zones 10 to 11.
Planting
Remember to remove any leaves from the lowest half of the stem before planting the cuttings. It’s best to remove all but half of the leaves from the end. Rooting hormone can be applied to the cut once it’s been made.
Use a separate container for dipping the cuttings in rooting hormone to ensure proper hygiene. Insert one cutting per pot so that the leaves’ lowest set is above ground level. Ensure that the stem is supported by a strong layer of media.
Cuttings should be kept indoors in a greenhouse area that receives enough of natural light. Direct sunlight, on the other hand, should be avoided when growing plants. Covering them with clear plastic bags and checking the medium’s moisture level daily will help them root better.
The underside of the leaves of your cuttings should be given extra care while misting them twice daily. Check for roots by gently tugging the stem’s base after two to four weeks. Open the plastic bags once they’ve rooted to allow for better airflow.
Transplanting
Cuttings can be transplanted into a larger container with potting soil after four weeks of rooting. Putting them in a partially shaded, protected spot will help harden them off before you move them. Ideally, the plants should be placed five feet apart in a full-sun area for the next growing season.
Vinca Plant Care Instructions
It’s possible to grow vinca successfully if you follow the instructions on the package carefully. In the greenhouse, you’ll have a better chance of getting strong parent plants for your cuttings. At 12 weeks before the final frost, if you simply want to utilize the greenhouse for starting vinca, you can begin.
Periwinkles thrive in broad sun and are even drought-resistant. They don’t care about the type of soil, so you may put them as far apart as you like: up to 12 inches apart. Once they’re established, you can reduce the frequency of watering, unless there’s a drought, and mulch the soil to keep it moist.
For feeding, you can fertilize twice a season and use liquid food in midsummer to boost growth. Because vinca is less susceptible to illnesses and pests than other flowering plants, you can feel more secure in your garden.
Conclusion
In order to grow periwinkles, you can use either seeds or cuttings. It’s important to know how to grow vinca from cuttings for evergreen ground coverings. Periwinkle clones are propagated using a four-step process that includes cutting or collecting, preparation of growing material, planting, and transplantation.
If you can, start the propagation in a greenhouse rather than a garden to get the most out of your investment. You may be sure that your cuttings will come from healthy parent plants because of the indoor environment’s constant and optimal circumstances. To assist them to root fast and be ready for transplant, cuttings should be started indoors.
