Features of vegetative propagation

Vera asks us: "What is the principle of vegetative propagation?"


We will try to answer what is the essence of the principle and how to independently separate the plants vegetatively.

What is vegetative propagation?

Vegetative propagation is a method of forming a new individual from a part of an individual parent.

  • In fungi or algae, the process presented is due to the separation of sections of thallus or by the formation of new sites.
  • In animals, the process of the presented type proceeds in two ways: either by budding, or by division.
  • In plants, the process occurs in various ways: the separation of daughter embryos (buds, tubers, bulbs), the division of the mother plant into several daughter ones - rhizomes, shoots.
  • Rooting of leaves is taking place in a number of plants (for example, in willow trees). Vegetative propagation is somewhat similar to the regeneration process.

How to vegetatively propagate plants

There are several ways to divide plants vegetatively.

Leaves and roots

If you see that a young shoot has formed in the maternal representative, it can be separated and transplanted. In this way, aspen, poplar, mountain ash, bird cherry and other plants are propagated. From the bushes, raspberries propagate in the same way. Leaf cuttings can also be used. This applies to plants such as lemon, violet and begonia, the core of the meadow and some others.

Sprout propagation

There are several ways of vegetative propagation by shoots:

  • cuttings. The ability of plants to form subordinate roots on shoots is actively used by humans. Such species as willow, currant, poplar and many more trees and shrubs are propagated by cuttings. Perennials, for example, phlox, can also be grown from stem cuttings. Rosehips, raspberries and apple trees are propagated by root cuttings;

  • vaccinations. Many fruit trees are planted with vaccines. Take the stalk and plant it in the wild (as the young plant is called). The vaccination site must be tied, but the kidney is left free. After a few weeks, the stock will grow to the scion. A year later, an escape will grow from the kidney. Then the stalk of the wild is cut higher than the vaccine. After three years, a tree will grow from the shoot. If you are interested in this method of plant propagation, then you can learn about the best ways of summer grafting of fruit trees;
  • layering. With the help of layering, plants can be grown in various ways. The simplest of them is to bend the shoot so that its middle part is in the ground, and the top looks up. Incise the bark in the middle part of the shoot, water and make a hilling. When roots appear at the incision site, you can cut off the shoot and transplant;

  • propagation by tubers. This method is great for growing potatoes. It is enough to plant only one tuber and after a while to collect several tubers. In this case, you can use the eyes, but this will be considered propagation by shoots. To do this, kidneys are cut with part of the pulp and planted in boxes with soil. Then sprouts and subordinate roots are formed. Later they can be landed right in the field.

Vegetative propagation