How to Get a Start From a Flowering Almond Bush?

Question:

Can I get a start off my moms flowering almond bush, or do I have to go buy my own? If so, how do I do it?

Cher from Utah

Answer:

Cher,

I really don't know too much about Flowering Almond bushes. Here are three different methods you might try.

Hardwood Cuttings

The first is hardwood cuttings. These are generally taken in the early autumn as the plant starts to prepare for its dormant state. However, many gardeners (myself included) ignore this rule of thumb and take them in the summer.

Start by removing a 12 to 16 inch section from a mature shoot that is relatively low on the plant. Try to leave the "heel" intact-the part of the shoot that widens and connects with the main stem. The shoot should be the approximate diameter of a pencil or smaller. Lightly scrape about 1 inch of the bark from the cut end all the way around the "heel" end, and remove all of the leaves from the lower part of the shoot. Dip the "heel" (cut end) into some rooting hormone. (You can find this in either liquid or powder form at any nursery or garden center).

Plant the cutting in a pot or prepared bed, inserting it only as far into the soil as it needs to support itself. Keep it well watered and protect it from sudden temperature changes. In 6-8 weeks, give it a slight tug. If it has developed roots, you should feel a small bit of resistance.

Softwood Cuttings

Softwood cuttings are another option. These are taken in the summer from young shoots that are typically higher up on the plant. Soft wood is the new growth you see on plants each spring, or the new growth you see after you trim them back in the summer.

Select a shoot that is 5-6 inches long. Again, these shoots are the new growth, and generally located higher up on the plant. Trim off the lower leaves, leaving 2-3 pairs of leaves at the top. If the leaves are large, they can be snipped in half with a scissors. This will still provide the shoot with enough surface area to carry on photosynthesis, but it will save you room and make handling the softwood cutting easier.

Dip the cut ends of the shoots into a rooting hormone, and plant the cuttings into a pot or container. Softwood cuttings should be kept in a moist, damp environment, so cover the pot with plastic to keep in humidity and check often for wilting. You can insert chop sticks or pencils into the soil to prevent the plastic from touching the cutting.

Suckers

If your mother's almond bush produces suckers (shoots growing independently near the main plant), it may be easiest just to dig these up and plant them. Use a shovel to dig out the sucker from the main plant, preserving as much of the root as possible. Plant it as you would a potted bush from the nursery.

Good luck!

Ellen