| In former days many home gardeners found it | | | | washed again with water before they are |
| difficult to increase the supply of their | | | | stored. A better way to separate the pulp |
| favorite evergreens by the usual methods of | | | | from the seed is to soak the fruits in ethyl |
| reproduction, viz., seeds, layers, and | | | | alcohol for a few minutes. |
| cuttings. The complexity of starting new | | | | |
| plants has been materially lessened since the | | | | For propagating purposes, containers can |
| introduction of polyethylene plastic. In the | | | | either be entirely filled with sphagnum, or |
| field of plant propagation its use has been a | | | | this moss may be used as a finishing layer |
| real boon. No longer is a greenhouse a | | | | over a bottom layer of soil, in which case |
| necessary possession for raising these plants | | | | allow space for at least 1 inch of sphagnum |
| from seeds and cuttings. Polyethylene is a | | | | compressed to an even surface. The seeds are |
| substance which has the ability to retain | | | | then placed in the containers. The finished |
| moisture and to permit an exchange of gases. | | | | layer of moss should come to within 1/2 to 1 |
| | | | inch of the top of the container. |
| There are two fundamental methods of | | | | |
| propagation: the sexual method, whereby | | | | The advantage of a layer of soil under the |
| plants are increased by means of seed; and | | | | moss is that the transplanting can be |
| the asexual (vegetative) method. The sexual | | | | deferred for a longer time; the young plants |
| method is not always reliable, because | | | | will strike root in the earth and thus be |
| seedlings cannot be depended on to run true | | | | supplied with sufficient nutrients to |
| to type, and in most instances is a slow | | | | maintain growth. Whether a flat or a pot is |
| tedious procedure. The principal reason to | | | | used, to assure proper drainage be sure not |
| recommend it is because you never know when a | | | | to overlook placing broken pieces of pots |
| new strain of plant may result. The most | | | | concave side down, over the holes in the |
| reliable way to perpetuate a plant true to | | | | bottom of the container. |
| type is by vegetative reproduction. With this | | | | |
| method, plants are propagated by cuttings, | | | | Cuttings |
| layers, division, grafting, and budding. | | | | |
| | | | Vegetative propagation has been greatly |
| Seeding | | | | facilitated by the use of polyethylene |
| | | | plastic. A propogating unit may easily be |
| Generally speaking, the seeds of cone-bearing | | | | constructed using this plastic. Because of |
| evergreens are collected at the time the cone | | | | it, excellent results have been obtained in |
| scales open; at that time the coat will turn | | | | reproducing evergreens by means of cuttings, |
| brown and the seeds themselves will become | | | | air-layers, grafting, and budding. The |
| firm. The seeds must be well cleaned before | | | | plastic is not required in simple layering. |
| they are placed in storage; those with wings | | | | |
| should have the wings removed. To obtain | | | | Among the evergreens that are successfully |
| seeds from fleshy fruits (such as the berries | | | | grown from slips are Arbor-vitae, evergreen |
| of Holly) mash the fruits and soak them in | | | | Azaleas, evergreen Barberry, Box, |
| water for three or four days. | | | | Cotoneaster, Euonymus, Pyracantha, Gardenia, |
| | | | Mahonia, Osmanthus, Pieris, evergreen Privet, |
| During this soaking period stir them | | | | Holly, Rhododendron, creeping Junipers, and |
| vigorously several times; this will hasten | | | | Yews. Ground covers such as English Ivy, |
| the separation of the pulp from the seeds. | | | | Pachysandra, Sarcococca hookeriana humilis, |
| Care must be taken not to allow them to | | | | Skimmia japonica, Pachistima canbyi, and |
| "sour." The viable seeds will settle in the | | | | Vinca minor can all be rooted easily by |
| bottom of the container, and those that are | | | | cuttings. |
| nonviable, together with the pulp, will | | | | |
| collect on the surface and should be | | | | Evergreens can be easily grown from seed or |
| discarded. The good seeds must be thoroughly | | | | cuttings. |