“How to propagate fruit trees from cuttings (stems)” could be translated into Spanish as:

Your fruit tree produces the most delicious fruit, and you love it so much that you want to duplicate its characteristics and produce an identical fruit. Planting seeds from the fruit will not produce what you want. Seeds are all different, and will rarely contain all the characteristics of the tree you like. The best way to propagate a specific fruit tree is to take cuttings to create a clone. In this article we will look at how to propagate fruit trees from cuttings.

Time to take fruit tree cuttings

If you prefer to propagate fruit trees from semi-hardwood cuttings, those from the most mature part of a branch, do so in early summer. Check that the green of the branch is darkening and has started to form a skin of bark.

If taking softwood cuttings, the best time of year to do so is in spring, when the new branches are green and the flowers are still dormant.

How to propagate fruit trees from cuttings

Take fruit tree cuttings from the semi-hard or softwood parts of a branch (depending on when you do it). Make sure they are large enough to have 3-4 live buds. They are usually about 15-20 cm long, ideally no larger than the width of a pencil.

Remove the leaves to prevent it from losing energy on them and starting to generate roots. Then apply a rooting hormone on the wound of the cut to help stimulate and accelerate the rooting process. Although it is not mandatory to apply rooting hormone it will help a lot, read:

Next, bury the cutting about 5 cm deep, using a sterile growing medium to prevent rot. A mixture of coarse commercial sand, not beach sand (beach salt is harmful to the cutting), perlite and/or vermiculite, and peat moss are recommended. These materials, easily obtained at any garden center, can be used together or separately. Make sure the texture of the substrate is light and absorbent.

Once the cutting is planted, firm the soil, water until the water comes out of the drainage holes and cover everything with a transparent plastic bag with some holes to serve as a greenhouse.

An upside-down clear jar or plastic bottle can also be used. The goal here is not only to maintain high humidity, but also adequate ventilation. Lifting or opening the lid once a day will help reduce mold and disease.

Place the pot in indirect light and at a temperature of over 20 degrees C, this will make the roots appear more quickly. Roots should appear within several months.

When the roots appear

When you see that the cuttings begin to produce new leaves, it means that they have developed a good root system and are ready to be transplanted. In any case, it is best to grow them for a year in the same pot so that they become stronger.

You can transplant the following spring, either in the garden soil or in a larger pot, one of 20 liters or more is perfect for fruit trees.

Cuttings do not automatically grow into lush fruit trees. Rooting is the first sign of success, and new leaves are another.

However, the fruits take up to three years to appear. And success is a numbers game. If you plant five cuttings, you might end up with one fruit tree.