How to Propagate Oleander: When and How to Do It Step by Step
Although it is true that oleander is a poisonous plant, its bushy characteristics and handsome flowers have made it a very popular plant in gardens. Because it grows quickly and reaches a considerable height, it is widely used as a hedge. It is no wonder that many people want to know how to propagate oleanders.
In this article, we’ll explain when and how to do this, as well as how long it takes for them to grow. It’s a very elementary process that having one of these vegetables at home, we can prepare it in the blink of an eye.
How and when to plant oleanders?
Before we explain how to propagate oleanders, we first need to know when to do it. The best time of year to plant these handsome flowers is from October to April, which is: From autumn to spring. However, it is best to wait until April, because then the effects are usually better.
Some even advise planting the youngest oleanders in August or September, when the flowering season is coming to an end. And why? It turns out that when planting oleanders in spring, we do so in the flowering phase. As a result, their first year of life is shortened. It should be noted that the best place this plant in a place with plenty of direct sunlight so that it can grow and develop properly.
To learn how to propagate oleanders, it is vital to remember that we can do it in two ways: From seeds or cuttings. Both are fairly elementary, but propagation by cuttings is the most common method for this vegetable. We’ll discuss both processes step by step.
How to Propagate Oleander from Seeds
Let’s start by explaining how to propagate oleanders using seeds. It is vital to mention that if the seeds come from a hybrid plant, there is a high probability that the color of the flowers and fresh seedlings will be identical to the color of the mother plant. However, there is a diminutive chance that these fresh seedlings will develop some characteristics from one of the hybridized vegetables. So It is possible that the color of the flowers will be different than expected.
Generally speaking, oleander seeds are collected in winter, specifically when the pods they are in are already ripe. As for sowing, the best time to do it is spring. However, we can sow the seeds immediately after collecting them. Let’s see how to plant oleanders step by step:
- Prepare the substrate: First of all, you need to prepare a substrate mixture based on sand and peat.
- Sow: We cover the seeds with the substrate that we mixed in step one. It is vital to keep them at a temperature of 20 to 25 degrees. After about 15 days, they will germinate.
- Graft: When the first seedlings have already started to develop, it is time to transplant them to their final location. We will see that they are ready when they already have four or five leaves. The hole that we dig in the ground must be twice as wide as the seedling and when planting it we must be very careful not to damage the roots. Then we should fill the hole with more soil and lightly tamp it down to make it compact.
- Water: It is vital to keep the soil wet but not waterlogged to prevent root rot.
If we want to plant several oleanders, it is vital to leave Two to four meters of space between each one. Otherwise they could take water and nutrients from each other, which would negatively affect all plants.
How to make an oleander seedling?
As we mentioned earlier, Oleander propagation through cuttings is the most commonly used form, and in other plants. This is a very elementary method that we can do if we already have one of these vegetables in good condition. Usually, seedlings are prepared in the fall and transplanted in the spring. Let’s see how to do it step by step:
- Prepare the substrate: The first thing we need to do is create a mixture of equal parts peat and sand. To this we will add a little bit of perlite.
- Prepare the cut: Once we have the substrate ready, we need to cut off a branch, or several, about 15 centimeters long. We will remove all the leaves that are at the base. We need to leave a maximum of four leaves at the top.
- Bury the seedlings: Once we have the cuttings, we need to bury them in a pot filled with substrate, as we did in step one. Oleanders can take a long time to root, so you will have to wait a few months before making the final transplant. During this period, the ideal temperature for the cuttings is between 15 and 20 degrees. In addition, we need to keep the substrate wet, but not flooded.
- Graft: Once the seedlings have taken root well, it’s time to transplant them to their final location. There, we will dig a hole twice as wide as the seedling and insert it. It is very vital not to bury it too deep, the stem should never remain underground. During this process, we must be very careful and try not to damage the roots. Then it’s time to fill the hole with more soil.
- Water: Finally, it remains to water the oleanders. The soil must be compact and wet, but we must always prevent it from getting waterlogged.
How long does it take to grow oleander?
Oleander grows quite quickly. In a few years it can easily exceed two meters in height. Although it is true that species have been observed to exceed five meters, this is unusual because the care and pruning that this plant requires do not allow it.
Related article:
How to prune oleander
Remember that oleander is a poisonous shrub, so it is not recommended to grow it if you have diminutive children or pets in the house. But if this is not your case or you have it under control, go ahead! You no longer have an excuse not to propagate your oleander.