The Best Ways to Propagate Pieris Shojo

Cuttings

• Cuttings taken from mature plants in summer usually root in six to eight weeks To take cuttings, remove 3-inch stems, each with four or five leaves, from the tips of healthy, flexible branches. The cuttings root best in small pots filled with a well-draining potting mixture. Dipping the cut ends of the stems in rooting hormone speeds rooting and a plastic bag or domed cover provides humidity and keeps the potting soil moist. Once the stems take root and show healthy growth, you can plant each stem in an individual container. The newly rooted "Shojo" lily of the valley is ready to plant outdoors the following spring, although an extra year allows the plant to mature and become stronger.

Seeds

• "Shojo" lily of the valley can be grown from fresh seeds collected from a mature plant in fall. Plant the seeds on the surface of a gritty potting mixture and cover them with a thin layer of sand or vermiculite. Seeds germinate best in temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the containers in Indirect light because the seedlings are prone to scorch. Check the containers often and water as needed to keep the soil moist. When the plants are large enough to handle without damaging the roots, plant them in celled trays or small pots until they are large enough to survive outdoors -- usually the next spring or the following spring.

Simple Layering

• Simple layering in spring is a simple propagation method that involves rooting a branch while still connected to the parent plant. Layering is a relatively slow process that usually takes at least a year before the plant is ready to grow on its own. Layering requires a long, flexible stem growing on the lower part of the shrub, which you pin to a lightly cultivated spot with a U-shaped wire. Sever the branch when healthy new growth indicates the branch has rooted. The newly rooted plant benefits from at least three or four weeks more growth before digging and moving the plant to its permanent spot, or to a 1-gallon container.

Growing Conditions

• "Shojo" lily of the valley needs moist but well-draining, acidic soil as the plant is susceptible to rot in poorly drained soil. To improve the balance of the soil, dig 2 to 3 inches of peat moss into the top 12 inches of soil. Double the application of peat if your soil is poor or alkaline. The plant benefits from light shade or dappled sunlight, especially during hot afternoons. "Shojo" lily of the valley tolerates more sun in cool, foggy climates. Wind protection is also critical.