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You can grow a persimmon tree from seed, but the seed will not yield the exact resemblance of the parent tree. Because they are genetically unpredictable, you may end up getting a different variety of persimmon trees than the exact one you desired.
Persimmon trees grown from seeds take a lot of time to reach a proper size than those grown from cuttings. Given the above, the question remains; how can you grow persimmon trees from cutting?
There are several ways to grow a persimmon tree from cutting; the most notable is by first watering the parent tree some days before cutting. The cuttings have moisture that can root successfully than dry cuttings.
In this article, we looked at how to grow persimmon tree from cutting, even if you’ve never done it before.
How to Grow Persimmon Tree from Cutting
There are two persimmon breeds:
- Native persimmons (also called Diospyros virginiana): It grows up to 30 to 40 feet and bears round plum-sized fruit
- Oriental persimmon of California (also known as Diospyros kaki): Grows up to 20 to 30 feet, producing bigger, oblong-shaped fruit with glossy, orange skin
Whichever one you’re going for, they all possess identical ways by which they can be grown from cuttings. While they can be grown from seed, they will not yield the exact resemblance of the parent tree.
But when you grow them from cuttings, you can always expect them to yield the identity of their parent trees.
Having said that, how can you grow a persimmon tree from cutting? Following the steps below, you can be sure of getting the best out of your persimmon tree when you grow them from cutting.
1. Watering
Before you start doing anything, like stem cutting, you have to first water the persimmon tree for some days, two to three days, to be precise.
If you cut them when their systems are too dried up, they will fail to root properly like the cuttings that are gotten from well-watered plants before the cuttings.
2. Stem Cutting
After watering the tree, you can then proceed with the stem cutting. Before doing that, ensure you use sharp cutting shears or a well-sharped and clean knife.
Ensure you cut a 5 to 6-inch stem from the persimmon tree, and you should do it during the autumn and before the first frost.
Also, make sure you cut from a year old shoots, side shoots, or root suckers. In all, cut from firm, hardwood stems because softwood dries out faster, therefore, wouldn’t work well when rooting.
3. Cutting Process
Make sure the stem is being cut from the base by placing a one or 2-inch vertical cut on each of the sides of the stem, as it will enhance the stimulation of the rooting process, therefore, helping the stem absorb water rooting chemicals.
After that, the next thing you should do is place the cutting into a pot, plastic bag, or container, as it will enable it to save some moisture that will help the persimmon grow.
4. Rooting Process & Medium
The next step is to provide a container or pot and fill it with the best rooting process possible, although various researches have shown no perfect rooting process.
However, some good rooting processes like sterility, drainage, and aeration still exist, which you can consider, and are also fundamental elements for root formation without inviting diseases or uncomfortable conditions to the stems.
You can then fill the pot or container with rooting mediums like perlite, sand, peat mixtures, and vermiculite. Then, as earlier mentioned, place the cutting into it, then wait for the following action.
Meanwhile, before putting the persimmon stem into the pot or container, make sure you poke a hole in the middle of the rooting medium.
Water thoroughly, and cover it with explicit material. This material humidifies the air, keeping it moist and stops the cutting from drying out.
5. Lighting Requirement
Ensure the plant is kept beneath an energy bulb or shiny fluorescent light for about three to five hours each night, as it helps to add to the sunlight it gets during the day.
Generally, the plant requires at least twelve hours of daylight sun and additional lighting each day.
6. Transplanting Process
After storing the persimmon cutting for the recommended number of days, you can now transplant it, but after it has grown roots.
You can do this by putting it inside a 4 to 8-inch soil-filled pot or container, then water it thoroughly while maintaining normal moisture levels.
As soon as the risk of frost has passed, start hardening the young plant by taking it outdoors, in an area with a shade for some hours, 6 to 8 hours daily, to be precise. Then slowly and gently expose them to the rays of the sun.
As soon as the young persimmon plant has possessed solid roots and can deal with the total rays of the sun, then you can be sure of planting it in its permanent site, which is inside the garden.
That is the basic process by which persimmon trees can be grown from cuttings. Meanwhile, it doesn’t end there, as there are other factors you must consider to ensure persimmon trees grow healthy and according to your taste.
For instance, you have to constantly provide them with much care to ensure their proper growth. Below are some of the care guides or factors of the persimmon tree that will ensure its efficient growth after cutting.
How to Care for Persimmon Trees to Ensure Growth
- Ensure you provide it with adequate watering.
- Avoid needless nutrients like fertilizers, as they are not heavy feeders and are very sensitive to fertilizers. After some years, you are free to apply a product meant for fruit trees during the spring season.
- Do not pollinate until it is up to seven or eight years. Anything below that will be impossible for them to flower.
- Ensure you prune your persimmon during the late winter or early spring season, before the bud breaks, as it removes dead, diseased, or out-of-place branches.
- Beware of prevalent pests and diseases that can be a threat to your persimmon tree and its growth by providing disease-free mechanisms that will scare them away.
- Harvesting of the persimmons should come when it ripens after September and November, in the aftermath of the first frost season. And while harvesting, handpick persimmons carefully as it is very fragile and store in a single layer. Harvest when they are in full color and hard enough.
- Try to regularly expose the persimmon to the sunlight level it requires while giving it additional lighting support through the rays of fluorescent light. The absence of sufficient lighting makes it difficult for persimmon trees to produce juicy and edible fruits.
- Be temperature conscious. In other words, persimmon trees are very hardy and can grow in climates that experience cold winters. As persimmon tree varies, so is its temperature or climatic condition. Therefore, you have to study them carefully to know which weather conditions suit a particular persimmon tree.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you’ve learnt how to grow persimmon tree from cutting. Generally, growing from cutting provides one of the most significant ways of growing persimmon trees.
However, you need to adopt the above methods, such as watering, cutting, rooting, transplanting, and others, while also applying the procedures in an orderly manner to ensure the persimmon grows appropriately.
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