Sea buckthorn

Sea buckthorn is fully hardy and needs no winter protection in the lowlands of Germany, Austria and Switzerland; even young plants get through their first winter without protection. Use a frost-free, dry day during winter dormancy for maintenance pruning: thin the crown from the inside so the shrub does not become bare, and wear thick gloves against the sharp thorns.

The most reliable method is propagation by root suckers: sea buckthorn naturally sends out suckers up to six metres around the mother plant. In spring or autumn, dig up a vigorous sucker with as long a piece of root as possible (at least 10 cm), separate it cleanly and plant it straight away at the new location. The young plant establishes without any intermediate step.

For layering, in spring bend a young, flexible shoot growing close to the ground into a shallow furrow, cover it with soil and, if needed, weigh it down with a stone. The shoot tip must stick out. After six to twelve months the layer has formed its own roots. Then you can cut the connection to the mother plant and replant it.

Hardwood cuttings are possible, but less certain: in winter, cut woody shoots about 15 to 20 cm long with several buds, insert at least two thirds of each into moist, sandy substrate and overwinter them cool and frost-free with even moisture. Prepare several hardwood cuttings, as the rooting rate is low. Shoots that start to grow in spring can be planted out after a further two to three weeks.

Sowing from seed is botanically possible, but unsuitable for fruit production: sea buckthorn is dioecious, and the sex of the young plant (male or female) becomes apparent only after three to four years. Only female plants bear berries, and a male plant is also needed for pollination. For fruit gardens you should therefore use vegetative methods. If you still want to sow: dry the berries, expose the seeds to natural frost over winter (cold stratification) and sow in spring.