Tips on Growing Your Own Mistletoe

The main thing that many people think about when it comes near Christmastime is mistletoe. Some people think that mistletoe is a plant that is obnoxious, but others think it is one of the best plants to have. You should be aware that once you get mistletoe growing, it is very hard to remove. Mistletoe is technically considered a parasite because of how hard it is to get rid of. Be sure that you really want mistletoe before you begin growing it. If you are one of those people who love mistletoe, there is a way that you can begin growing your perfect plant.

The first thing that you must do is gather some of the wild mistletoe that has berries attached to them still. You should be able to find mistletoe around trees such as oaks, hackberries or other trees that are found in the wild.

You will need to scrape or cut in the bark on the bottom of the branch where you want to have it begin growing. Be sure that you have a large enough cut so that items will be able to get into the branch. The best way to do this is to use a knife and cut a large "V" into the branch.

Once you have cut a spot on the branch, you will want to set it aside. Pick off the fresh berries that are on the branch and put them into a bowl. Mush the berries so that they can easily be spread. Put the sticky seeds inside of the cut spot on your branch. Try to push the sticky seeds into the little cracks in the branch around the cut area as well. You must be prepared with a lot of berries so that you have enough seeds to feed the bark.

Mistletoe can actually take several years before it is fully established. For the first four years, it will grow very slowly. After the fourth year, the growth rate should rapidly increase. The best time to actually try to grow mistletoes is in February and March.

When you are growing your own mistletoe, it is better if you plant a lot of branches. You should try to plant at least 20 berries at one. The reason for this is because a lot of your plants will be eaten by animals. The other reason is that a lot of your plants will simply die. This gives you a back up and the chance for at least one out of the 20 will take hold and grow. You also need to remember that if you're going to try to plant more mistletoe the following year, you will need to have at least two plants that produce berries to ensure you have the amount of berries needed.

If you have heard that you can plant mistletoe into a tree, you are correct. You simply put the seeds at least 1.5 inches away from each other in a cut on the branches of the tree. Be sure that you realize that if you yield fruit from a tree and you choose to grow mistletoe on those trees, the amount of fruit you yield from that tree will change. Mistletoe can begin to stifle its growth.