Winter is one of the best times to grow your shrubs from cuttings. Not only do most cuttings take best when struck in cooler weather and grown on as the weather warms for spring, but many gardeners are pruning their shrubs now. And those prunings can be your cuttings.
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| Gardenia |
Cuttings
A cutting is the term we use for lengths of plant material being used specifically to propagate new plants. In contrast to growing plants from seed, where we may get plants that are slightly different from what we expected, cuttings will always be clones of the parent plant from which the cutting was taken. So a camellia cutting from a plant with a pink and white flower will produce another identical camellia with a pink and white flower. If you were to take the seed from that same parent camellia you would not be guaranteed to get a camellia with a pink and white flower.
5 reasons to take a cutting
Taking a cutting is a cheap and easy way to grow new plants but there are lots of other reasons to try your hand at growing a cutting.
- To grow more of a plant that’s doing well in your garden or a neighbouring garden.
- To grow a hedge on the cheap buy a couple of plants then grow the rest from cutting.
- To grow plants as gifts or to raise funds for you local preschool, school, church or special interest group
- To propagate an unusual growth on a plant such as a different flower colour on an azalea or camellia.
- Also take cuttings rather than plants if you are moving house.
Materials:
- Pots
- Good quality potting mix
- Secateurs
- Dibber (to create the hole, so the delicate cutting doesn't get hurt as you shove it into a pot)
- Knife
- Hormone powder, gel or honey. Pour a small amount of whichever you're using into a small container to prevent possible contamination.
Softwood, Semi-hardwood and Hardwood Cuttings
These terms relate to the period in the growing cycle when the cutting is taken.
Softwood Cuttings are generally taken in spring and early summer when the plant is putting on its new growth and there are a lot of growth hormones in the plant system. Soft wood cuttings usually strike (start to grow roots) relatively quickly. Choose slightly firmer pieces of plant material and avoid very soft sappy growth. Softwood cuttings generally benefit from the addition of some heat (mentioned further on).
Semi-hardwood Cuttings are taken mid- summer after flowering when the plant is putting on new growth and starting to harden. They strike quickly and give good results without the need for additional heat.
Hardwood Cuttings are generally taken at the end of summer and take longer to strike than those taken earlier in the season. However as this period coincides with the garden’s Autumn pruning, particularly of perennials, it is easy to source cutting materials. And with so much cutting material available, even if some fail, most will be ready to plant the following spring.
Types of Plants suitable for Cuttings
All perennial and shrubby plants provide excellent potential for cuttings. The most successful plant material for cuttings comes from the ‘square’ stemmed plants eg from the Laminaceae family. This includes salvias, mint, rosemary and many other herbs. Many of the perennials in the daisy family, like Federation Daisies, also do well from cuttings however other daisy plants, like Echinacea sps, are best propagated from root division.
Suggestions of good beginner's plants
Taking cuttings
The preferred cutting length is about 10cm to 12cm with at least 2 to 3 nodes on each cutting. The lower cut should be on an angle just beneath the first node. You can also ‘nick’ the area just beneath the lower node taking care not to damage the node itself. This node will be below the soil surface and this is where the root zone will develop.
The top cut should be made above the next node (or the one above). The entire cutting length should contain 2 or 3 nodes in total. These upper nodes will be where the leaves of the new plant will shoot. Take care not to damage any of the nodes along the cutting length. Plant nodes have the amazing ability to produce either roots or leaves depending on whether they are above or below the soil level which is why cuttings are so effective.
The lower node may be dipped in a ‘rooting hormone’ if desired although if a lower strike rate is acceptable this is not essential. For a natural rooting hormone you may try dipping the cutting in honey.
Avoid taking cutting from any plant when it is in flower as these cuttings will have less potential for success.
If the cutting has broad-leaf leaves, remove all except the top two leaves. If the top two leaves are very large, they can be cut in half laterally so the cutting doesn’t lose too much moisture through the leaves.
If the cuttings have multiple narrow small leaves, eg lavender and rosemary, remove the leaves on the lower 2/3rds of the cutting. The multiple nodes left all have the potential to produce roots when they strike.
Growing Medium
Cuttings do best in a free draining mixture so that they don’t rot. It is best to put lots of cuttings in the same pot rather than single cuttings in many post. The warmth and humidity of having them all clustered together will help them to strike. To increase the warmth and humidity, and maintain heat overnight, if possible cover the pot with a clear plastic ‘hood’ or the end of a polystyrene bottle. If doing this, keep the pot out of direct sunlight so that the air inside in the pot doesn’t heat up too much and ‘cook’ the cuttings. Mist the cuttings regularly to help regulate the temperature and keep a moist environment.
Potting up
Leave the cuttings in the pot long enough for them to establish strong root systems. Remove any cuttings that start to look like they have failed so that you don’t allow rots and fungal problems to enter the pot. They will usually look weak, brown off and begin to rot at the base.
You can generally tell when the cutting has taken if it starts to put on new leaves and to grow. However be patient as the roots may take longer to develop. Continue to water the cuttings until you are ready to pot up.
You can test for roots by gently rocking the cutting. If you feel no resistance, then the roots have probably not yet developed.
When you think the cuttings are ready to pot up, tip the pot gently upside down and remove all of the contents together. Lay on a piece of newspaper and gently start to disentangle the roots. It is important to minimise the damage to these young roots as the vigour of the new plants depends on a strong root system.
Pot the young cuttings into small pots with a good quality potting mix. Water in with a weak solution of seaweed fertiliser or worm poo tea. Put the cuttings in a sheltered spot to ‘harden off’ before gradually introducing them to a more open environment.
Once the root mass of the cutting starts to fill its new pot, either pot on again or, if the conditions are suitable, plant into a prepared garden bed.
Yucca CuttingsHow to Grow Your Favourite Shrubs
Yucca elephantipes is a small evergreen tree reaching around 9 metres (30') in the wild, but it is usually smaller in cultivation. It develops a thick, branching trunk which is reminiscent of an elephant's foot at the base. From summer to autumn it produces white, bell-shaped flowers in large panicles. The spineless yucca is adaptable to a wide range of climates and conditions and is drought, salt and frost tolerant. It can be grown indoors as an architectural pot plant, or outdoors as a landscaping plant. It is suitable for modern, Santa Fe or Mediterranean style houses and landscapes.
Taking your cutting In the warmer parts of Australia, yucca cuttings can be taken almost anytime of the year. In the cooler zones like Victoria, take cuttings from December to May. First, tidy up the clump by stripping the lower leaves off the stems. Stripping the leaves will also prevent the cutting from losing its moisture before the roots grow. Take your cutting from a mature stem, with brown bark underneath the stripped section. If the bark is cream-coloured, rotting may occur. The cutting can be taken from any part of the stem. The thickness and length of the stem doesn’t matter. The foliage at the tip of the cutting does not need pruning. Allow the stem to dry out for a few days to a week in a shady spot. After drying out, put the cane in an appropriate-sized pot filled with a free-draining mix. No hormone powder is necessary. Keep the pot moist and store in a shady spot with plenty of light. (Tip:make sure you tie the cutting to something after it is potted, as it may fall over in the wind.) Roots should form in about four weeks. Do not re-pot until you see roots in the drainage holes of the pots.
Bougainvillea
Bougainvilleas tolerate only mild frost, needing moist, deep soil and plenty of room. Take cuttings in summer and early autumn of new growth with a heel. Trim them back to about 200cm, and plant as deeply as you can in sandy soil in semi-shade under an inverted jar (or in a glasshouse).
Buddleia
Buddleia is very tolerant and grows easily. Take softwood cuttings in mid to late summer, placing them in sandy soil in semi-shade. Hardwood cuttings can be taken from early to mid-winter and should be of the previous year's growth with a small heel. Place a little sand at the bottom of each hole in the garden and plant the cutting. Pinch out the top in spring as this encourages the plants to bush out.
Camellia
Camellia japonica grows easily from cuttings. Take cuttings from the ends of branches, about as long as your hand, in late summer. A rooting powder will help them take, but isn't essential. Place the cuttings in sandy soil or a mix of one part sand to one part peatmoss.
Daphne
Daphne likes a temperate climate with a well-drained soil, so the cuttings have a reputation for being hard to strike. Make sure they're taken in the middle of summer (try Australia Day) from new growth that can just be snapped rather than bent. They should be about 75mm long and cut just below a node. Plant them as deep as you can in a mix of two parts sand to one of good soil or peatmoss. Water, and cover with an inverted jar. Don't let them dry out. They should start to root within six weeks.
Elder (Sambucus spp.)
Elders tolerate both frost and heat. They grow from seed or hardwood cuttings; cool soils are best for the cuttings to take. If you need to take a cutting in midsummer, try to strike it in water first on a windowsill, then pot it carefully when roots have formed. Plant out in late winter or early spring.
Figs (Ficus spp.)
Some figs need frost-free conditions, some tolerate light frost, and all need moisture, space and fertile soil. Use cuttings of young branches. Some figs sucker, and these suckers can be uprooted.
Frangipani (Plumeria rubra)
Frangipani needs a frost-free, well-drained soil. Grow from cuttings of woody shoots. Make sure the latex is almost dry, then plant in sand that is only just wet. Cuttings are very susceptible to rot, so keep warm.
Gardenia
Take cuttings of new wood that can just be snapped. The cutting should be about as long as your hand, taken just below a node.
Hibiscus
Evergreen hibiscus tolerates only very mild frost, whereas deciduous hibiscus is frost-hardy. Take cuttings of evergreen hibiscus in spring from firm wood. The deciduous hibiscuses should be cut with a heel, in winter.
Hydrangea
Take cuttings in winter, with a heel. Place some sand at the bottom of each hole and plant the cuttings in the garden in semi-shade. Keep them moist. Semi-mature cuttings can be taken in midsummer. Cut off all but the top two leaves, and plant in sandy soil. Keep in the semi-shade.
Magnolia (Magnolia spp.)
Magnolia is hardy in a wide range of climates, but prefers sunny positions and acid, well-drained soil. Take softwood cuttings, about 10cm long, in late winter, and root in moist soil with a plastic bag over the pot.
Mock Orange (Philadelphus)
Mock orange tolerates both frost and heat. Winter is the best time for cuttings, but they will probably take at any time. Cuttings can be quite large, especially in winter, and can be planted straight into the ground.
Mulberries
Mulberry tolerates heat and frost, and needs a deep, well-drained soil. Take finger-thick cuttings in spring, and plant them so that at least two buds are under the soil. Grow them in semi-shade until they are well established.
Photinia
Photinia is a very hardy, quick-growing plant. It tolerates drought, frost and heat. Take cuttings about 100cm long, in late summer to early autumn, with a small heel. Cuttings should take in ordinary soil, but you can improve their chances by dusting with rooting powder. Water with a mister every day.
Bougainvilleas tolerate only mild frost, needing moist, deep soil and plenty of room. Take cuttings in summer and early autumn of new growth with a heel. Trim them back to about 200cm, and plant as deeply as you can in sandy soil in semi-shade under an inverted jar (or in a glasshouse).
Buddleia
Buddleia is very tolerant and grows easily. Take softwood cuttings in mid to late summer, placing them in sandy soil in semi-shade. Hardwood cuttings can be taken from early to mid-winter and should be of the previous year's growth with a small heel. Place a little sand at the bottom of each hole in the garden and plant the cutting. Pinch out the top in spring as this encourages the plants to bush out.
Camellia
Camellia japonica grows easily from cuttings. Take cuttings from the ends of branches, about as long as your hand, in late summer. A rooting powder will help them take, but isn't essential. Place the cuttings in sandy soil or a mix of one part sand to one part peatmoss.
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| Daphne |
Daphne
Daphne likes a temperate climate with a well-drained soil, so the cuttings have a reputation for being hard to strike. Make sure they're taken in the middle of summer (try Australia Day) from new growth that can just be snapped rather than bent. They should be about 75mm long and cut just below a node. Plant them as deep as you can in a mix of two parts sand to one of good soil or peatmoss. Water, and cover with an inverted jar. Don't let them dry out. They should start to root within six weeks.
Elder (Sambucus spp.)
Elders tolerate both frost and heat. They grow from seed or hardwood cuttings; cool soils are best for the cuttings to take. If you need to take a cutting in midsummer, try to strike it in water first on a windowsill, then pot it carefully when roots have formed. Plant out in late winter or early spring.
Figs (Ficus spp.)
Some figs need frost-free conditions, some tolerate light frost, and all need moisture, space and fertile soil. Use cuttings of young branches. Some figs sucker, and these suckers can be uprooted.
Frangipani (Plumeria rubra)
Frangipani needs a frost-free, well-drained soil. Grow from cuttings of woody shoots. Make sure the latex is almost dry, then plant in sand that is only just wet. Cuttings are very susceptible to rot, so keep warm.
Gardenia
Take cuttings of new wood that can just be snapped. The cutting should be about as long as your hand, taken just below a node.
Hibiscus
Evergreen hibiscus tolerates only very mild frost, whereas deciduous hibiscus is frost-hardy. Take cuttings of evergreen hibiscus in spring from firm wood. The deciduous hibiscuses should be cut with a heel, in winter.
Hydrangea
Take cuttings in winter, with a heel. Place some sand at the bottom of each hole and plant the cuttings in the garden in semi-shade. Keep them moist. Semi-mature cuttings can be taken in midsummer. Cut off all but the top two leaves, and plant in sandy soil. Keep in the semi-shade.
Magnolia (Magnolia spp.)
Magnolia is hardy in a wide range of climates, but prefers sunny positions and acid, well-drained soil. Take softwood cuttings, about 10cm long, in late winter, and root in moist soil with a plastic bag over the pot.
Mock Orange (Philadelphus)
Mock orange tolerates both frost and heat. Winter is the best time for cuttings, but they will probably take at any time. Cuttings can be quite large, especially in winter, and can be planted straight into the ground.
Mulberries
Mulberry tolerates heat and frost, and needs a deep, well-drained soil. Take finger-thick cuttings in spring, and plant them so that at least two buds are under the soil. Grow them in semi-shade until they are well established.
Photinia
Photinia is a very hardy, quick-growing plant. It tolerates drought, frost and heat. Take cuttings about 100cm long, in late summer to early autumn, with a small heel. Cuttings should take in ordinary soil, but you can improve their chances by dusting with rooting powder. Water with a mister every day.
Poplar (Populus sp.)
Poplars need a cool climate for best colour, but otherwise are very tolerant. Most poplar cuttings take easily. Use hardwood cuttings from autumn to spring—even cuttings several metres long will probably take. Plant in deep, moist soil.
Protea
Needs vary with species, but most proteas tolerate light frost and heat. Take cuttings in late summer to early autumn, about the size of your hand, from the top of strongly growing branches. Cut just below a bud. Keep moist and well-drained; mist with a spray every day. Some proteas take better than others. Proteas may also be grown from seed.
Rhododendrons and azaleas
Needs vary according to species and variety; some are frost tender and others are hardy. Most varieties will grow from cuttings in late summer or early autumn. Take tip growth, about 100mm long, with or without a heel. Keep moist—preferably by spraying several times a day—and in semi-shade. They may take three months to root.
Roses
Most roses take very easily from cuttings. A mixture of half sand and half potting mix is best, though a friend does well with cuttings in pure sand and the prunings which I just stick in the ground under the apple trees seem to take almost as well. Hybrid teas, especially yellow hybrid teas, are not supposed to form sturdy root systems from cuttings, but I have never found this to be a problem. Old-fashioned and rambling roses give almost 100 per cent success from cuttings, as do miniatures. The latter may flower in the first year, although for the sake for the sturdiness of the plant it's probably a good idea to pinch off the earliest buds. Any long bit of rose prunings will do as a cutting. Take off the lower leaves and thorns, and thrust it half way down into damp soil under a tree or in a pot of half sand and half potting mix. They will nearly always take. Keep the cuttings out of direct sunlight, and don't transplant them for at least a year.
Wisteria
Wisteria is very strong growing and needs a lot of room; it tolerates both frost and heat. Take stem cuttings in late spring from short laterals on the bottom of the vine. Keep moist in semi-shade and mist spray every day. Take root cuttings, about as long as your hand, in late winter. Plant them so that they slope in a pot with the upper part of the root just poking out of the soil. Cover with an inverted jar and keep them moist in the semi-shade until they start to shoot in spring. Don't disturb them for the first year till feeder roots grow.
So, good luck, have fun & don't be too sad if they do not work out 1st try. I've discovered that some take, some don't but it is worth the hassle. It is very satisfying knowing that beautiful plant in the garden was struck & grown by you.
Happy Grubbing
Tam
Poplars need a cool climate for best colour, but otherwise are very tolerant. Most poplar cuttings take easily. Use hardwood cuttings from autumn to spring—even cuttings several metres long will probably take. Plant in deep, moist soil.
Protea
Needs vary with species, but most proteas tolerate light frost and heat. Take cuttings in late summer to early autumn, about the size of your hand, from the top of strongly growing branches. Cut just below a bud. Keep moist and well-drained; mist with a spray every day. Some proteas take better than others. Proteas may also be grown from seed.
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| Protea |
Rhododendrons and azaleas
Needs vary according to species and variety; some are frost tender and others are hardy. Most varieties will grow from cuttings in late summer or early autumn. Take tip growth, about 100mm long, with or without a heel. Keep moist—preferably by spraying several times a day—and in semi-shade. They may take three months to root.
Roses
Most roses take very easily from cuttings. A mixture of half sand and half potting mix is best, though a friend does well with cuttings in pure sand and the prunings which I just stick in the ground under the apple trees seem to take almost as well. Hybrid teas, especially yellow hybrid teas, are not supposed to form sturdy root systems from cuttings, but I have never found this to be a problem. Old-fashioned and rambling roses give almost 100 per cent success from cuttings, as do miniatures. The latter may flower in the first year, although for the sake for the sturdiness of the plant it's probably a good idea to pinch off the earliest buds. Any long bit of rose prunings will do as a cutting. Take off the lower leaves and thorns, and thrust it half way down into damp soil under a tree or in a pot of half sand and half potting mix. They will nearly always take. Keep the cuttings out of direct sunlight, and don't transplant them for at least a year.
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| Wisteria |
Wisteria
Wisteria is very strong growing and needs a lot of room; it tolerates both frost and heat. Take stem cuttings in late spring from short laterals on the bottom of the vine. Keep moist in semi-shade and mist spray every day. Take root cuttings, about as long as your hand, in late winter. Plant them so that they slope in a pot with the upper part of the root just poking out of the soil. Cover with an inverted jar and keep them moist in the semi-shade until they start to shoot in spring. Don't disturb them for the first year till feeder roots grow.
So, good luck, have fun & don't be too sad if they do not work out 1st try. I've discovered that some take, some don't but it is worth the hassle. It is very satisfying knowing that beautiful plant in the garden was struck & grown by you.
Happy Grubbing
Tam
