Growing your own plants is a satisfying and cost effective way of filling your garden, and that of your friends. Taking cuttings is an easy and reliable method of propagation. And it has the bonus that you know what you will get as the new plant is identical to the parent.
Especially in areas with severe winters, cuttings are taken each autumn as replacements for tender plants.
Mediterranean and grey leaved plants can languish and die in a wet winter; a reserve plant in your propagation scheme will give you a replacement come spring.
Cuttings can be taken in late spring-early summer (softwood cuttings), late summer (semi-ripe cuttings) and in autumn (hardwood cuttings). Do not take cuttings in winter when there is no growth.
Many plants root easily in late summer and early autumn and it is a popular time for taking cuttings. Root formation, and the urge to grow, is present in plants, although not in the abundance found in spring.
The stem has food reserves, which will help it survive until new roots can be grown. There is less risk of loss through excessive transpiration as it is warm but not hot as in mid-summer when higher temperatures can cause wilting.
Taking Cuttings Carry a plastic bag with you when taking cuttings and put each cutting into it to conserve moisture in the plant. It is best to collect your cutting material in the evening or early morning as it is cooler. At midday when it is hot your plant can rapidly 'cook' before you make it back to the potting shed.
Select a healthy shoot or stem on your chosen plant. Discard any shoots that show signs of disease.
Your chosen stem should not be sappy and green, nor woody and hard (but just right like Goldilocks' porridge!), and without flowers or buds. Shoots on the outside of the plant that have received more sunlight are considered by many to be more likely to root. Cut a stem about 8-10cm in length. With some plants you may need to take a stem of up to 20cm, and in this case shorten it back to 10cm.
If you tear a stem from a larger branch there will be a little 'heel' of wood where it was attached to the parent stem. This heel will often root more readily than a stem cut from a plant. If the heel is very long, trim it to about 2cm with a sharp knife.
Always Ask First! A word of warning from a famous gardener- '... make sure you ask first- you do not have a right to cuttings from another person's garden and to take cuttings without permission is theft!'
Helen Dillon, 'On Gardening' (1998)
Hebes are excellent candidates for cuttings
Resources for Taking Cuttings
Sterile potting mix
Secateurs- ensure they are clean and sharp
Pots, 12-15 cm in diameter
Spray can for misting
Optional
Plastic bottles or bags for mini-cloche
Root promoting hormone
Heeled cuttings have a better chance of rooting
Collecting for cuttings Collect your cutting material in the evening or early morning when it is cool; at midday your plant can rapidly 'cook' before you make it back to the potting shed. Place the stems into a plastic bag to conserve moisture in the plant.
Select healthy shoots or stems and discard any shoots that show signs of disease. Shoots torn from a larger stem have a small heel and will often root more easily. Trim leaves to reduce moisture loss through transpiration.
Collect your cutting material in the evening or early morning when it is cool; at midday your plant can rapidly 'cook' before you make it back to the potting shed. Place the stems into a plastic bag to conserve moisture in the plant.
