Topic: Forsythia (propagation)

[Chaz Hunter]

I've heard that cuttings can be taken straight from the shrub, planted in the ground and they produce roots...is this so? has anyone had any success? any advice gratefully received. ;)
Chaz

[Palustris]

Dead easy. 2ft long pieces of this years growth in September/October. Make a 12 ins deep slit in the ground somewhere in light shade. If your soil is heavy trickle some sharp sand into the bottom. Put cuttings in, close the slit and rooting should take place over Winter and in Spring. Ready for moving 12 months on. OR If you have a low lying branch on your shrub, cut a sliver of bark off the bit nearest the soil, peg the branch down  and cover with soil, put on a weight to keep it in good contact and sever from the parent when good root system is formed. Have fun

[Mimi]

I was cheeky and nicked a few cuttings from an old neighbour. dipped them in rooting hormone and stuck them staight into a pot of general purpose compost.  They all rooted and are no( 2years on) over 5ft high.

[Garden Manager]

The method described is simply propagating by hardwood cuttings , one of the easiest ways to propogate deciduous shrubs, as you just stick them in the ground and wait of them to grow!  ;D

[Miss Tiggywinkle]

What time of year should this be done???  I'm quite taken with our forsythia, even if it only produces flowers for a short time...

[Mimi]

Couldnt be 100% sure Miss T but I did mine with great success I have to say, immediatley after flowering.  However I think in general hard wood cuttings should be taken in late summer/early autumn.

[Mrs Ava]

I agree with mimi, late summer as the current years new soft growth gets firmer, that is the material you use (is someone going to come along and correct me now...?)  I have a terrible habit of bunging all long shrub prunings in the ground by the parent plant, and low and behold, most of them root.  Trouble is, then what do you do with them!

[Miss Tiggywinkle]

great, I'll give it a whirl after I've cut mine back - it'd be good to have another on the other side of the garden.  Thanks chaps!

[aquilegia]

Do Forsythias flower on new growth or on last year's growth? Mine (only a baby - one year old and 1ft high) has flowers on the bottom, then long bare shots coming off.

[Mrs Ava]

I believe it flowers on last years growth Aqui.  So you prune it directly after flowering to encourage lots of lovely new bushy growth, all of which should flower next spring.