Topic: Cuttings

[Iain D]

This may sound odd but although I've been gardening for many a year, I've never taken a cutting in my life. I want to have a go this year though because I've got some good varieties of tender perennials at the moment that I'd like to still have next year! I'm planning to start with osteos, marguerites, salvias, felicias and pelargoniums. Are these all quite easy or are there any tricky subjects in my list that I might be best to avoid as a beginner? Any views greatly appreciated.  I've done a bit of reading up and I think that I should be gathering my cuttings next month - wish me luck!

All best, Iain

[Mrs Ava]

Osteos root easily, too easily for me as the bits i hacked off of my bushy osteo rooted in my compost heap!  Pelargoniums I also find relatively easy, but I do loose some that go mouldy.  I have decided that is because they are soooooo fleshy.  Don't forget to remove the little flappy lip like piece that is on the stem at the leaf joints as this is a quick way of spread moulds.   Salvias I grow from seed every year so don't know.  My piece of useless advice is, dont' get stressed about it.  I always take more than I really want, as many as I can really, then it doesn't matter if some don't take.  Often they all take and you are lumbered, but better too many than not enough!  I am impatient - try to be better than me and not keep pulling the cuttings out to see if they have roots yet!  ;D

[Jesse]

Iain, I used to fail pathetically with cuttings when propagating using potting soil, think I used to overwater and the cutting would rot rather than grow. Now I use a 50/50 potting soil and coarse grit mixture and seem to be much more successful. Like EJ I tend to take more cutting than I want, if I end up with too much there is always someone I can give it away to or the school fete is always grateful for donations to their plant stall. If you have difficulty you could always use a rooting hormone powder but I have never used this.

[Plocket]

Hi Iain

From your list I have only ever done pelargoniums. I can't add any more to the advice already given though!

I take cuttings from fuchias, lavenders, rosemary, clematis - woodier plants - and for them I soak the cutting in water until they produce roots - not a good idea for pelargoniums!!! And sometimes I use organic rooting powder.  

All I can say is that give anything a go - keep notes! - and keep on trying. Some things will work, some wont.

Good luck! Let us know how you get on.

Plocket x

[Garden Manager]

Fuschias are easy from cutings - they root really well and quite quick. Now is a good time to try.

I like osteospermums but have never had any luck growing them from cuttings. I did everthing right but they still rotted off. Love to know what i was doing wrong (and what EJ is doing right!  ;D)

Marguerites (argeranthemums) are quite easy too, but for some strange reason last year i lost mine (again to rot).

A tip with pelargoniums. Dont cover them, they'll rot off with certainty. Treat them normaly and place them as they are in a sheltered spot. Add very small quantiies of water if the compost starts to dry out, but dont overdo it.

I hope this helps

[Kerry]

hi iain :)
sorry I don't have experience with cuttings from the plants you mentioned, however just thought I would share my beginnners luck with you-it might rub off! like you, have never had much faith in my ability to 'do' cuttings but last year I trimed my lavender hedge and felt I could not waste all tht material. So I took loads of cuttings, mixed in gritty compost, left them to it and I am flushed with success! At least 10 new plants! Suppose the moral is 'give it a go',at least you can learn from experience-be sure to tell us the outcome :)

[viv]

Hydrangeas seem to do well as well, I have also had some success with a big Hebe Great Orme which I knocked a couple of bits off. If I break anything I always stick it in compost, cover wit a plastic bag and see what happens.

Trying some hardy geraniums at the moment

[Iain D]

Thanks all for your advice and encouragement. I've now got some really excellent tips and am ready to wade in and give it a go. I'll let you know how I get on.

Cheers, Iain

[Garden Manager]

Hydrangeas seem to do well as well, I have also had some success with a big Hebe Great Orme which I knocked a couple of bits off. If I break anything I always stick it in compost, cover wit a plastic bag and see what happens.

Trying some hardy geraniums at the moment

Funny you should mention Hebe great orme, viv. This was one of the first shrubs i propagated for my current garden. I now have 5 dotted about the garden, just about coming into flower now. My cat likes them too - she loves lying in their shade when its hot  :)

Hardy geraniums? They are best divided realy. It is possible though to take cuttings of plants like that. I 'took' some cuttings of alchemilla molis once while trying to divide it - the division had no roots so i planted the pieces like cuttings - all took. What they call basal cuttings I suppose  :-\

Happy growing  :)

[Gardengirl]

Hi Iain,

I can't add much more to what the others have said, except that when I take my geanium cuttings (pelargoniums) I put five cuttings in a pot (usually around the edge of the pot) with multi-purpose compost, mixed with a little coarse sand to help root.  Make sure you maake a clean cut, just below a leaf node.  I also put a layer of sand on top of the compost.  This helps to keep the base of the cuttings from getting too wet.  Like Emma says, be sure to cut off all the tiny flaps as these will rot.

Have also taken cuttings from fuchsias, carnations, hydrangea.

Good luck.

Pat

[Garden Manager]

By the way, any tips for osteospermum cuttings? as i said above any i have tried before have rotted off.

Might it be worth treating the same as pelargoniums and not cover them? They are fleshy like pelargoniums so it might be worth a try? Let me know if you agree anyone.

Thanks

[Spurdie]

Fit like, Iain?
Are you trying to grow your south african daisies in a pot in the greenhouse or outside? They'll root well outside - especially in the sandy soil of Buckie! Take your cuttings in early spring. Just look under your plants for branches that have wee roots on them, cut them as far back to the plant as you can, pour water into your planting hole, then plant your cutting. Don't be tempted to go out and water them every day - they'll root quicker in drier conditions. I grow SA daisy cuttings every year for friends and neighbours and find this a foolproof method.
I don't have any fancy methods for growing pelargoniums. I just stick my cuttings in a jam jar of water, and they send out roots in 2 - 3 weeks.

[Iain D]

Hi All

Spurdie - my SA daisies are outside in pots and in the ground. They do really well here which is why I want to increase them. Also really like the variety Lemon Symphony which I've had to buy plants of both years. Tried growing some from seed this year but very leggy, although they're flowering fine now. Thanks for your tips - I've got a note of them all!

All best, Iain

[William O]

Hi Iain best advice I can give you is don't worry too much, experiment a bit and just give it a try. Last winter I did some hardwood cuttings of dogwood and red currant and they all are doing fine. (Nice thing about hardwood cuttings is they take pretty good care of themselves. No fussing about with polythene bags and heated propagators. This winter I'm having a go at propagating roses and honeysuckle fromhardwood cuttings.

Against all info I've read before even the Rhododendron cuttings I just put in the ground in a shady place last winter, seem to be producing new growth.

So just give it a try, use varying methods and see what works  for you.  Good luck

[Val]

 :)Has anyone taken cuttings from dahlias? I've got some in water hoping they will root but they grow from tubers don't they?
Plocket do you put your clematis in water to root first? I've never had much luck with them.

[William O]

Hi Val,

The tubers can be devided in spring.

First you let them grow a little in a cold frame or greenhouse. When you can see the new growth you can devide the tubers.

Another way of propagating is to take cuttings from the base when the new shoots are about 3 inch. This can be done at the end of winter after forcing new growth in a heated propagator.

[Garden Manager]

:)Has anyone taken cuttings from dahlias? I've got some in water hoping they will root but they grow from tubers don't they?
Plocket do you put your clematis in water to root first? I've never had much luck with them.

Val, best way to take Dahlia cuttings is by 'basal' cuttings in spring. the new shoots root easily then. By now the stems will have become hollowand useless as cutting material (a bit like many other herbaceous plants).

If you have sedum spectabile (iceplant) you can propagate by cutting the flowers and putting them in water (or so i am told - havent tried it yet personaly).

[Val]

Thanks Wills and Richard. I bought some this year and they are still quite small, so I'll wait until the spring, there's not many cutting shoots on them anyway, they're flowering so think its best to leave them, but if anyone can help with clematis I'd be grateful. I've taken cuttings the way I've seen, between two leaf nodes, but the only cutting I've ever had any luck with was one that snapped off and I just shoved it in the ground, its never worked since, either way. ;D

[Spurdie]

Hi Val, have you tried growing clematis from seed? I got some free clematis seeds on the front of a gardening mag once, and to be honest, I never thought they'd grow. But some did! A yellow variety called "firestar" or something like that! Feeling extremely chuffed with myself, I duly raided my jackmanii clematis for seed heads, expecting a huge crop to give away, and nothing happened. Oh well! I can't get clematis cuttings to "take" either. I've tried hormone rooting powder and covering them with a poly bag, but still no luck.  :(

[Plocket]

Hi Val

Re your question about clematis cuttings. I use the layering method. Select a long healthy stem and secure it across a pot of compost using "n" shaped pieces of wire. Cover the leaf joints with a little more compost to encourage rooting and water well. Unlike cuttings you want to keep the soil nice and moist. It takes time, but after a while you will have lots of shoots, and when you think it is capable of being independent, cut it off the main plant. This does take a few MONTHS!!!

You have to be patient with this method but it is fairly successful. Better than cuttings which I haven't been so successful with. Oh and they won't flower for the first year or so.

Let us know how you get on.