Topic: cuttings

[georgiesgirl]

In last Saturday's Guardian Christopher Lloyd who has a regular column, was talking about various plants and mentioned taking cuttings on plants that were not altogether hardy.
One way was to raise spare stock from cuttings and to keep under frost free glass over winter.
Second way was to overwinter a stock plant, under frost free conditions and take cuttings in spring.
I have a collection of Salvia's scabious and marguerites that are in pots on my patio, and were grown on from plug plants this year.I would like to propagate them and wondered if one method would be better.
Any ideas.
Anne

[Gardengirl]

The only cuttings I have been successful with (by the first method you mention) are geraniums and the occasional fuchsia.  I find the best way of propagating is by collecting seed and sowing in spring.

Pat

[Hugh_Jones]

There`s no reason why you shouldn`t try both methods. Most of us who grow Pentstemons in less favoured areas take autumn cuttings for safety, and most of the less hardy perennials can be dealt with similarly. If the cuttings take, all well and good, but if they don`t then you can have another go in the spring.  However, you may well find that well rooted autumn cuttings overwintered under glass will make better plants than the overwintered stock plants, and will certainly progress more quickly next year than spring cuttings.

[rosebud]

Just wanted to say hello to Hugh .   How are you ??.
                Rosebud.

[georgiesgirl]

Thankyou for the replies.
I will do as you say, Hugh and take my cuttings now.Had'nt thought through the advantage gained by overwintering the cuttings.
Thanks again
Anne

[Hugh_Jones]

Use fairly deep trays filled with a mixture of 50/50 soilless compost and either vermiculite or perlite and use an unheated propagator.  Failing this, 2 or 3 in a suitably sized pot with the bottom hald of a pop bottle jammed tightly into the top. Place in the light but out of the sun (a north facing bedroom window is ideal - I`ve got 35 hydrangea cuttings in mine).

[derbex]

When do you take penstemmon cuttings and any tips? I tried last year and they died.

[Hugh_Jones]

Theoretically, pentstemon cuttings should be taken by early July as softwood or semi-ripewood, but cuttings of non-flowered secondary softwood shoots (taken as I mentioned above) seem to do just as well and don`t take up as much coldframe space in the winter.

[Yuet_Lee]

Hi Der
I toke mine pentstemon in Sep/Oct last year. Small branch will do. I only sticked them in compost with a cut bottle on top to cover it. It rootted couple week later. I been given a few to my friend.
yuet