Tom, I need to know how you took the cuttings of that hydrangea. I have tried twice to root my Annabelle and they failed miserably. I would like to root 'Diana' rose of sharon too.

Roses I can do and sedums, of course.

I would appreciate any tips you can give me. I have a plant light stand on the back porch and all kinds of potting soil and root hormone and pots....just need to know how to do it right. The more details, the better, remember I am a charter member of the Knock Knock Club!

Well, I pulled a piece from a bush several weeks ago. I put it immediately in water. I had a coke can in the truck so I filled it with water and left it there for a couple days until I got back home. Then I put it on a shelf in the basement assuming I would stick it in the cloner the next morning. A week passed before I got around to doing anything with it. I dusted it with a little rooting hormone after trimming the end as it was turning mushy. Then I stuck it in top soil, which is probably composted municipal waste, pine bark, and sand. It drains fast and holds moisture. I put the container on my lighted plant rack in the basement. A 4' long fluorescent light fixture provides decent lighting. I run them on a 12on/12off cycle with a timer. Last week I noticed small roots at the base near the soil. A tug test told me it had rooted. This morning I tipped it out of the container and sure enough, lots of tiny roots all through the soil. I put it back and will wait a month before planting it out. I usually plant out too soon, so I'm forcing myself to wait. I didn't use any plastic wrap or covering. I just stuck it in dirt and it rooted.

All the hydrangeas I've tried have done well this way, except for sitting in water for a week. I have the best luck taking cuttings in the morning and making sure they are well watered for a couple days before cutting. They do well in the cloner too. I now have 12 new rooted hydrangeas. I hope to do a few more this fall. I'll root them inside and keep them on the rack all winter.

Oh, for Rose of Sharon, I took hardwood cuttings (and root cuttings). Cut in January here, I stick them in outdoor containers with at least 6" of dirt. I did one last year just to test it. Rooted fine and is growing well this year. Probably won't bloom til next summer. Once they're stuck, I just leave them alone in the shade. I make sure the soil stays moist, which isn't usually a problem in the early spring/late winter here. No cover, no rooting hormone. Figs, forsythia, redtwig dogwood, all rooted this way. This winter I plan to try lots more deciduous shrubs. That's the kind of plant that works best using hardwood/outdoor methods. Evergreens can be done in summer, but usually need some covering and full shade to retain moisture.

I had forgotten about a weigela cutting I took on the same trip. It sat in the coke can with the hydrangea. It's rooted now too.

Only 2 of my 'roots easily in water' Gardenias have rooted this summer, of 6. I usually have several.

Anything that breaks off is stuck somewhere here: a piece of the Duranta I bought, a 2" piece of a Christmas cactus; tiny, tiny pieces of Licorice plant of which only one rooted.

I have 4 rosemary pieces of 6 that I deliberately stuck; wads of alternanthera -- all of it roots; a rose cutting that didn't get labeled with two buds that I'm waiting to see the color.

Mama used to buy plants from a woman who always had another plant or two growing in the pot. She either stuck a cutting or dropped a few seeds in with anything thriving. A bit of lagniappe with your purchase, lol. I may try that. A new twist on container gardening, perhaps?

It's almost time to start rooting things to take inside for the winter: begonias, pentas, porterweed, and other tender perennials.

Who else here takes joy in plant propagation?

Nell

Lavenders and will start preparing Limelight hydrangeas.

I started some more perennials and am going to grab some Hydrangea cuttings before I leave work tonight, we have some really pretty ones on the property. ( Thanks Token)

I have had great success with rooting stem cuttings. Last year (only my second year gardening) in early spring I noticed that my peegee hydrangea had put down roots where one of the branches had been touching the ground. So I decided to try rooting a cutting or two. I just stuck the cuttings in the ground. I got three new bushes and a tree standard my first try. It was such a confidence builder in the garden. Over the winter I did some research on the subject and went to town this spring.
I have many different roses, all only a year or two old. So when I pruned them this year, I cut the excess stems into 4" pieces, scrapped up the bottoms with my fingernail and stuck them in the ground. I had an 80% success rate. Even two hybrid tea roses, Elle and garden party. The only rose that didn't take was my Graham Thomas Austin rose but I only took two cutting from this bush. Now to see if they will serve the Winter. I think I am going to bury them.
I have also had great success with pinks. I now carry scissor in my purse at all times, just in case I spot something special when I am out.
And trust me if I can do it, ANYONE can!! I suggest everyone give it a try. You may be very surprised as I was!!

Carrie B.

I love to propagate plants. I have a lot going on the porch, in the GH, in the back yard....wherever I find a spot for a pot and a cutting.

I have cuttings of lions ear going, and "Haight Ashbury" hibiscus (also known as the Aggie hibiscus, because of it's maroon foliage and deep maroon bloom). Several other hibiscus are stuck and are probably rooted, as this is the time to do it with hibiscus. This is also the time to move them, if you are so inclined, and I have a beautiful big saucer hibiscus to move. I will take a lot of cuttings from it when I dig it up.

Too hot for roses here right now, but plumbago, fire spike, firebush, althea, 'yesterday, today and tomorrow', are all going great here.

I have not taken cuttings of esperanza, but I am thinking I will do so in the fall. I am doing a lot of divisions, such as 'cabaret' and purple fountain grass. morea iris and butterfly iris.

Janie

Roses - I rooted a lot of them this year. Most are out in the garden now, but four are waiting for me to figure out where to plant them. They are climbers. I took more cuttings this past week of various roses - Mister Lincoln, Red Double Knock Out, Ellie May, Betty Boop, & Double Delight. I probably will take more cuttings of some of my other roses, too.

Forsythia Salvia - a little branch broke off the plant that Kathy sent me, so I stuck it in starter soil in a pot and set it where it gets mostly filtered sunlight. It rooted in a week! Wowzers!

Rosemary - took cuttings and am rooting several of these under a rose bush. It is Hardy Hill Rosemary.

Black Pussy Willow - Another sweet little gal on the forum sent me several cuttings. Only one survived but it is looking great. This week it is making new dark leaves. Yippee!

Weeping Willow - two cuttings rooted in buckets of water.

Corkscrew Willow - five cuttings rooted. Two went to a cottage garden friend on the forum and one is planted out by the Koi pond. One still awaits being planted in the back yard somewhere.

Hydrangea - unknown variety. I took a cutting off one I got from Mother and stuck it in the ground next to the AC condenser unit on the north side of the house. It has rooted and has many new leaves. It even got an accidental haircut by DHM when he was weedeating and it came back and is growing well.

Chrysanthemums - I cleaned out a bed where they had overtaken the entire bed. I took cuttings of my favorites and they rooted. I just stuck them in the bed with my knock out rose and Elsie May Rose.

I need to take cuttings from my Gardenia and hardy red Hibiscus. One of my Esperanzas bloomed this year. I repotted the three I had. The blooming one died, but the other two are doing great. I grew them from seeds. It took all winter for them to get to any size. They will come in this fall. I may take cuttings besides just to make sure I have it next year.I love it.

Will be taking cuttings of the various Coleus to grow in my big window here behind my desk to enjoy their colorful leaves and pretty flowers all winter.

~Annie

gldn01---Another way to propagate hydrangea, is to get a stone and
place it on a stem, touching ground. It should root. Once it roots, dig
it up, and you have a new plant.

I have a rose (ballerina I think), 2 coleus, and one pink double althea that I basically just cut and stick in a garden bed. The 2 coleus cuttings I stuck where I wanted them and they are doing well, I'll make some cuttings to winter over. The althea and rose I will transplant probably in fall.
Oh forgot I stuck several pieces of sedum where I wanted them and they are doing very well. I am planning to make a "nursery" or propagation area in my fenced off (hidden) compost area, so that I can do more propagating and it's a shady area.

I just discovered that Monarda roots as easily as regular mint. A mail-order plant was really mushy, but the tip looked good. I stuck the tip in the dirt, and it rooted. I'm now taking cuttings from all of my monardas.

I'm also rooting some of my butterfly bushes in water. Sometimes I do them in dirt. I did some Ninebark in dirt in spring, and they've all rooted. I used a cut-apart milkjug to keep the moisture in.

I want to propagate my May Night salvia, but the plants really aren't all that big, (although they're 3 years old) and most instructions suggest cutting from a somewhat woody bit. I don't have very much on the plant that's woody, and I don't want to hack the plants to death.

I've had such a hard time getting cuttings to root...I used a liquid root stimulator. I put the cuttings in the liquid - and then poured the liquid into the ground after planting the cuttings as the directions suggested.

Sweetannie - I'd love to hear about your rose cuttings - I've tried those too. One cutting I even have covered with a plastic gallon milk container. It's been that way for weeks - still nothing.

I don't have a great success record with propagating, but this year I managed to root cuttings of abutilon, firespike, and Sun Gold tomato suckers.

May night salvias are easily propagated through root cuttings. In my experience I had left behind some roots when I transplanted my salvias to another location. Those roots sprouted new plants. I then tried to relocate them and later discovered yet another new growth in it's first location. It's a funny experience and I have more salvias now than I ever needed.

It doesn't hurt to have a good book on propagation.
Most of us 'get lucky' if we stick enough cuttings and plant enough seeds.
Knowing certain things increases our chances of success.

It's helpful to know:
What kind of cutting -- greenstick, softwood, hardwood. What does that mean?
When to stick -- spring, summer, fall, winter.
Does this cutting need to take up water, or does it need to form a callus before it's stuck?
What about nodes?
Can a particular rooted cutting go into the ground right away or does it need to be potted up for a while?
What is the best medium for this cutting?

Will cuttings work for a particular plant or do you need seed?
Does a certain desirable plant throw viable seeds?
How long before I can expect seeds to sprout -- some take up to a year.
Do these seeds need a cold period? Bottom heat?
Should I plant seeds from these bulbs? How long before I'll see a bloom?

What happens if the dog is chasing the cat and the cat steps on the seedling? -- Don't laugh, it happens.

Nell

I have a rose cutting blooming in a pot. I failed to label it. Labeling decreases my chances of their rooting.

Labeling decreases my chances of their rooting.

I think it's a conspiracy.

Ok, Good news about starting forsythia. I will do that with my Northern Sun which is "reaching for the sun." It over grown and neglected looking (translate lop-sided). I will replace some less productive and smaller flowered northern forsythia that the landscaper sneaked in on me--can't trust anyone. I didn't realize it was wrong until it was mature--just thought it was that way cuz it was young.

I am trying to keep a lavendar balloon flower that has bloomed very differently on the same stalk as one of the bright blue ones. It is a five pointed star, not more than 1 1/4" with with tiny purple veining. The yellow white stamens light up it's whole face. I hope to get seed from it. I took a pic, hopefully, I will learn to post again, when and if I get the time.
I also plan to take seed from a new cleome, for me. It is a gorgeous hot fuchsia pink at the back of my kitchen garden and I can see it from the kitchen table. Scrumptious color--must be one of those new neon colors they said to "keep a watch out for."
glad, what's the knock knock club? Knock on wood?
Let's see, after reading this, I want to try: neighbor's hydrangea, Christmas cactus, licorice plant, roses, begonias, pentas--a new plant to me two years ago, salvia/sages and what else? Other than to say, "Never too old to learn.
gramma jan

I did get some Hydrangea clippings from the property and potted them up, we'll see what happens.

I envy all of you who can get things to grow so easily from just a little cutting!

I have done a few cuttings, but mostly just easy stuff. Caryopteris (Bluebeard) is super easy to grow by hardwood cuttings. I just stick it in water and in a few weeks it will put on roots. Same with Pelargonium.

I often just replant a broken branch of sedum (mostly creeping) back in the ground because it roots so easily. I tried doing it for the first time last year with a couple of upright sedums, and my 'Purple Emperor' came up this year. I also did that with a broken stem of 'Caradonna' Salvia and it did great; even blooming right now.

I have gotten a few rose cuttings to root by just sticking them in the ground with a jar over it. I haven't always been lucky doing this (I think fall is the best time for this here). I plan to do more rose cuttings, especially on those few roses that seem to be disease resistant for me.

-Carrie B., when you say you "...scraped up the bottoms with my fingernail", does that mean you scraped the bottom of the cutting? Or did you scrape part of the skin off above the cut?
CMK

Propagation is easy and I learned to do this as a young child, but I would still say it's best to get a good propagation book.

CMK, you scrape off the outer bark off woody stems just down to the green layer. (this is an area near the bottom of the plant and around the leaf node) This is simply to expose that green layer to make it easier to propagate,

You will need propagation hormones in powder form. These area available for soft stems, semi-green stems and woody stems. So choosing the appropriate one is important. Always use a soiless mix to grow that stem. So this can also be sand. It can also be those floral sponges, and if you do lack space and you need to do a huge number of propagation, make a roll out of sphagnum moss and a strip of black perforate plastic (like the garbage bag). You simply line up the sticks you want to propagate, roll it up and tie to secure. Leave it standing in indirect sun and make sure these never go dry.

The best kinds of stems that will likely survive propagation in mid summer are those that are in the semi green/semi wood state. These are considered pliable and so new roots can develop faster.

In the fall, you can still propagate plants by cutting woody stems and overwintering them in a cold frame. By next spring, they should start growing.

When it comes to semi green and woody stems, expect a high mortality rate and so I do try to do as many cuttings as I can. If I get 50& success, I'm happy.

Rose cuttings where live is pointless because of the severe winter. Most roses here are grafted onto hardier rootstocks and so I don't do rose propagation. However if its an own root rose, of course, that would be possible.

Ianna

Thanks for the tips Ianna. I need to go and find some rooting hormones...

I have had some luck with just sticking a rose cutting directly into the ground (in a moist location of the garden) and putting a glass jar over it. It does work some of the time! I try to do it in spring or fall, when it is cooler. It is fun seeing what takes!
CMK

The vitex I stuck in a cloner over a week ago has roots already. Hardy hibiscus too. Another week and they'll be ready to pot up.

Actually, this last week I started 280 cuttings. Eight each of 35 different plants. I'm preparing for our Fall Plant Swap. I like to have 4 weeks to root, and 8 weeks to grow, before the swap.
Jim

I took a stem cutting of my Elderberry (sambucus canadensis) and stuck it in a pot and it rooted in about 3 weeks. I was thrilled. It is the first shrub I've propagated and now I can do it again and have shrubs to donate to the Nature Center! I also did sedums this year and couldn't believe how easy they were to do. Just cut a stem and stick it in the ground where you want it to grow! This is a great thread and gives me inspiration to try some more shrubs. I did take a Propagation book out of the Library and reviewed it. Actually this thread is better than the book in my opinion because the book was kind of too detailed so that it seemed harder while this thread makes it sound easy and maybe more people will be encouraged to try it out.

bossjim, that must be some swap you are planning (planting) ahead for. I may have to convince DH to take a roadtrip.

A few months ago, I managed to acquire a white Plumbago in Houston that I could never find here in San Antonio. Now I have several cuttings nicely rooted and can't wait 'til they're big enough to share.

On June 11, I stuck cuttings of gardenia, pyracantha, viburnum (snowball bush and mohawk), and a few other things. The gardenias have all rooted and need to be transplanted into larger pots. Most of the pyracantha died, but I got three to root. The snowball viburnum rooted, and the mohawk seems to be trying. Carrie's eleangus put out one thick root about 1/8" long and hasn't done anything more. It's not dead yet, so there's still hope.

Okay, I got two pyracantha, not three. All my snowballs rooted. And several of the gardenias passed on to the other world. But I did get 4 new ones. I've got the perfect spot for them too.