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Propagating hydrangea

16 years ago

I am a bit of a novice gardener so was thrilled to accidentally discover a way to multiply hydrangea. I trimmed some lanky old wood stems from my Nikko Blue this spring (just a few, not enough to deter from the flower show). The stems had a couple of buds on each and I threw them into my "swamp" a dark wooded area full of loamy soil where we dump grass clippings. A couple of weeks ago I spotted small hydrangea flowers growing from the stems. I have transplanted these tiny hydrangeas in my garden.

While these bitty plants hardly even qualify as starter bushes, I think I will protect them over the winter and try this with intent next year. I am curious to see how quickly they will grow. IÂve rooted my climbing hydrangea, but has anyone else tried propagating hydrangea bushes?

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Comments (3)

hydrangealover
16 years ago
That's awsome, I am currently trying my hands on a couple cuttings I got, but have not known whether or not they are sucessful. Only way I have propagated is by layering, but I like your method LOL! What a great surprise good luck with them.
chloecleome
16 years ago
LAst summer I planted a Forever Summer which did not suvive but in the Spring I discovered that a side branch had and had rooted. It is very small and not blooming but maybe next summer.
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I tried the loop at the bottom of the bucket when I read the original comment. Did not work for me at all. Tried again - this time several branches/cuttings and still did not work. If it ever roots, please post. timothy_dobson, I do many hydrangea cutting and there is no fool proof methods of propagation. There are recommend techniques - some are easier than others but none are fool proof! I would suggest to check under the shrub - as suggested in previous comments and find a branch that has roots and use that one taking as much of the branch from the ground roots to the main plant. Curve these into a container and cover with soil. This may give you a better chance of striking more roots.
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Looks like two different ?'s to me - transplanting and propagating. Transplanting should probably be done when its a bit cooler but planting out from a pot can be done if you're willing to water every day. As far as propagating goes, I like the instructions on the Nantucket Hydrangeas website......... and I just took cuttings last week. I don't mind it this late in the year but I would not wait too much longer in my zone 6b - I want some good growth on cuttings before winter sets in. Check this forum for other related posts below - some good discussion about overwintering as well. Zack
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They work well with dormant wood. Cut pencil thick stems in late winter - maybe March or so where you are, dip in rooting hormone and stick them in sand or vermiculite in a pot or a trench in the ground. (in light shade or part sun is good) Stick them deep - take cuttings with 5-6 nodes and leave only the top node exposed. They should put out leaves by late spring and you should be able to pot them up or plant in a nursery bed by fall. I did PG Tardiva in spring 2006 and the plants are good-sized now- about 2 ft tall.
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Here's an earlier thread on this, back from when the forums were busier. When do I plant my Hydrangea cuttings?
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darlene87
16 years ago
I have been propagating hydrangeas for about 20 yr. When I prune them, spring or fall, I just put the cut off pieces in pots of soil, and keep them under the apple tree. I have given away dozens of blooming plants yearly. A nice way to increase your shrub area, and also have ones to give away. I use them as gifts to new homeowners. Also if it is blooming the first year, that is because the flowers were already there in the cut off tips. I found out that just because they are blooming, does not mean they have roots on the new stems. Just keep them in the shade for a yr. or so until they resist being pulled out of the pot. Good luck on your new venture! It is lots of fun, and a great challenge.
Darlene

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