In zone 5 without a greenhouse, there are a couple of options for doing hardwood cuttings of deciduous schrubs during the winter. One method is to make the hardwood cuttiongs after a hard freeze when tie them in a bundle with the buds all facing in one direction and bury them completely in the ground with the bud growth facing down. Sometimes some moist peat on top helps. In the spring, they shoul have caluses and can be planted out in a good potting medium. Keep watered all summer and by fall they should be rooted. The second method is to take the cuttings after they are dormant, dip in a liquid rooting hormone for 5 seconds and plant in a bed of course sand. Keep watered if it is dry during the winter and the following summer, they should be rooted by next fall. Sometimes one method works better than the other so I would suggest trying it both ways. The fastest method for decidious schrubs is with softwood cuttings in the early summer, most will root in 4 to 8 weeks under mist or an upsidedown fish tank.
Mike

Mickey, would you please tell me more? I want to try rooting cuttings of a number of deciduous shrubs and intend to try this winter from hardwood cuttings. I can always try again in the summer from semi-hardwood. I will probably try several kinds of viburnum, shrub dogwoods, serviceberry to start.

I've heard about letting the cuttings calus but don't know why. If I bury a bundle of cuttings, do I leave them outside or store them in the basement? Do I water them?

If I try the rooting hormone and planting immediately, will they do better in an unheated basement or outside? I've been constructing some pvc pipe and plastic sheeting cold frames for seeds and could do the same for cuttings. Otherwise I could put them in the basement where it probably stays around 50 degrees, with or without plastic bags over them. I would be glad to have your recommendation.

Thanks,
Susan

Susan:
The cuttings usually need to calus in order to start to root. If you bury them in the ground outside all winter you leave them there until spring after all danger of frost and then dig and plant out. Once you bury them you just leave them until spring.
If you try the rooting hormone and plant immediately you also plant them outside in a bed of course sand. I have used both of these methods already this fall/winter. Everything is outside in the weather. I have started red twig dogwood, burning bush, purple sand cherry, forsythia and some evergreens such as taxus yew, firethorn and few others. If you want to email me with any questions I'll lead you through exactly what I have done. mickey_dee2002@yahoo.com
Mike

Susanwoods, If you want some real good advice on propagation of bushes, please visit Mike's website at http://free.nursery-plants.info once you get into the site click on site map. After site map opens to the next page. Click on Homemade Propagation Systems. I believe you will really like Mike's site he explains everything that you will ever need to know about doing propagation of plant life. No I'm in no way connected with Mike I just find his website to have all the right answers. And anyone else who is looking for a good website to visit, should also feel free to visit the site also. I'm sure Mike would welcome everyone who would also like to do some posting of information on his website.