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| Propogating Cuttings |
Methods for Propagating Cuttings in the Greenhouse:
The skill of propagating one’s own specimens from carefully selected cuttings off of varieties already existing in the garden is one that is highly prized and an efficient and cost effective way of producing many identical plants of a good quality for a low price. Cuttings should ideally be taken either in the early spring for plants that can be planted into position in the summer of the same year, or in the autumn ready for planting in the spring of the following year instead. All will need the warmth and stillness of a greenhouse or cold frame, dependent upon the outside air temperature. Cuttings are best taken in the early evening, when air temperature is cool and the plant will not suffer too much distress.
Before starting, ensure that the parent plant is healthy, in good condition and has been thoroughly watered at least 6hours prior to taking cuttings. This will ensure that the shoots are thoroughly filled with water and firm enough to be transplanted effectively without suffering catastrophic moisture loss. Cuttings themselves will need to be between 3 and 5 inches long from tip to cut-off-point and have at least 1 pair of good sturdy developed leaves at its head.
Initially you should separate the cutting from the parent with a pair of very sharp Secateurs, cutting the plant carefully just BELOW a further pair of leaves down from the tip of the cutting. Thus, as soon as you have separated a perfect cutting, it should have a top pair of leaves near the top/tip and a lower set just above the cut, henceforth referred to as the node (where the two lower leaves join the stem).
First, remove the lower pair of leaves, taking care to keep the node perfectly intact. This is where the roots will sprout from and is the first point of disease and infection to take hold. This can be achieved by slowly and gently bending the leaf stems downwards causing the joins to separate with a clean break. Do not try to cut these off the stem as this will cause node damage. To combat the possibility of infection and rot and to encourage root development you should now dip the cutting into a good quality hormone rooting powder, covering the bottom 2cm in the white power rooting compound. The cutting should then be potted, using a good quality seed and cutting compost or some cheaper multi-purpose compost. Many gardeners choose to include fine sand in this mixture too, but that is at the discretion of the individual.
Once potted and firmed into place, the cutting will need to be watered thoroughly and stored in a light place, but out of direct sunshine and kept cool. One of the most common causes of large scale cutting failure is when they are placed in too hot an environment and lose water faster than they can replace it (without roots this process take far longer than normal). Good luck with the cuttings!
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