How to Take Cuttings

Taking cuttings is one of the easiest ways to get new plants for free. Most shrubs, perennials and many houseplants can be propagated this way.

Types of cuttings

• Softwood cuttings: Taken in spring from soft, new growth. Root quickly but need care to prevent wilting.
• Semi-ripe cuttings: Taken in late summer from stems that are starting to firm up. The most versatile method.
• Hardwood cuttings: Taken in autumn/winter from fully mature wood. Slow but easy – just stick them in the ground.

Softwood cuttings (spring)

Good for: fuchsias, pelargoniums, penstemons, salvias.

1. Take cuttings in the morning when plants are turgid.
2. Cut 5-10cm lengths of soft, new growth.
3. Remove lower leaves, leaving 2-3 pairs at the top.
4. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone (optional but helps).
5. Insert into pots of gritty compost.
6. Cover with a plastic bag or place in a propagator to keep humid.
7. Keep in bright light but out of direct sun.
8. Roots form in 2-4 weeks.

Semi-ripe cuttings (late summer)

Good for: lavender, rosemary, box, hydrangeas, camellias.

1. Take 10-15cm cuttings from this year's growth that is starting to firm at the base.
2. Remove lower leaves.
3. Wound the base by scraping a sliver of bark (helps rooting).
4. Dip in rooting hormone.
5. Insert into pots of gritty compost or a cold frame.
6. Keep moist but not waterlogged.
7. Roots form over autumn and winter.
8. Pot up in spring.

Hardwood cuttings (autumn/winter)

Good for: roses, willows, dogwood, currants, gooseberries.

1. Take 20-30cm cuttings from fully ripe wood after leaf fall.
2. Cut just below a bud at the base and just above a bud at the top.
3. Insert two-thirds of the cutting into a slit trench in the ground.
4. Firm the soil around them.
5. Leave for a year – they will root and grow.
6. Transplant the following autumn.

Tips for success

• Use clean, sharp tools to avoid crushing stems.
• Take more cuttings than you need – not all will root.
• Keep cuttings moist but not sitting in water.
• Provide warmth for softwood cuttings – a heated propagator helps.
• Be patient – some plants take months to root.

Easy plants to start with

• Pelargoniums (geraniums)
• Fuchsias
• Lavender
• Rosemary
• Willows (root in water)
• Hydrangeas