Taking Hardwood Cuttings From Shrubs

September is a good time to take cuttings of many plants.

Taking hardwood cuttings from shrubs.

In the old days gardeners propagated favorite shrubs by taking cuttings and sticking them in the ground. This method will not work with evergreen. Then in autumn and early winter you can add hardwood cuttings to your bounty. First always clean your pruners or knife with rubbing alcohol or 1 part bleach and 9 parts water to prevent the spread of disease.

Softwood greenwood semi hardwood and hardwood. Hardwood cuttings provide an easy and reliable method of propagating a range of deciduous climbers trees and shrubs and as bonus they are taken from mid autumn until late winter when more time is usually available to the gardener. Start with cuttings from your plants or ask friends for their cuttings. Take hardwood cuttings from deciduous shrubs and vines see the suggested plant list in the fall after leaf drop and before the ground is frozen.

Hardwoods are generally flowering plants such as rose bushes and softwoods are more often evergreen shrubs with softer branches. An example of a good plant for a hardwood cutting is angel s trumpet which produces trumpet shaped flowers that grow on vines. Alternately plants like begonias propagate nicely from leaf cuttings so a specific tutorial is best. In summer you can take cuttings from tender perennials and shrubs to propagate them.

The point of taking hardwood cuttings in non growth periods is more to do with doing as little harm to the parent plant as possible. If it is a tree or shrub that produces suckers from the stems or roots use the suckers for your cuttings. Hardwood cutting or hardwood propagating refers to the process of growing new shrubs or trees from segments of dormant branches typically in the fall or winter. But in a pinch hardwood cuttings can be taken anytime of the year.

Hardwood cuttings are also only taken from shrubs bushes and trees that lose their leaves every year. Growing plants from cuttings is an excellent way to fill your garden with lush flowers herbs and other plants without spending any money. Nature is a survivor. Depending on whether it s a softwood ripe wood or hardwood cutting there are a few different things to know.

Plant cuttings are grouped into four basic categories. The process to take hardwood cuttings begins in the fall right after the leaves drop. At that time use sharp clean pruners to take six inch long pencil diameter cuttings from vigorous shoots on the plants you want to propagate. Some evergreen plants hollies for example can also be taken at the same time of year as other hardwood cuttings.