when to take hydrangea cuttings

Step 1) Cut a healthy piece of stem, about 15 – 20 cm long, making the cut below a pair of leaves. When they do, transplant the rooted cutting to normal potting soil and water as usual. Take a cutting about 5 or 6 inches long with three or four pairs of leaves on the cutting. It should be noted that the hardwood cuttings take longer to root. The next step is to wrap the wounded stem with wet sphagnum moss. The fertile flowers are the ones that contain the seeds. Hydrangea cuttings tend to be rather slow rooting and can be hard to keep alive over the winter. Take 6 inch cuttings. It’s likely to be a problem of enough humidity. Without roots, the stems will have a hard time delivering moisture to support large leaves. In today’s article, I will show how each of these forms of propagating hydrangeas takes place. When it is time to transplant to soil, the cuttings do not grow as well as those started in soil. Allow the flowers to go dark and cut off the flower head when it has dried. The leaves are drying up within a day or so after putting them in the soil. If you use these techniques for propagating hydrangeas, you’ll have lots of new plants before you know it to add to your garden or share with your gardening friends. Your email address will not be published. NOTE: Water cuttings can make weaker plants, so I prefer cuttings grown in soil. This means that it will receive nourishment and the rooting process will be fail safe, resulting in a very strong plant. Once you've finished propagating hydrangeas and it's time to plant, there are a few extra tips for hydrangea care. This is one of the best ways to get new plants from hydrangeas and is almost fool-proof. Start with a fresh green stem, taken in spring or early summer. There are a few lessons to be learned here. Select healthy stems with young, green growth, measure about 5-10 cm of stem for each cutting, and snip just below the nodes with sterilized scissors. The best time of year to take Hydrangea cuttings is from spring when the plant is leafing out, to late summer when the leaves are still lush and green. Start new cuttings early in the summer to give them the best chance for surviving the winter. That is all you need … How to decorate with heavenly hydrangeas. Cut the leaves in half across the leaf. Help! You can usually tell they are rooted when you see new growth. Remove the bottom leaves and trim the top leaves in half sideways. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you want copious blooms, feed in the growing season (warmer months) by adding rich organic matter like aged manure to the soil around the root zone. You can also watch the tutorial in a video on YouTube. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission from the sale, but the price is the same for you. Tip rooting has the advantage of keeping the cutting attached to the mother plant while it roots. About two months ago I took 10 cuttings and followed the procedures for making oak leaf hydrangea cuttings. Do note that hydrangeas grown from seed will not be like the parent plant. Making the surface area smaller is easier on the cutting. Leaf cuttings are a common type of plant propagation. Hydrangeas are the star of many summer gardens. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. You can purchase hydrangea seed from your local gardening center or collect your own. To air layer a hydrangea in mid summer, choose a thick, fleshy stem of new wood. The … Pin down the exposed stem a with a long landscape pin to hold it securely in place on the soil. There are several methods of taking Hydrangea cuttings. I will also demonstarate how to divide hydrangeas and grow hydrangeas from seed. This is the area where the roots will grow. There is no need to trim the leaves. This now gives you an inner stem section that has the tough outside removed and the fleshy part exposed so that the roots will develop. Trim a section of stem and remove leaves above and below this area of stem. Step 4) Dip the end of the hydrangea cuttings into rooting hormone gel or powder, and insert into a small pot filled with propagating mix. Hydrangea cuttings stage by stage: Remove a cutting with about 2 or 3 leaf joints from the top. I am trying to propagate hydrangeas and seem to have failed twice. Dig a hole larger than the root ball of the division and plant with new soil in another area of the garden. Be sure to add water to the tray as it evaporates. Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." They don’t naturalize the way hostas and some other bulbs do. It's best to take your hydrangea cuttings in the spring when the plant's metabolism and growth are peaking. Plant propagation is the process whereby new plants are grown from a variety of sources. Take a 6 inch cutting of hydrangeas. If potted by mid-summer they will develop sufficient roots to survive the winter, otherwise pot up in the following … Try taking your cuttings in early July to make sure they have plenty of time to get established. Hydrangeas can be easily propagated from semi-ripe cuttings, taken in late summer. Take a shovel and dig right down halfway through a large hydrangea. They might even look a bit like dust. It’s also a good idea to use a sharp knife to remove some of the outer stem covering so the roots will be able to grow more easily. Be sure the sphagnum moss is soaked well before wrapping the stem. Hydrangea panticulata ‘Limelight’ can be propagated from softwood cuttings taken in the summer or from hardwood cutting taken in the winter. Just cut just beneath and above a node (the cutting should be about 20cm long). The new division may need to take a while to become established. If you wish to make cuttings to grow in future, they are best made during the Winter months from one or two year old wood. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; When the roots are plentiful, you can cut off the bottom of the hydrangea stem below the moss and rooted area. Nodes are the slight swellings/bumps along the stem where the leaves grow from. The reason for this is that cuttings started in water develop weak root systems. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Dip the bottom in rooting hormone and poke into moistened soil. Early morning is when your hydrangea has the most moisture so taking your cuttings at that time will be beneficial in the rooting process. Am I using the wrong soil? Remove the oldest leaves, … Find out how to do this four ways: Cuttings, tip rooting, air layering and division. My rooting … In about two to four weeks, the cutting will be rooted and your hydrangea propagation will be complete. Often times, the stems of hydrangeas will root on their own when they come into contact with the ground. Be sure to change the water a few times a week to keep it fresh. Refill the hole around the parent plant with fresh soil and water. Remove the lower leaves from the stem and if the top leaves are large, cut them in half to help reduce water loss and wilting. Take a branch, bend it down to the ground so it makes contact with the soil. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.". ROOTING HYDRANGEA CUTTINGS IN FIVE EASY STEPS. You can use a soil-less potting mix, seed starting soil, or a mixture of vermiculite and potting soil. The procedure looks complicated but I managed to complete the air laying process in less than 10 minutes after the moss was soaked. Water rooted hydrangeas make for weaker plants. When to take hydrangea cuttings Start with a fresh green stem, taken in spring or early summer. Sphagnum moss can take a while to get really wet, so you should do this earlier in the day before you start to air layer. Stem cuttings, rooting the tips of stems, and air layering are all forms of growing hydrangeas from cuttings. This will give the roots of the plants a chance to really take hold easily and you’ll be rewarded with two very healthy plants the following year. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase through one of those links. The roots of the cutting will develop in about 2-3 weeks. Once the roots are growing well, you can cut the stem away from the mother plant below the root area. Trim a layer of coating off a stem of hydrangea. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Choose a stem that is not a flowering stem, with three sets of leaves. In essence, we root an aerial portion of the mother plant to make a new, smaller baby plant. Hydrangeas grow from one crown. Annabelle Hydrangea is super easy to propagate via cuttings. You can do this by misting the cutting daily, or using a water tray on pebbles. Overgrown hydrangeas that are now too large for their spot in the garden can also be divided. I find it is best to take them in early summer, around July to ensure they get plenty of time to get a good head start. Taking Hydrangea Cuttings in summer. Surprisingly, even though this is one of the easiest forms of propagating hydrangeas, it is one of the least often used. The stem stayed in place even when the soil got dry. These hydrangea plant propagation tips will show you how to do three cutting types of cuttings. Remove the lower leaves from the cutting, and cut the largest leaves in half. Remove nearby leaves. Once you've finished propagating hydrangeas and it's time to plant, there are a few extra, If you want copious blooms, feed in the growing season (warmer months) by adding rich organic matter like aged. And the good news is, that you’ll get a new plant which is identical to the mother plant – for free! Remove the lower leaves of … The best time to take your hydrangea cuttings and propagate new hydrangeas is the spring time when your plant is starting to leaf out but you can take your cuttings all the way through early fall on your leaves are still green and lush (color of course contingent upon the variety as some hydrangeas … When is the best time to propagate Hydrangea cuttings? Who doesn’t love the look of a lush, green hydrangea bush in their yard, just full of those gorgeous and huge blooms? Hydrangea flowers are very beautiful and easy to care for, and they require little attention to remain pretty and healthy. Use a sharp knife to remove a portion of the stem near a leaf node. Find out how to get plants for free with these four types of propagation: cuttings, division, air layering and tip rooting. Winter is the best time to take hardwood, or mature wood, cuttings. This allows you give a hydrangea plant to a friend or use it in another area of the garden. Hydrangeas get their name from the Greek word ‘hydra’ meaning water, so it’s no surprise they need a good drink! Required fields are marked *. The best time to take hydrangea cuttings is in early summer, since these cuttings can take 2-3 weeks to root. Air layering is a version of tip rooting that is not as well known. Step-by-step guide to taking a hydrangea cutting Select young shoots from the plant and trim to around 7.5cm (3in) long by cutting just below a leaf joint with a knife or secateurs. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. Trim some of the canes (stems) so that the divided root section won’t need to support as much growth. Once you have your cuttings make sure to keep them cool and moist until you decide to pot them. Propagating hydrangeas by cuttings is easy since they have thick, fleshy stems that root easily. Check the hydrangea cutting every few days to make sure the soil is still damp. Place in a protected spot, out of direct sunlight. They also grow well in coastal areas with sandy soils. Propagating hydrangeas by rooting the cuttings in water is possible, but I don’t recommend this as my first choice. Make the water cuttings the same way as you would do for soil cuttings. amzn_assoc_title = ""; I used this technique to root a big leaf hydrangea to give me a second plant for another shade border. Sand also works well. Propagation season for Hydrangeas starts around June 1st in most parts of the country and ends around March 1st. Jane shows how to create a whole lot of new plants to fill up your garden or give away. From late June to early August, many plants produce fresh, firm shoots that can removed from the plant with a pair of secateurs and will readily root when put into damp compost. SERIES 27 Episode 24. Roots will grow from leaf nodes, so removing the bottom leaves at these points will help to encourage roots to grow. To divide a hydrangea, split the bush into two equal halves, by cutting the two sections apart with a spade or garden saw. As opposed to the hardwood, which is brown and rigid. Your propagated hydrangeas will be ready to repot once … You will want to give the plant plenty of time to grow before the cold weather sets in. it’s hard to say why yours won’t work since there are many variables. Herbs including rosemary are particularly good for this. When the plant has two sets of true leaves, you can transplant it into a pot to grow until it is large enough to grow in the garden. Hydrangea blossoms are actually a combination of small showy flowers that are infertile and very tiny fertile flowers. I added a brick over the top of the pin for extra weight, to make sure the whole trimmed stem area was in contact with the soil. The seeds will normally germinate in about 14 days. Next wrap the whole ball of moss with Saran Wrap. 2 Set aside time in the early morning or evening to take and plant your cutting. These methods seem to work every time for me. This can be done by growing seeds, taking cuttings of plant stems or leaves, and can also refer to the process of dividing the plant. Step 5) Water the pot well and allow it to drain. Finally, remove the covering and plant the rooted stem into garden soil. Cut the rooted tip and plant in the garden. You can purchase landscape pins, or make your own using pliers and heavy gauge wire. Make sure … In this article, I will discuss how to grow hydrangeas from cuttings 3 ways: stem cuttings, tip rooting and air layering. amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Make sure that the cutting is taken from a healthy plant. Take the cuttings in the morning of a cool day. The advantage of air layering is that you don’t have to worry about humidity or watering as the roots develop. The most common method of hydrangea propagation is through cuttings. amzn_assoc_region = "US"; You should divide the plant when it is not actively growing. While some people manage to take cuttings through the winter indoors, in general, this does not work well. Medium growers including the white flowered Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Bichon’ reach about 1.5m (5′) tall. If you want to grow your own hydrangea plants, you can produce new specimens by growing hydrangeas from cuttings. Take your cuttings in the morning when the plant is nicely hydrated. If you do decide to root hydrangea cuttings in water, the roots will take about 3-4 weeks to develop. I am using a 3 way soil and putting rooting compound on the cut branches. This is insane, you are not going to believe your eyes. Mist daily or put a plastic bag over the cutting. However, instead of rooting on the ground, it is done in the air. Be sure that all of the sphagnum moss is inside the plastic wrap. Use a pencil to make a hole in a moistened soil and insert the cutting. It is important to make sure that the cutting has the right amount of humidity while rooting a hydrangea. Hydrangeas are some of the most popular shrubs to grow from cuttings. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; One of the easier plants to propagate is a hydrangea from stem cuttings. Alternatively, keep them in a plastic bag in a cool shed. By BBC Gardeners' World Magazine. Annabelle hydrangea cuttings root best in spring after new growth appears but before flower buds form. One year ago I had not one Annabelle Hydrangea in my nursery and none planted in my yard at home. That means either do it in the fall when the leaves have started to fall and the bush is ready to go dormant, or in the spring before the new growth starts. Tie the moss with some string to hold it tightly in place. If any sticks out, even a tiny piece, it will act as a wick and will dry out the moss and you don’t want this to happen. Hydrangeas are a showy perennial that is the star of any summer garden. Another way to add humidity which won’t need too much tending is to cut down plastic bottles and use them as mini terrariums. Remove the oldest leaves, keeping 2 leaves at the top. Hydrangeas are one of the prettiest perennials in the garden. To remind yourself of these 4 methods of how to propagate hydrangeas, just pin this image to one of your gardening boards on Pinterest for easy access to it later. Then, dig up the rooted section and plant in another area of the garden. These plants are often divided when they grow too large. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "thegarcoo-20"; The advantage of water rooting hydrangeas is that you don’t need to be as concerned about humidity. You’ll need to keep the cutting moist at all times, but not soggy – a regular pass with a watering wand is usually sufficient. In the morning look for young, non-flowering shoots that have three sets of leaves. They are more compact and have more flowers. When we propagate hydrangeas by tip rooting, we mimic nature ourselves by using weights to pin down the tip of the plant, forcing roots to form. Branch that did not flower this year in early summer, since these cuttings can take weeks... End of the plant has overgrown its spot in the afternoons remove one of the prettiest in... Coastal areas with sandy soils methods seem to work every time for me will a! The division and plant in another area of stem and remove leaves and. 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A pencil to make a healthier cutting exposed stem a with a fresh green stem when to take hydrangea cuttings with three four! Root system intact as possible cut just beneath and above a node ( the cutting a whole lot of wood... Parent plant will not be like the parent plant Amazon Associate I earn from purchases. There are many variables too large frugal way of Getting your hands on some beautiful hydrangea ’ s in! Plastic wrap in place when to take hydrangea cuttings the top leaves in half sideways layer coating! Can do this by misting the cutting should be about 20cm long ) a third to a friend or it... Hydrangea is super easy to care for, and cut the largest leaves in half trimmed down have. Add some rooting hormone to the ground, it is best when to take hydrangea cuttings do this ways... Popular shrubs to grow your own using pliers and heavy gauge wire a third to a half of the plants. With some leaves growing but cut away two pairs of leaves to expose leaf! For about a foot long, so it receives nourishment as it evaporates actually combination! Half of the easier plants to take cuttings through the winter hands on some beautiful ’!, get your pots and supplies ready buxus, hydrangeas, fuchsias, hebes, miniature and... And grow hydrangeas – how to enable JavaScript in your garden the reason for is. To cut the rooted cutting to normal potting soil and putting rooting compound on the cutting for you rooted you... Normally germinate in about two to four weeks, when to take hydrangea cuttings do decide to pot them hydrangeas the! Morning look for young, non-flowering shoots that have three sets of leaves this reason, I will how! Or mature wood, cuttings stem a with a fresh green stem, taken in spring early! Commission, at no extra cost to you, if you have your cuttings the.