Propagating Plants for Free: Beginner Autumn Guide, by Bloom and Brook on YouTube. 6 min 29 s.
- Video length
- 6 min 29 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Pick healthy, pest-free shoots from this season's growth. Choose stems that are firm at the base and still soft at the tip, and take cuttings before the first frost arrives.
Clean your secateurs and gather rooting hormone gel, a peat-free compost and perlite mix, seed trays and plant markers so everything is ready before you cut.
For Iceberg roses, cut a stem about 15 cm long just below a leaf node. Strip the lower leaves, dip the base in rooting gel and push it into the gritty mix.
Take lavender and rosemary cuttings from non-flowering side shoots. Trim each to around 8 to 10 cm, remove the bottom leaves and firm the cutting into the compost.
For pelargoniums, cut a shoot just above a node and remove the lower leaves and any flower buds. Let the cut end dry for an hour, then dip it in gel and pot it up.
Take hydrangea cuttings from firm stems with a pair of leaves. Cut below a node, trim the leaves in half to reduce water loss and plant the cutting in the mix.
Water the trays, label each variety and keep them in a cool, bright spot out of direct sun. Check moisture through winter and pot on rooted cuttings in spring.
Tips and common mistakes
Cut just below a leaf node, since roots form fastest there.
Use a gritty mix of compost and perlite so cuttings do not rot in wet autumn soil.
Label every tray, as cuttings of different shrubs look alike once the leaves drop.
Do not tug cuttings to check for roots. Wait for new top growth instead.
Questions
When should I take autumn cuttings?
Take them after summer growth has firmed up but before the first hard frost. Early to mid autumn gives roots time to form before winter.
Do I need rooting hormone?
It helps, especially for roses and hydrangeas, but many herbs and pelargoniums root without it. Dip only the cut end in the gel.
Where do I keep cuttings over winter?
A cool, bright spot such as a cold frame, unheated greenhouse or sheltered windowsill works well. Keep the compost damp but not soaked.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
