Many perennials, shrubs, and herbs can grow roots from their snipped stems.
Use this simple propagation technique to expand your plantings for no extra cost.
Want more plants in your garden?
Credit:Colleen and Shannon Graham / BHG
Um, of course!
Plus, stem cuttings can give you full-grown plants in half the time it takes tostart from seed.
How to pull off this amazing propagation trick depends on the key in of plant.
Credit: Jason Donnelly
Many soft-stemmed plants can produce roots in just a vase of water.
Take cuttings from these annuals whenever you want to make more of them.
Bottom line: It might take some experimenting to learn when your plant is best suited for cutting.
Credit:Colleen and Shannon Graham / BHG
Here are some of the common terms you’ll see when researching plants to propagate.
Softwood cuttings:made from fresh, new growth, usually in spring or early summer.
Plants such asbutterfly bush,rosemary, anddogwoodroot well from softwood cuttings.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Greenwood cuttings:taken from young stems that are starting to mature, but still in their first year.
They’re usually cut in early to midsummer.
Shrubs such asgardeniaandboxwoodtend to root well from greenwood cuttings.
Credit:Colleen and Shannon Graham / BHG
Semi-hardwood cuttings:tougher and more mature.
These are usually taken from midsummer to fall.
Shrubs such ascamelliaandhoneysuckleoften root well from semi-hardwood cuttings.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Trees and shrubs such asmock orangeandviburnumoften root well from hardwood cuttings.
Usually a dry powder, rooting hormone is worth the small investment because it increases your cuttings' success.
Select a section of healthy growth that’s 3 to 6 inches long.
Using a sharp knife or pruning shears, make a clean cut.
Crushing or tearing the stem may make it more difficult for the shoot to develop new roots.
Then, if you want, dip the end of your stem in rooting hormone.
This generally helps cuttings root more quickly.
Keep your cutting humid by loosely wrapping it in clear plastic.
you could also create a makeshiftgreenhouseby placing the entire pot in a clear plastic bag.
Place your planted cutting in bright light but avoid direct sunlight which can be too powerful.
A north or east-facing window make great locations for growing cuttings.
Some plants root more quickly than others, so be patient.
Simply snip a 3- to 6-inch length of stem.
Remove leaves on the lower half, and place the stem in water.
Change the water every few days so it remains fresh and clear.
A wide assortment of plants can be propagated by using just a leaf.
It can take anywhere from three to six weeks (or longer!)
to notice any substantial root growth from a propagated plant.
