Propagating from hardwood cuttings

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Hardwood cutting propagation is similar to softwood cuttings except that the softwood technique uses the soft tips of the plants. Hardwood propagation utilises the harder growth of a plant and is usually undertaken towards the end of autumn or throughout winter.

Hardwood propagation allows you to grow many different plant species that won't work using the softwood propagating technique such as roses, grape vines, and other plants with a twiggy habit.

Take a cutting of the plant that you wish to propagate ensuring that each cutting has at least 2 bud nodes on it. (TIP: Cut the bottom of the cutting with a straight incision and the top with a slanted incision. This will remind you as you are potting them up which end needs to go into the planting medium).
Make the bottom cut just underneath the bud node and the top cut just above the 2nd bud node.
Dip the bottom cut into some rooting gel or compound and then place into the planting medium. You can create a trench in a garden bed and place them straight in the ground or you may decide you want to protect them a little more and plant them in some good quality potting mix. You can easily fit 5-6 cuttings into one 200mm pot.
Cover with a 2L soft drink bottle with the bottom cut off and allow to propagate over the winter. In spring you will notice the top node begin to bud and this is the sign of your success. Plant these cuttings out into their own pots or straight into the ground.

Posted by Stuart on February 23, 2006 5:15 AM | Permalink | Check to Subscribe to this Comment:

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