Cut above the rest: how to take stem cuttings
As a keen gardener I am always looking for ways to extend my plant collection. As much as I enjoy a trip to my local garden centre or nursery, there is something very satisfying about creating new plants for free.
One method of extending your own plant collection is by taking cuttings from your own garden, or even (with their permission) from the gardens of family and friends.
What is a cutting?
But what is a cutting? A cutting is a process whereby you take a section of a current plant to produce an identical replica of the same plant.
How to take a cutting
I am going to explain how best to take a softwood cutting, the soft bendy growth from a plant.
The best time to do this is in spring or early summer.
If possible, it’s best to do this in the morning as you don’t want the material drying out. If you do have to take a cutting later on in the day, place the cutting in a plastic bag to help prevent it drying out. Then prepare the cutting as soon as possible.
Just below a node (the small lump on the stem where a leaf, stem or flower form) cut with a sharp knife. You want the cutting to be around 10cm long.
Remove the lower leaves to prevent excessive water loss.
Remove the tip of the top leaves, leaving the others in place.
Dip the bottom of the cutting in hormone rooting powder, which you can purchase at most garden centres or online.
Fill a small pot with compost and with your finger or a pencil make a small hole around the edge of the pot.
Place the bottom of your cuttings into the hole and gently firm the compost.
Place the next cutting into the pot, so that you have a circle of cuttings around the edge of the plant pot.
Give the pot a good water and make sure that the cuttings do not dry out.
Don’t forget to put a label on the plant pot. When you have lots of cuttings on the go, it can be difficult to establish what they are before they become a mature plant. It’s also an idea to write down the date you took the cutting, so that you know how long it took for roots to form.
Keep the cutting somewhere warm but out of direct sunlight. A heated propagator set at a temperature of around 24°C will encourage root growth much quicker.
In about 2 - 4 weeks new roots will start to show on your cuttings.
Once you start to see new leaves on your cuttings, it is then time to pot them on. This just means that you carefully remove the cuttings by holding one of the leaves and using your finger or a pencil to gently remove from the soil. You hold the leaves to prevent any damage to the root of the plant.
Place the new plant into the center of a slightly larger container filled with compost. You want one new plant in each plant pot.
Your new plants will then need to be hardened off so that they acclimatise to being outside. All this means is that you plant the cutting outside during the day, then bring inside at night. Do this for a few weeks, then they will be ready to leave outside overnight.
There really is so much joy that can be found in taking plant cuttings.
Once you start, you will find yourself looking around your own garden and thinking - I would like another one of those plants, lets try taking a cutting. Or you might want to take cuttings which you can then gift or swap with family and friends.
