Hydrangea Softwood Cuttings

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Cuttings
Supplie
Supplies
Easiest Varieties
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Softwo gs
Cuttin
Best species for Softwood
Cuttings:
Hydrangea arborescens, Smooth Hydrangea and its
subspecies and cultivars (‘Annabelle’, INVINCIBELLE)
Hydrangea macrophylla, Bigleaf Hydrangea and its many
cultivars (this includes all lacecap and mophead cultivars)
Hydrangea paniculata, Peegee Hydrangea or Panicle
Hydrangea and its many cultivars (‘Limelight’, ‘Pink Diamond’.
‘Tardiva’)
A little more difficult but worth trying are the Oakleaf
Hydrangea, H. quercifolia, and its cultivars
Hydrangeas: Healthy, well-watered,
young specimens will produce the best results
Clippers, plant labels, pencils, plastic pots, plastic bags, stakes to
hold the plastic bags off the cuttings
Potting mix: 3/4 perlite + 1/4 soiless potting mix (with no additives
such as fertilizer and water absorbing material)
Low dose rooting hormones such as Dip ‘N Grow or Rootone are
effective
How-To
How to
Take a d
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Softwo gs
Cuttin
Take cuttings in the morning when plants
are well watered and turgid. Try to take nonblooming stems. If this is not possible,
remove all blooms or buds.
(The cutting wants to live; help it out by directing
its energy to producing roots, not flowering and
setting seed.)
Cut a 6-8” non-blooming stem.
Roots will form at the leaf nodes, the places
on the stem where the leaves are attached.
Remove leaves from the node which will be
in the rooting medium.
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Make slanting cut slightly below the leaf node to
expose more of the root producing cells.
Dip in hormone and gently shake off excess.
Make hole in moistened rooting medium (Perlite/
soiless potting mix) with pencil or stake.
Remove other unnecessary large leaves.
Cut bigger leaves in half to reduce transpiration
and stress on the cutting while it is attempting to
root.
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Aftercated
of Roo gs
Cuttin
Cuttings root at different rates--some in as little as 4 weeks,
others much longer. To determine if rooting has occurred, you
may gently tug on the cutting or look at the bottom of the pot to
check for roots.
If rooting has occurred, very gradually remove the plastic bag to
reduce the risk of wilting (it has been very humid inside the
plastic bag). As soon as the plant is acclimatized you may water
it and give it a very low dose of fertilizer.
Allow the plant to go dormant and place in a protected location
(such as cold frame or unheated garage) for the winter, checking
occasionally for dryness and water when necessary.
Aftercare
Insert cutting and firm in gently.
Water again and drain.
More than one cutting can be placed in each pot if space allows.
Record name of plant on one side of the plant label and date,
type of cutting and name/strength of rooting hormone on the
other side. Insert plant label in pot.
Put potted cutting in a plastic bag with a stake cut a inch or so
taller than the cutting. Seal with twist tie.
Place in a shady spot outdoors, completely out of direct sunlight.
It is not necessary to water your cutting when it is in plastic.
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