A garden full of hydrangeas, as any hydrangea enthusiast will tell you, is never enough. Your friends may be interested in replicas of your favorite hydrangea for their own gardens if you’re short on space. You can grow new hydrangeas from simple stem cuttings if you know when to do it and how to do it. Follow these simple steps to increase the number of hydrangeas in your yard and enjoy their stunning blooms:
- Cut hydrangeas at the right time to get the best results.
- Before you begin, gather your materials.
- Pick up your hydrangea branches before dawn.
- Use rooting hormone on hydrangea cuttings.
- Your hydrangea cuttings should be planted immediately.
- Take good care of your hydrangea cuttings and have fun with them.
1. CUTTING HYDRANGEA AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR THE BEST OUTCOME
Hydrangeas are not perennial flowers but rather shrubs with a woody stem that root differently than non-woody, soft-stemmed plants. So, like with some houseplants, attempting to root hydrangeas in water almost never works. Hydrangea cuttings should be planted in the potting mix at the right time to maximize your results.
Hydrangeas, like roses, have some options for propagation. Cut hydrangea “hardwood” cuttings in the late fall or early winter when the year’s new stems are firm and mature to root them. In contrast, hardwood cuttings take a long time to root and are difficult to propagate. 1 Hydrangea growers generally use “softwood” cuttings because they root more quickly and produce better results.
Propagation of softwoods should be done in late spring or early summer when new stems are beginning to harden. Typically, this occurs between May and mid-July in most regions. To encourage vigorous new growth, new hydrangea stems bend but snap off readily at this stage. Even more root growth is stimulated by a high-quality rooting hormone such as GardenTech® brand’s RootBoostTM Rooting Hormone.
2. Make sure you have all of the necessary tools before you begin
Be ready to work quickly and efficiently when the time comes for propagation. Ensure that the following are in place before you begin:
- Pruning shears or a sharp, clean knife are essential for slicing cleanly.
- In order to keep the cuttings from drying out, you’ll need:
- RootBoostTM Rooting Hormone and a dipping dish
- Moistened potting mix in a planting tray or small, cup-like containers
- A garden dibble or pencil-sized stick for digging planting holes
- Cuttings in small plastic bags to create mini greenhouses.
3. Early morning hydrangea cuttings are best
Early morning is the best time for plants to rehydrate and refresh themselves before the sun and heat of the day arrive. These shrubs require a lot of water. They have an enormous advantage over those taken from hot, dehydrated stems if taken in the early morning hours.
From this year’s growth, select a new stem. Older stems will be darker in color. Choose a leafy stem that isn’t flowering for best results. One stem can be used for several cuttings, or multiple stems can be used.
Knife or pruners: Cut the stem into 4 to 6-inch lengths. Each piece should be cut just above the node where the stem connects to the leaf. New roots will emerge from the nodes in this region. Except for a single set of leaves at the tip of each cutting, take out all the leaves. After that, keep the cuttings moistened with warm water while you work.
4. USE ROOTING HORMONE TO TREAT HYDRANGEA CUTS.
The use of a rooting hormone on hydrangea cuttings helps to stimulate root development and to promote vigorous, uniform root growth. This increases your chances of success and ensures that your plants will be well-rooted at the end of the process.
Dip the vegetables in RootBoostTM Rooting Hormone, a little at a time. Pour only as much as you’ll need; you can always get rid of the extra later. In order to avoid contamination, never dip cuttings directly into the product container.
Keep each slicing to oneself. Re-moisten the cutting if necessary, and then thoroughly coat the bottom half of the stem with RootBoostTM. Focus on the nodes that serve as a backbone for the entire system. After removing any extra hormones by gently tapping the stem, your cutting is ready to be used.
5.Plan ahead of time and plant your Hydrangea cuttings as soon as possible.
Make holes in your potting soil with a dibble or a stick. Insert a cutting into a hole that is at least 2 to 3 inches deep and large enough to avoid dislodging rooting powder. The potting mix should cover the stem’s bottom half and at least two bare nodes before inserting the cuttings. When you’re done, firm the potting mix gently around the cutting.
In order to reduce moisture loss, you can cut off the top of leaves on large-leafed cuttings like bigleaf hydrangeas.
1 You can create a mini-greenhouse by putting a plastic bag over each cuttings container. A stick can be used to support the bag so that it doesn’t rest on the leaves of the cuttings.
6. Enjoy your HYDRANGEA CUTTINGS if you take care of them.
Covered cuttings should be kept in a warm, well-ventilated area that receives indirect sunlight. Avoid the sun’s rays at this early stage. It’s important to keep the potting mix moist but not soggy. Keep the humidity in your mini greenhouses high by misting your cuttings on a regular basis.
A number of factors, including the health of your parent plant and the weather, can affect the time it takes for a seedling to root.
1 Hydrangea softwood cuttings typically take two to four weeks to germinate. Pull very gently on a cutting to see how far you’ve come. From the delicate new roots, you’ll feel the tiniest of bumps in the road. You’ll notice new leaf growth as well in the near future.
Celebration is in order once your new hydrangeas have established themselves and are showing signs of strong, healthy new growth. Prepare your creations for the garden by transferring them to larger containers or relocating them to new locations.
