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Index : Miscellaneous Gardening Topics
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- 37. Start Your Own Shrubs From Summer Cuttings - Top
- Summer is a great time to start new plants by taking cuttings from shrubs and rooting them. Many varieties of shrubs respond well to cuttings taken in the summer. Some root best on softwood cuttings while others form roots best on semi-hardwood.
Softwood cuttings are taken during a period when plants are putting on a flush of new growth. This growth flush often occurs in July with the onset of our monsoon rains. Softwood cuttings are taken before the stem stiffens and becomes woody. Shrubs that root well from softwood cuttings include; Texas rangers, butterfly bush, pyracantha, photinia, jasmines, eleagnus (silver thorn), and euonymus.
Semi-hardwood cuttings are also taken from the current years growth, but after the stem has matured and stiffened. Stems of semi-hardwood cuttings will usually "snap" like green beans when broken. Shrubs that root well form semi-hardwood cuttings include; cassia, Texas mountain laurel, bougainvillea, oleander, hibiscus, pittosporum (mock orange), cape honeysuckle, and ligustrum (privet).
For best results, cuttings should be taken in early morning when the plant's moisture content is it's highest. Cuttings should be made with a sharp knife, safety razor blade, or sharp hand pruners. Prior to cutting, sterilize the cutting blade with rubbing alcohol or a
mixture of 1 part bleach to 9 parts water to prevent contaminating the cutting with disease organisms.
Cuttings should be 4 to 6 inches in length, taken from the outermost growth. Select stems that are free of flowers. If that isn't possible then remove flowers and flower buds from the cuttings. Flowers take energy away from root and shoot formation.
Immediately place the cuttings in a bucket of cool water to keep them moist. Prior to sticking the cuttings in the rooting media, remove the leaves from the lower half of the stem. If the cuttings are from large-leafed shrubs, cut the remaining leaves in half to reduce moisture loss.
Some species of plants are more difficult to root than others. For this reason, it's advisable to apply a root-promoting hormone to the cuttings, preferably one containing a fungicide. The two most common root hormones available at local nurseries and garden centers are Rootone and Hormonex.
Do not stick the cuttings directly into the bottle of rooting hormone. This will contaminate the supply for later us. Just place a small amount of hormone powder in a paper cup. Any powder that remains after treatment should be discarded and not returned to the original container.
Stick the cuttings in the hormone powder, covering the stem all the way up to the remaining leaves. Be sure to tap the cuttings to remove excess hormone before sticking them in the rooting media.
The bare end of the cutting should be stuck into the rooting media. At least one leaf node, and preferably more, should be in the media. A leaf node is the point at which a leaf was attached and where roots are most likely to emerge. Moisten the media prior to sticking the cuttings, and keep it moist.
An excellent rooting media can be made by mixing equal parts of peat and perlite together. Both of these ingredients can be purchased in small bags at local garden supply stores. Coarse sand may also be used, but it must be sterile. You can sterilize the sand by moistening it, placing it in a pan, and heating it in a 220 degree oven for one hour.
A greenhouse is not necessary for successful propagation of stem cuttings; however, maintaining high humidity around the cuttings is critical. If you are rooting only a few cuttings, you can use a flower pot. Maintain high humidity by covering the pot with a bottomless milk jug or by placing a the pot into a clear plastic bag. Cuttings can also be placed in plastic trays covered with clear plastic stretched over a wire frame. Pots and trays must have holes in the bottom for drainage. The plastic will help keep the humidity high and reduce water loss while the cuttings are forming roots.
Locate cuttings in a location that has bright light, but no direct sunlight! Excessive heating will kill the cuttings before they root. Do not let the cuttings dry out! In three or four weeks check the cuttings to see if they are rooted by giving them a gentle tug. Rooting may take up to 8 weeks.
Newly rooted cuttings should be gently pried out of the media with a knife blade and transplanted to a separate container. Keep the young plant well watered and out of direct sunlight. In mid-October, place the plant in a location where it receives morning sun. After a few weeks, it's ready to be planted in it's permanent location in the landscape.
Written by John Begeman, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the University of Arizona, 520-626-5161. - Updated: July 21, 2002
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