The art of rooting summer cuttings

Cuttings are a great way to cheaply and effectively propagate plants for yourself or for friends. Many houseplants, like African violets and begonias, are known for their easy rooting. Others plants, like mature trees, are more difficult, but not impossible, to root. Rooting cuttings, in spring and fall, is a great way to increase a planting or save non-hardy plants over the winter.

In spring, when plants are putting out new growth, it's the best time to propagate cuttings. Cuttings taken from tender spring growth root quickly and easily. Many plants, including deciduous trees, are easily propagated by soft wood cuttings in the summer. May, June, and July are typically the best months for obtaining soft wood cuttings. Look for tender shoots with soft bendable wood, indicating it is this year's growth. Hydrangeas root very easily from the bright green soft-wood.

Evergreens, including year-round foliage trees like privets, crape myrtles, and oleanders, are rooted from semi-ripe cuttings taken after the current season's growth is finished, between July until early fall. Some plants, like camellias, pines, and other evergreens, prefer to be rooted from hardwood cuttings taken during the winter when the plants are dormant.

Cuttings should be taken from vigorous shoots on healthy plants. Using sharp pruning shears, cleanly remove a cutting about 4-6 inches tall. Regardless of the time of year, or type of cutting, they should all be prepared in the same way. Clip the leaves or needles from the lower half of the stem. For faster rooting and to propagate woody plants, dust cuttings with a rooting hormone. To prevent contamination, cuttings should never be dipped into the bottle, instead pour a little powder into a disposable container and roll the stem in the container. For mature trees and plants that are difficult root, carefully peel back the outer bark, until the bright green inner bark is visible. The inner bark is very easy to root, as long as it hasn't been removed all the way to the wood. Dust the wounded bark with rooting hormone.

For best results, root cuttings in a soilless mix or seed starting blend that contains at least 50% vermiculite or perlite. Rooting media should be light and airy to encourage root growth, (roots need to breathe too) but also retain moisture. Vermiculite and perlite enhance the drainage, but should not be used alone because they don't hold enough moisture. Coil, which made from fibers on coconut shells, or peat moss are good choices for adding water retention to plain vermiculite. Peat moss and vermiculite is great blend for rooting acid loving plants like camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons.

After the cuttings are planted in rooting media they should be enclosed or misted regularly to preserve humidity. Rooting containers can be covered with plastic bags, or plastic wrap draped over a frame. Remove the bag everyday to encourage air circulation and prevent mold. Soda bottles with their bottoms cut off make great cloches to keep in the humidity.

Depending on the type of cutting, they will grow roots over the winter and be ready for transplant in spring, or on soft-wood cuttings, new growth will be visible in just a few weeds. After the cuttings start showing new growth, replant in a larger container filled with regular potting mix. Replanting cuttings before transferring to a permanent location increases their chances of survival in the long run.