Issue 25Softwood Cuttings Know-how

Making new plants for free from cuttings taken from your own garden is not only the thrifty way to garden but it is so satisfying too.

August and September are the perfect time to take softwood cuttings. Many plants, including shrubs and tender perennials, have produced fresh, green growth over summer, which can be used now to make new plants.
These types of cuttings root faster than hardwood cuttings and you’ll soon have an army of young plants ready to march into the garden when spring arrives. Taking and rooting cuttings to grow on is also a very good insurance policy for plants which are on the tender side and may not make it through a harsh winter like salvias.
Text in Box with Lists
You can try taking cuttings from any shrub that has suitable shoots: new, young shoots on a non-flowering stem. For softwood cuttings, you are looking for exactly that, new soft or green, bendy shoots rather than older hardwood stems which will be brown and woody. The best time to take cuttings is early in the morning when shoots are full of sap.
Invariably, some shrub cuttings will be easier to root than others. Hydrangea, viburnum, buddleja, philadelphus, flowering currant, and fuchsia are good ones to try but you can also try taking cuttings around the garden from salvia, Lavatera, rosemary, Dianthus, pelargonium, penstemon, and even clematis.
What To Do

Fill some small pots with a gritty compost mix so they are ready before taking cuttings.

Select young, strong shoots from your chosen plant - the shoots should be green and flexible. Cut above a leaf node on the plant. Never leave cuttings hanging about. If you are taking lots of cuttings, pop them in a plastic bag to retain moisture but it’s better to do them in small batches.

Use a sharp knife to trim off the stem below a leaf node on the cutting and the lowest leaves - there should be no leaves left which would end up under the compost.

Nip out the growing tip at the top of the stem to encourage bushiness.

Insert cuttings around the edge of the pot, spacing about 10cm apart, and remember to label the pot so you know which plant the cuttings are from.

Top off the pot with a layer of grit and water well, then place the pot in a warm, bright spot, out of direct sunlight.

Spay the foliage occasionally with water to retain humidity.

When you see white root growth emerging from the bottom of the pot in a few weeks’ time, it’s time to knock the cuttings out of the pot, pot on and grow on individually.

The joy of seeing new roots protruding out of the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot, and strong, new growth at the top is sheer bliss, and when you remember that you have just created new plants for your own garden for free, your serotonin will go through the roof!
We’d love to see your cutting skills in action so do pop a picture on our readers’ Facebook Group, or send it to us at mail@scotlandgrowsmagazine.com.Front CoverNavigationContentsEditor's WelcomeWhat's On In ScotlandWhat's Gorgeous in the Garden?Head-turning HeleniumsWonderful Walled GardensGrow Your Business with Scotland GrowsTopiary in Garden DesignSoftwood Cuttings Know-howDahlias for CuttingFeature Your GardenMy Pallet Garden JourneyWhere Do Show Gardens Go?Come and Chat About PlantsThe Butterfly EffectRipening Peppers – the Colour of SummerScotland Grows TestimonialPut Homegrown Peppers on the MenuScotland Grows ShowTempt your Tastebuds with TomatoesLate Summer Veg PatchThe Indonesian CookScotland Grows websiteA Scottish ExoticSustainable ScotlandPallet Repurposing for an Eco-Friendly GardenRHS Chelsea Show GardensFrom Showpiece to SanctuaryGlasgow Hospice Cares for Chelsea’s Best In ShowUrban Jungle TransformationAn Elsewhere Garden EscapeJust 3 PlantsThe Caley AwardsOne Garden Thing5 Happy Houseplants for a Tenement CloseGardening NewsGarden Jobs AheadNext Issue advertThe Last WordArchives