Here on the " From The Garden " page we will enter Tips and Techniques used by Members at

 Essex & District Horticultural Society and other expert advise from Master Gardeners.

CUTTINGS

A Cutting is easy to take. It’s an asexual method of plant propagation.

You may have herbaceous cuttings, softwood cuttings and leaf cuttings.

Herbaceous Cuttings is part of a stem of a non woody plant. This cutting is

taken from a parent plant, encouraged to produce roots and so produce an

offspring, a new plant exactly like the parent plant.

Not every attempt to produce a new plant this way will be successful; some plants

just refuse to co-operate.

TAKING CUTTINGS

Taking cuttings when the plant has finished flowering but is still actively

growing. The cutting should be a sturdy, well established shoot, 3-5 inches long.

 Use a clean sharp knife or a sharp razor and make a clean cut. The cut at the

base should on a slant to produce the maximum contact with the rooting

medium. Remove most of the leaves and any flowers and buds.

 If using a rooting hormone, do not dip the cutting in the jar of hormone

powder. Place a little powder on a piece of wax paper. Throw away any

leftovers in order to keep the powder in the jar sterile.

 Use a pencil or dibble to make a hole in the rooting medium and insert the

cutting about an inch into media. Keep the medium moist but not wet and

the temperature between 70 to 80 degrees.  You might want to cover the

cuttings with plastic to conserve moisture.

 Most plants root within 6 weeks. Cuttings are ready for potting when roots are

 1-2 inches long. Cuttings need hardening off. Place potted cuttings in a sheltered

shady spot. When top growth starts they may be moved outdoors and gradually

expose to sun and wind.

HERBACEOUS CUTTINGS MAY BE TAKEN FROM THE FOLLOWING;

Viola                                                 Alyssum

Arabis                                               Wallflower

Dahlia                                               Dicentra

Iberis                                                Lavender

Nierembergia                                     Petunia

Achillea                                             Anthemis

Cerastium                                          Chelone

Clematis                                            Gypsophila

Kalanchoe                                          Nepeta

Geranium                                           Phlox

Athionema                                         Begonia

Delphinium                                        Cimicifuga

Dianthus                                            Helianthus

Lantana                                             Nasturtium

Penstemon                                         Sedum

ROOTING MEDIA

Rooting media should be a soil less mix to ensure being disease free.

rooting media should hold some moisture but no great quantity.

Any one of the following mixes should be suitable.

50% each sand and peat moss

50% each sand and vermiculite

50% each perlite and vermiculite