Taking Cuttings

A friend asked me to send her some instructions on taking softwood cuttings and I thought that it may be useful to post my email to her to remind you how easy they are to do at this time of year. This cutting was of a Campsis, but many non-flowering shoots can be given this treatment.

Step 1. Choose a non-flowering shoot and cut it off the plant just below a leaf joint and then break off the lowest set of leaves

Step 2. Cut off all except the bottom pair of leaves from the next sideshoots (reduces transpiration – school botany)

Step 3 Put your cutting in a plastic bag with a little water (more reducing of transpiration)

Step 4. Fill a deep pot with compost and use a stick to make a hole near the side of the pot (strangely cuttings root better at side rather than in middle of pot)

Step 5. Put cutting in hole, firm in place and water well

Step 6. Put cane or stick that is taller than cutting in middle of pot (doesn’t need to be forked!)

Step 7. Cover pot with a plastic bag, tie it in place to form a miniature greenhouse and stand it on a gravel-filled saucer in a light spot, but out of direct sun.

Step 8. Check after 10 days to see if any roots have appeared through the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot and then check regularly. Once rooted the plastic cover can be removed. Here’s Daniel using a similar method on cuttings from his summer pruned wisteria :