Box cuttings

lollypops_2

Hi there, I wondered if you experts could advise me

Has anyone taken cuttings from box hedging and if so:

are they easy?

how do you do it, (time of year etc)?

what is their rate of growth in the first year?

If it's not to difficult a process I thought I'd give it a go as the project I have in mind will require a large quantity and they are quite expensive.

Thank you in anticipation

Beltona

I've just been looking through 'Propagation Techniques' by Julie Hollobone and it says Box is suitable for semi-ripe cuttings. Very quick overview is: Can be taken mid summer to early autumn depending on weather, trim the cut shoot to about 6-10cm, remove base leaves, dip base in rooting hormone and insert into pots filled with compost with the lower leaves just out of the compost. Water with a fine spray. Once started to grow repot in spring in individual pots. Plant out in summer.
Hope thats some help!

adonis

I have taken 'irishmans' cuttings from cheap plants from nurseries, just find a plant that is planted deep in the pot and all you do is pull off the shoots with some root attached and plant them in the ground. I planted the rest of the plant deep as well so i can do the same the following year.
They can take a few years to grow to a decent height though.

lollypops_2

Thank you so much Beltona and Adonis that's really helpful, I guess I'll have to wait a little longer to get started though it doesn't sound as daunting as I first thought :T

macma

sorry can't be specicific but pruned mine stuck the prunings in compost and grit and they rooted beautifully:) easy ,they were outside in the snow and frost and are looking good

lollypops_2

Thank you Macma, in that case I might try some this weekend. I bought 12 for £8.00 from Lidl this week which I was pleased with, I'll trim a few of those