can someone advise me how to....

cloverfan

take and grow cuttings from my hydrangeas and azaleas?? I have a greenhouse but a large garden and not too much garden know how:o

thanks, x

Kay_Peel

I don't take cuttings much these days because I find that I get a much bigger, stronger and mature plant by layering. Plus, it's dead easy to layer hydrangeas and camellias (and rhododendrons and laurel and any shrub, really!)

I find a low growing branch at the base of the shrub.

Pull on it gently to make it touch the soil and mark the spot where it touches.

Dig a little trench underneath the spot and bend the branch down into the trench.

I take off all the leaves in the middle of the branch and place a stone on top of it, before replacing the soil, and bury the middle of the branch and the stone.

To keep the tip of the branch upright, force it upwards and attach it to a stick.

Walk away and come back 12 months later - and you'll have a substantial shrub to dig up. :j

:beer:

cloverfan

Thank you!! Not too sure my Fil is going to be impressed with me digging holes in his garden etc... but hey whats 12 months:rotfl::rotfl:

Thats a brillant explanation and cant wait for tomoro to start!!:T:T

zoescrims

Kay Peel , can I ask when you bury the lower branch is only

the tip sticking out,just trying to picture it as so far I

haven't been successful with the other method ..

thanks

westiea

i agree with Kay - layering is pretty much foolproof and you will get bigger plants - but slowly - can take a year.

You can take 'softwood' cuttings in summer - see here for a photo guide, it is for Hydrangeas but the technique is the same for both..

Kay_Peel

zoescrims wrote: »

Kay Peel , can I ask when you bury the lower branch is only

the tip sticking out,just trying to picture it as so far I

haven't been successful with the other method ..

thanks

Here's a few photos from the Gardener's World site

If the bottom shoot is very long and bendy then I can force the branch tip to sit at least 12" above the soil or more. If it's as tough as old boots, I might only be able to get a couple of inches of the tip to show.

To get the very best results the branch has to be bent at right angles and the tip forced upwards.

I hope you'll be able to picture what I mean! I'm making it sound more complicated than it actually is. :beer: