How do I successfully take cuttings from a hydrangea?

unless you're in a southern area, it's a little late now, unless you plan to keep them inside for this winter....





but it's really pretty easy.... take your cutting from 'new' wood, that which did NOT have a bloom on it this year.... take a good six to eight inch length and be sure there's a pair of leaves near the bottom end... take them off and then 'injure' the bark of the stem with a fingernail, just enuff to get to the white inner stuff.... now, get a pot of potting soil wet.. don't use the stuff with fertilizer IN IT....if you want to use rooting hormone you can, but use VERY LITTLE....make a hole with a pencil, put the cutting in the soil and firm it up around the cutting.... keep this moist... not soggy and in indirect light and warm...if you have it outside, don't let the frost hit it!!.... by late fall there should be roots and you can continue to grow the plant inside..... come spring, after last frost is over, plant it outside...it may not bloom , since it didn't 'chill'.... but keep it happy all next summer and the NEXT spring, it will be wonderful!!....( if you're in the south and plan to put it in the ground about Dec or so, please mulch it real good, as it's very tender and cold can do it in if it's not well protected.... cover it clear over with leaves and compost and still keep it watered, too!)





another way is to layer a branch on the ground.... pull a branch down to where it will touch the soil and still have several leaves free of the soil .... injure the bark where it will touch the ground, lay it so it is in good contact with the soil, put a brick or rock on top of it there... keep the soil moist around it.... when it's rooted, next spring most likely, first cut between the mother plant and the new one and let the new one get used to living on it's own..... that's one shock... THEN dig it up and pot it or move it to it's place in the garden... it won't be so shocked this time..... try hard to not do both at the same time... two shocks is harder for it to get over....





much good info is found here...





www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com

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