Once your plants have rooted they need potted up or planted. In most cases I will pot up the newly rooted cuttings to help them grow stronger and more established root systems before planting in the garden. Potting up cuttings is a very simple process but there are a few small things to keep in mind. For information on growing those plants featured here from cuttings check out the posts below:
- Rooting Boxwoods from Cuttings
- Propagating Viburnums
- Rooting Camellias from Cuttings (YouTube Video)
When Do I Pot Up the Rooted Cuttings?
When I propagate cuttings I like to use plastic pots. Normally these pots are reused from plant purchases that I fill with my rooting medium then place in a large flat with no holes in it. The flat keeps the water in the area of the cuttings longer and prevents them from drying out too quickly. I know it’s time to pot up my cuttings by looking underneath the pot and checking to see if roots are beginning to emerge from the drainage holes. If they are I know it’s time to pot them up! If roots are not coming from the pots I give the cuttings more time to develop.
What Soil Do I Use for Rooted Cuttings?
If I have the time I will make a soil mix using a blend of 1/3 compost, 1/3 peat (or coir), and 1/3 Soil conditioner (can be mixed with perlite or vermiculite). It’s a very basic soil recipe for potting up plants. If you use peat you will want to add some lime to the mix to balance the acidity.
Another soil mix I use is with premade soil mixes from the store. I mix the store bought mixes with soil conditioner to help improve drainage and incorporate organic matter.
How to Pot Up The Cuttings
The most important thing about potting up cuttings is being very gentle with the roots. They can be very fragile and the newly rooted cuttings may not have large enough root systems to handle losing a few roots.
Plant cuttings so that the crown of the plant is just above the soil surface when the soil settles. The crown of the roots is where the roots transition to the growing portion of the plant stem that is above the soil. I fill the pots before planting with soil then hold the cutting where I want the crown to be. Then I gradually fill with soil until it can stand on it’s own.
After filling the pot I tamp it down gently so that the soil can compress and push out any air pockets in the soil. Lastly I’ll water it in and add additional soil if needed after the soil settles.
Potting up cuttings is pretty much just like transplanting a plant. Just be a little more careful and cautious of those little baby roots! Check out the video below to see the process on viburnums, hydrangeas, and a little boxwood!
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