Here is a list of topics about propagating plants for your home landscape that I’ve written about here on Growing The Home Garden. The first four posts have some important information on propagating plants while the individual plant posts offer information about propagating the plant in question as well as my own experiences with them. Enjoy!
Plant Propagation Techniques
What is Plant Propagation?
Plant propagation has to be my favorite subject! Plant propagation is one of the most inexpensive ways to make more plants and expand your gardens. There are several methods of propagating plants and three of the most common ways are through through division, through layering, and through cuttings. Each of these methods has a few advantages that are worth looking at. Some of these methods will work for some plants but may not be effective for others. Here is a short summary of these methods.
Plant Propagation Method: Division
Dividing plants is a very good method of propagation for many clump forming species of plants. Hostas, heucheras, daylilies, ornamental grasses, and many other perennials will not only tolerate but sometimes need to be divided. It is better to divide most plants in the spring when they are actively growing and the roots can take some abuse but some will successfully divide in the fall. You don’t have to divide plants until they have developed a dead hole toward the center, but if you would like more plants faster, divide away!
Plant Propagation Method: Layering
Layering is a safe strategy for many plants. It involves burying a length of a low growing stem underneath the soil until it develops roots. Then the gardener can sever the new plant from the mother plant and plant somewhere else in the garden. To speed up the process the stem can be wounded and applied with rooting hormone but many plants naturally layer by themselves. Viburnums, forsythias, and azaleas are good candidates for layering along with many other shrubs. This is a safe method of propagation since the stem remains attached to the main plant until roots are formed. There is very little risk involved for the cuttings. The biggest disadvantage is that you can’t make as many plants as you can with cuttings.
Plant Propagation Method: Cuttings
This is probably the area I have the most fun experimenting with in my garden. There are several different types of cuttings you can take from stem tips to basal root cuttings. Some plants take to cuttings readily while others can be a difficult challenge. Most perennials will easily work with stem tip cuttings or basal stem cuttings. Trees and shrubs can be more difficult, but if the plant creates suckers there may be good rooting material. My favorite shrub for propagating through cuttings is the red twig dogwood. I’ve found that they work best as hardwood cuttings done over winter. Salvias, verbena, Russian sage, catmint and many other perennials work well as stem tip cuttings.
More Information on Plant Propagation for Home Gardens
The links below will give you some solid information about the process and procedures for propagating plants.
- Propagating Plants: The Basics of Cuttings
- Plant Propagation through Hardwood Cuttings
- 10 Easy Plants to Propagate for Your Home Garden
- What in the World are Plant Patents?
- Division: Divide and Conquer!
- Layering
- Building a Plant Holding Bed
Propagating Shrubs and Trees
The links below will give you specifics from my experience on how I’ve propagated various plants. Many of the techniques cross over to other plants.
- Birch Tree (Betula nigra) from cuttings
- Caryopteris (Blue Mist Shrub)
- Crape Myrtle Propagation by Cuttings
- Red Twig Dogwood
- Beautyberry from Cuttings
- Deciduous Magnolia through layering (‘Jane’ magnolia)
- Dwarf English Laurel
- Pyracanthus augustifolia (Firethorn)
- Ninebark Propagation from Cuttings
- Japanese Dappled Willow (Salix integra) Cuttings Water Method
- Butterfly Bush Cuttings Making Progress
- Butterfly Bush Propagation Progress Update (Progress report on Butterfly Bush Cuttings)
- Grape Vines from Greenwood Cuttings
- Holly Cuttings
- Hydrangeas: Variegated (macrophylla), Update
- Hydrangeas: Oak Leaf (Hydrangea quercifolia)
- Hydrangeas: More on Oak Leaf Hydrangea
- Burning Bush (Euonymous alata)
- Purple Leaf Plum Propagation
- Densiformis Yew
- Leyland Cypress
- Viburnum Cuttings
- Viburnum, Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum)
Propagating Perennials and Annuals
- Russian Sage Cuttings (Plant Propagation Update)
- Achillea millifolium
- Coleus Cuttings
- Catmint Cuttings (Nepeta faassinii)
- Propagating: Russian Sage, Salvia, and Coneflower
- Asiatic Lily Propagation
- Artemsia ‘Powis Castle’
- Persian Shield (Strobinlanthus dyerianus)
- Salvia
- Husker’s Red Penstemon Propagation
How to Propagate Asiatic Lilies From Leaves
Asiatic lilies are a plant that in the right conditions can develop roots from leaf cuttings. Not all plants work this way but some lilies develop bulbils from the leaf area. This technique below uses that trait to help stimulate root growth from the ends…
How to Propagate Rosemary in Water from Cuttings
Rosemary is an herb we use frequently in our cooking, at least when we have it around. In years past I’ve been able to walk out the front door and cut a few sprigs off the large rosemary bushes in front of our steps. I…
How to Propagate Catmint from Cuttings (Nepeta faassinii)
Last Saturday I was shopping at a nursery where I found a ‘Walker’s Low’ Catmint (Nepeta faassinii). I’ve talked about the benefits of Nepeta before so it may not be a surprise that I bought one. I planted the new perennial the other day in…
Hydrangea Propagation (Hydrangea macrophylla)
Every gardener likes a hydrangea in the garden. Likewise every gardener likes having more hydrangeas in the garden! So why not propagate a few more hydrangeas for your garden? Of course you have to have a suitable spot for one but if you have a…
Rooting Coleus from Cuttings: Easy Method to Make More Plants
If coleus (Solenostemon) is not the easiest plant cutting to root, then it must be ranked at the top of the plant propagator’s list right next to the willows. Here’s the process of rooting Coleus in water. Whether you want to multiply your coleus plants…
How to Propagate Grape Vines through Greenwood Cuttings
Last week I made some cuttings of my ‘Concord’ grape vine in an attempt to make a few more vines. Grapes are great edible plants to have in the garden whether you like eating them at the table, making juice, or even making wine. Grapes…
With Dogwood Tree Cuttings Shorter Cuttings Work Best
A couple months ago I managed to root a dogwood tree from cuttings. Only 1 of 3 cuttings rooted but I still considered it a success. After all it was the first time I had managed to root a dogwood tree from a cutting. You…
Rooting Leaf Cuttings of Sedums
Every now and then there is a plant that will root from the leaves, like Asiatic lilies I wrote about earlier in the year. Sedums are another one of those kinds of plants. Recently I rooted several cuttings of ‘Autumn Joy’ sedum and another sedum…
Propagating Peppers Through Cuttings
You might think that peppers are one of those seed only grown plants. For many gardeners they are, but what if you want an exact copy of a favorite pepper plant? With peppers we typically sow the seeds in late winter and grow the seedlings…
Rooting Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum Propagation)
Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) is one of my favorite shrubs (among too many to list) for good reason! It’s easy to grow, it’s dark glossy leaves change to various colors in red hues during the fall, and it provides nourishment in the form of berries…