The Rebel Gardener

Do you really need a Greenhouse or Heated Propagating trays?

There are plenty of articles and websites on the internet where you can learn how to propagate plants from cuttings. Most require some degree of expertise, a greenhouse or heated propagating tray and a bit of an investment in your cost and time. But here’s a really quick, easy and cost effective way for the home gardener to propagate a few extra free plants for the home garden.

This is a method I learnt from my mother a few years ago and she’s been using it to propagate lavenders and all sorts of similar plants for years. I’d hate to guess the amount of plants she’s propagated over the years from cuttings using this method. One of her favourite things to do in the garden was to plant lavender hedges so she must have propagated hundreds of lavenders using this method.

So here’s what you do;

Eremophila Calorhabdos Flowers.

First choose your subject and take some cuttings. I’ve chosen Eremophila Calorhabdos today because I want to grow a small hedge from it.

Now the next bit is common knowledge but I’ll repeat it anyway. Make sure that your subject is well hydrated before you take your cuttings. Give it a good watering the night before with Seasol and water.

Then take the cuttings early in the morning before the sun gets too hot. Now having said all of that I threw caution to the wind as today was a cold wet day and I really only decided to do this at lunch time so I just went ahead took the cuttings anyway. We’ll see what happens.

16 5cm tubes taped together.

The next thing is to prepare your containers. I’m using 5 cm square tubes that have been used before so I’ll use a diluted solution of household bleach and water to clean them. If you want, you can spend the extra money and buy some fungicide from the garden centre but I reckon the bleach works just fine. In fact I’ve done this before without even cleaning the tubes, so it’s really up to you.

Next I use a middle of the range potting mix as a propagating medium. Now I know you’ve probably all heard that you should use a special propagating medium that’s made up of all sorts of stuff that will maximise the chances of your cuttings developing roots. I’ve tried these in the past and they obviously work but I’ve found that potting mix does as well. So it’s up to you. If you want to spend the extra money on the propagating mix then that’s fine.

Next I up I prepare my cuttings.

I cut 2 branches and then cut them into 8 cuttings each about 6 inches/15cm long.

How you go about this is up to you. I’ve read some really in depth methods about this in the past that make it sound like it’s some new type of science. I just cut them to length and then put a small nick in the end that goes into the potting mix. If you want you can experiment with different types of cuttings from different parts of the plant.

Now before the cuttings go into the tube I then soak them in some Multicrop plant starter for a few seconds and then push them into the potting mix. Then just water them in, put them in a shady, cool area and then just be patient. I don’t use a greenhouse or plastic bag to keep them dehydrated. Just keep them in a cool area and keep them damp. Then just sit back and be patient.

I’ve done this on the 2nd day of winter so they probably won’t be ready until spring. In the warmer months they will obviously be a bit quicker.

Place them in the shade, keep the media wet and just be patient.

This whole operating took less than ½ an hour, cost me next to nothing and all I have to do is give the cuttings a quick water every day or so, so they don’t dry out.

Some of the plants my mother has propagated from cuttings using this method are Lavenders, Roses, Buddleia, Geraniums, English Box, Oleanders, Hydrangeas and lots, lots more.

Plants that I’ve propagated from cuttings using this simple method are Banksias, Proteas, Leucadendrons and Eremophila. Others include Succulents, Cactus, Dracaenas, Yuccas, Aloes, and Agaves, but these are easy to propagate anyway as you can propagate most of these by just placing a cutting in the ground.

So do you really need a Greenhouse or Heated Propagating trays to propagate plants from cuttings? Well if you’ve already got this equipment then why wouldn’t you want to use it? But if you haven’t, then why not give this method a try. Experimenting in the garden is fun and so is propagating plants from cuttings. It’s a great way to grow lots of free plants especially if you want to grow a hedge. Let me know how you go.

Happy Propagating!

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