Propagating Hydrangeas From Cuttings
Last week, there was the most beautiful arrangement of giant clear blue mophead hydrangeas adorning the reception area of my offices in the Starrett Lehigh building in Manhattan. Of course, seeing such magnificent blooms, I wanted to grow that particular variety of hydrangea in my garden, but I wasn’t sure of its name. So, rather than guess and perhaps order the wrong plant, I decided to bring the stems home and have Ryan McCallister, my gardener, propagate new plants from the cuttings. It’s an interesting and rather simple process and also very gratifying.
1 These are the hydrangea stems that I brought home for Ryan to root. Some are quite long.
2 The stems were cut cleanly, at an angle, and kept moist inside damp paper toweling.
3 A stem for hydrangea propagation should be at least 4 inches long and new growth. A new growth stem is a lighter green in color than old growth, which tends to be on the woody side.
4 Ryan snipped the long stems, separating them just above a leaf node, where new leaves will hopefully form.
5 The shorter stem cuttings are the right length for rooting.
6 Empty reusable pots and trays are stored neatly in the greenhouse basement. These pots are washed thoroughly after each use.
7 Ryan began mixing the rooting medium, a blend of equal parts perlite, vermiculite, sand, and a bit of potting medium. This white substance is perlite, a volcanic mineral that improves aeration and drainage and traps moisture, making it available to plant roots.
8 This is vermiculite, a lightweight mineral that improves soil aeration and moisture retention.
9 The rooting medium all nicely blended
10 Ryan filled the pots with the mixture.
11 He then place the filled pots in the trays.
12 And gave the medium a nice drink of water
13 Next, Ryan poked holes in the rooting medium using a small wooden dibber, or dibble.
14 Although not absolutely necessary, the use of a rooting hormone, which acts as a root stimulant, will increase the chances of successful propagation.
15 Ryan sprinkled a bit of the hormone into another container.
16 He then dipped the bottom part of the cutting into the hormone.
17 Just a bit on the end does the trick.
18 The cuttings were then placed into the holes.
19 And the soil firmed around the cuttings
20 Any large leaves were snipped off, focusing attention on the formation of roots.
21 Ryan continued snipping the other long stems, dipped them in the hormone, and planted them in the pots.
22 In all, we have a potential total of 36 new hydrangea plants. In a couple of weeks, Ryan will look very gently to see if they are indeed forming roots and if so, we'll have to figure out where to plant them!
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Thank you, Martha, for that information. I am going to give it a try. Is there a point where it is too late to try rooting them?
I let the time-line for Boxwood slip by.
Please keep us posted on how well they do.
Gloria G!!
Posted by: Gloria | September 5th, 2012 at 12:10 am
Dear Martha
Thank you for posting on how to propagate hydrangea. I love hydrangeas but have not been successful in propagating them. Please..please post the results of the hydrangeas after a fews weeks and also when they start to flower. Thanks you.
Posted by: Rosa | September 5th, 2012 at 12:25 am
My mom, my mother-in-law and I like to do the same thing; snipped an interesting plants we came across for propagation. But never with such careful procedures. Please do give us update on this hydrangea, especially when it's all planted and blooming. Thanks
Posted by: Miss.O | September 5th, 2012 at 1:41 am
Thank you Martha for an informative post I love it. In our summer home in the mountains we have Hydrangeas garden so beautiful. Best of luck and success with the process.
Posted by: Rowaida Flayhan | September 5th, 2012 at 3:47 am
I have a hydrangea that had a branch that was growing out very low on the bottom of the bush, and a bit of it, midway down on one stem, got covered with dirt. I didn't notice it until I realized, it had grown into a new plant, replanted that to a new location and now 3 years later it's, a big bush. I should try to replicate the results as that was a very easy way to get a new plant!
Posted by: SVLynn | September 5th, 2012 at 7:15 am
Growing up in New Orleans I was surrounded by beautiful hydrangea bushes, they're my favorite. I don't see them too much in South Texas, maybe it's too hot and dry! Thanks for the tutorial on propagating them Martha, I especially like your rooting medium.
Posted by: Cindy F | September 5th, 2012 at 7:56 am
I did this with mums earlier in the season, so now have about 12 mum seedlings to plant this year. I'd better get going, so they can establish for fall and into winter, so I'll have them next spring. Saves so much in money to try it yourself first.
Posted by: Gretchen | September 5th, 2012 at 8:10 am
I would have liked to see a picture of the hydrangeas that inspired you to propergate them. Good luck with them, and keep us posted. I tried to do this once with a Rose of Sharon but was unsuccessful. I'm not giving up though and will try again.
Posted by: Sharon | September 5th, 2012 at 9:04 am
This is one of my favorite posts ever. My favorite flower is the hydrangea - probably because I see it so infrequently - living in the desert southwest. I look forward to seeing the results!!
Posted by: Steph | September 5th, 2012 at 9:30 am
Hi Martha, Thank you for this fascinating, inspiring, interesting, delightful blog today about terrific Ryan McCallister propagating those hydrangeas from cuttings! I absolutely love seeing how he is showing us how to do the step by step propagating of those beautiful hydrangeas in one of your greenhouses! These photos are absolutely great and the comments are fantastic telling us exactly how to do this great process! I used to have hydrangeas many years ago and now I am inspired to plant some again! Mine were a beautiful blue that would change to lighter colors as time went by! Can't wait to see how these hydrangeas turn out! Bet they will be beautiful! How fun that Francesca and Sharkey are sharing Ryan with us on today's blog "Finding Wild Mushrooms in Maine!" Sure hope you have another great day! Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | September 5th, 2012 at 10:03 am
I wouldn't mind having a hedge of hydrangea shrubs but I don't experiment too much with anything that flowers. My sister is deathly allergic to bees and too frail to fight one off so I stick to colored foliage like croton, coleus, etc I hope your cuttings take but with your great soil, I don't see any reason why they wouldn't. Good luck anyway and I look forward to seeing the blooms.
~
I'm enjoying your pins over on the right of this page which I often repin. The panko-crusted chicken sliders and skirt steak and Bok Choy stir fry look really good. I think I'll try the chicken first. Also, it makes me laugh all the cooking terms we have to 'add to the dictionary'. The spell checker here wanted to change Panko to Pinko. haha Trish
Posted by: Trish | September 5th, 2012 at 12:41 pm
Looks like I need to do some stealthy night walks with my shears.
Posted by: Holiday Baker Man | September 5th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
Very interesting. Thanks for the help. I don't think perlite is volcanic, tho. I think it is plastic like styrofoam.
Posted by: Kandy Maharas | September 5th, 2012 at 1:31 pm
MARTHA---I, too, love this post! I have always wondered just how to do this, and your step-by -step directions are clear and concise. As always, thank you for another GREAT lesson!
Posted by: Jonathan Brown | September 5th, 2012 at 2:27 pm
Thank you for the reminder! Wonderful way to fill a garden on a budget. Made my day.
Posted by: Michael Ryan | September 5th, 2012 at 4:33 pm
Thank you for your helpful information about hydrangeas! We are a group of ladies in California who enjoy your blog.We really like the dark blue hydrangeas too. Here is a tip from one of the ladies. If you hang them upside down and dry them they will last forever and ever like a bouquet.
Also, we enjoy your monthly magazine, especially the column "Ask Martha."
Thank you for all the great tips, and for the great demo by Ryan McCallister.
Posted by: Marcea McCallister | September 5th, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Inspirational! We should all try that. Spring can be enjoyed, oh so much more, when hydrangea's are blooming in the yard. Even better, to have enough to cut and bring over to a friend!
Posted by: Brenda Knowlton | September 5th, 2012 at 6:15 pm
I also loved reading the post. About a week ago I started the propagation process with cuttings from 3 different shrubs. I found a guy on utube who claimed nothing more is needed than placing a cutting, stripped of most leaves and the outer part of approximately 1-1/2 " of the stem stripped off with a knife, directly into a pot of rich soil. Mulch and water every other day. This simple method appealed to my lazy nature. So far, there is new growth on one cutting which interestingly looked like the least likely to succeed. I plan to keep experimenting with plant propagation to save money and to maintain healthy plants in my gardens. Sadly, the garden centers in my area are going through hard times but like so many other industries their prices have not been adjusted to reflect the hard time their customer base is experiencing. So, I plan to do what a gardener has to do under the circumstances.
Posted by: Beverly Miller | September 5th, 2012 at 8:33 pm
I was glad to see this post. I want to try this technique with lavender and boxwood. Thanks!!
Posted by: Andrea | September 6th, 2012 at 11:42 am
Martha, I'm so disappointed to hear that you're show isn't going to be on
Hallmark this year. Really, Really enjoyed you're show. I've collected lots
of recipes, craft ideas, plant information, plus lots of other information.
Hope you come back soon. You're show was a highlight of my day.
Posted by: Shirley Stearns | September 6th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
i was successful in propagating the plants in pots. The question is if one should plant them in the garden now or let them spend the winter in containers until next spring...
Posted by: Manuela | September 6th, 2012 at 9:23 pm
Hydrangeas appear in summer all over Istanbul. I love the contrast of such an old-fashioned flower in an urban setting. I find them calming.
Posted by: Karen | September 7th, 2012 at 8:49 pm
I can't wait to try this technique ... thank you so much for this propagating post. I have a "Limelight" which I have never found another and want one so badly to begin having more. They are so beautiful and perhaps now I will have some success in achieving it. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I hope this time of year in my region (midwest Illinois) will prove a good time. Again, thank you for this great and detailed post.
You are an earthly angel
Becky
Posted by: Becky K. | September 8th, 2012 at 3:16 pm
I love my hydrangea and have tried potting cuttings and had some luck but
see I will have better luck with you help. Thank you so much. I live in MN so
have to bring my plants in for the winter and they do very good in my south
facing windows. My hubby admires and counts his flowers. Because of them being inside they go through falls, loss their leave, and re-bloom several times
during the winter inside. Is that natural?
Posted by: Gwen Peterson | September 9th, 2012 at 10:38 am
I live in upstate New York, what time of year should I start to propagate Hydrangeas and will the do well inside for the winter? thank you
And I haven't asked this question before
Posted by: suzanne sullivan | September 14th, 2012 at 9:17 pm
I am moving next weekend and was debating on digging up the entire hydrangea bush! Knowing how simple it is to take cuttings and TRY to root them, I may do that instead. Heck, I may be propagating quite a lot. I wonder if October Glory Maple trees can be rooted too? Hmmm.
Posted by: Jeannette | September 22nd, 2012 at 7:22 am
please How do I print this article for my own records? I pland to conduct a Proplgating meeting for a Garden Club of America member Club. please help me with the facts to give to others
Posted by: adele arrowsmith -fanning | September 22nd, 2012 at 11:36 am
Blue Hydrangea can easily be propagated using this simple method. From a fully grown plant cut off about a 1 to 2 inch stem and cut off the bottom leaves so there are only 3 remaing at the top. Do not cut the middle leaf but the 2 remaining cut them in half so that when finished you have one untouched middle leave and 2 outer leaves cut in half. Place ina container (I use half a milk carton) wtth good quality soil. Water thoroughly. Cover the entire box with a plastic bag such as from a supermarket and start covering from the bottom up all the way to the top of the leaves. Then tie up the top of the bag and in 2 t o 3 months you wil find it has grown tiny roots. Then remove the plastic and the middle leaf will continue to grow. I have had good succes with this method.
Posted by: Morris | October 20th, 2012 at 8:39 pm