You can use multiple stems or use one stem for several cuttings. Cut the stem into 4- to 6-inch lengths with your knife or pruners. Cut each piece right above the node where leaves attach to the stem. These nodes are where new roots will form.
Hydrangeas do best if grown outdoors. Here are two suggestions for getting cuttings through the winter: (1) sink pots of cuttings into the ground and cover well with lightweight mulch. (2) put smaller pots of cuttings next to a foundation and cover them with large clay pots for the winter.
You can propagate hydrangeas in water in a similar way to propagating hydrangeas in soil however using this method can lead to varying results. Propagating in water can lead to a weaker root system that might fail when moved into soil outside, however, this does not happen 100% of the time.
To take hydrangea cuttings, use secateurs to collect material from hydrangea stems and a knife to trim each cutting. Due to its woody nature, it's not possible to propagate a hydrangea cutting in water, so you'll need to insert them into a pot of gritty compost, instead.
But most hydrangea softwood cuttings should root in two to four weeks. To test your progress, pull very gently on a cutting. You'll feel a slight resistance from delicate new roots. Soon, you'll see new leaf growth as well.
For lasting arrangements (about two to three days for fresh cut flowers), take our advice and gather blooms in the morning. Pick ones that are open and colorful. Mature flowers with a slightly papery feel will hold up best. Immediately place the stems, cut at an angle, in a bucket of water.
Most softwood cuttings are taken in spring and early summer, from the tender new growth of the season. If potted by mid-summer they will develop sufficient roots to survive the winter, otherwise pot up in the following spring.
Hydrangeas are pretty flexible; they can be started from softwood cuttings (fresh new growth) taken in early spring, when the plant is just leafing out, or semi-hardwood cuttings (partly matured first year growth that may have developed a semi-woody base) in late summer.
It's really important to get your fresh cuts in water immediately after cutting them. So when you head out to the garden to cut hydrangeas, bring a large bucket of water with you. And as soon as you make a cut, drop the stem in that bucket of water to help keep them fresh.
Most gardeners take their cuttings from the end of spring to the beginning of autumn. You can take cuttings later in mid-autumn, provided the hydrangea is still growing, but as the temperature drops, you may find the cuttings struggle to put down roots without a heat mat.
Most common hydrangeas prefer a partial sun location - ideally receiving sun in the morning hours and shade in the afternoon. The reblooming Endless Summer® Hydrangea series prefers part shade.
Other times, you might need a fork or shovel to help divide the plant. Either way, once you have two pieces with roots attached to each, you now have two plants to replant. The best time to divide bigleaf hydrangeas is very early spring, just as new green buds are starting to swell and open along the stems.
ANSWER: You can bury the entire clay pot with your rooted hydrangea cutting in the garden for the winter if the clay pot has a drainage hole in the bottom so that the pot won't break. Simply dig a big enough hole that you can fit the entire pot in the ground and the lip is at soil level.
First, add a 1/4 cup of sugar to the room temperature water in the vase. The sugar helps feed the stems and increases the life of the cut flowers.
Place the hydrangea(s) in the vase filled with hot water. Let sit for a minimum of one hour and voila! Revived hydrangeas.
Water your hydrangeas in the morning before the heat of the sun is strong enough to quickly evaporate soil moisture. Try to avoid watering at night, which can encourage mold and mildew as the moisture sits through the cool night. Water your hydrangeas through the growing season as well as in late fall.
The reason honey works well as a natural rooting hormone is because it has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Honey protects the cuttings from pathogens and allows the natural rooting hormones in the cutting to stimulate root growth.
Though they are fast growing shrubs, it can take 2-4 years for hydrangeas to reach their full size. Some are faster to mature than others. Growing hydrangeas is simple, and they can thrive in just about any climate.
The third way to propagate your hydrangea is to take cuttings in the fall. In early September cut pieces off the newest stems that are about eight inches long.
To rejuvenate the hydrangea, remove up to 1/3 of the older living stems down to the ground each summer. This will revitalize the plant. If necessary to control the size of the plant, cut back before late July to allow for buds to develop. Usually the plant will return immediately to its former size.
Many horticulturists recommend root-pruning a hydrangea a few days before transplanting.