Once the weather gets colder and you have experienced at least one good hard freeze, the deciduous plants should be dormant and will have dropped their leaves, and you can now propagate them. Just make cuttings about 4” long, dip them in a rooting compound and stick them in the bed of sand.
When to take cuttings. The best time to take softwood cuttings is from mid-spring to early summer. Hardwood cuttings are taken later in the year, from mid-autumn to mid-winter.
September/October is the ideal time to take cuttings from your favourite strains of tender perennials to increase your stock for next spring or to make sure they live on if the parent plants do not survive the winter.
“Grafting, budding, and plant propagation can be done on many types of plants during the winter, not just hardwoods.” High humidity and moisture are important during the post-cut and post-grafting periods.
Herbaceous cuttings can be taken throughout the growing season (spring to late fall), while softwood cuttings should be taken in spring or early summer. Cuttings can be taken as long as the parent plant is healthy and in active growth.
Taking cuttings in autumn is also a good way of increase your stock of your favourite plants. At this time of year, you can take semi-ripe cuttings, from this year's growth. They are woody at the base and soft at the tip. In autumn, hormone levels are high, so plants should root and grow well.
Hardwood cutting are taken in the dormant season (mid-autumn until late winter) after leaf fall, avoiding periods of severe frost. The ideal time is just after leaf fall or just before bud-burst in spring. Although this type of cutting may be slow to develop roots and shoots, it is usually successful.
When winter propagating, cuttings will need protection from the elements and some moisture. Protection may be in the form of a poly tunnel, kitchen windowsill, enclosed porch, or cold frame. Whatever you are using should be well lit, frost free, ventilated, and offer wind protection.
When exactly should I start taking winter cuttings? You now know that winter cuttings are taken from mid-autumn to late winter, but there will be periods within those months you should avoid. If the garden is particularly wet and frozen, avoid taking cuttings until there is a dryer day.
Warm growing medium temperatures accelerate cell division which leads to faster callusing, root initial development and subsequent root growth. It also speeds up the dry-down rate of the growing medium, which also helps encourage better rooting. The best way to warm the growing medium is through bottom heat.
Some plants like papaya, marigold, chilli, capsicum, tomato, etc., cannot be propagated by asexual method. It is the only means of creating genetic diversity of plants. New varieties and cultivars of ornamental and vegetable crops can be developed only by this method.
Numerous plant species are propagated by stem cuttings. Some can be taken at any time of the year, but stem cuttings of many woody plants must be taken in the fall or in the dormant season. Tip cuttings: Detach a 2 to 6-inch piece of stem, including the terminal bud. Make the cut just below a node.
From early fall through most of November is one of the best times of year to plant spring-blooming bulbs, cool-season annuals and vegetables, as well as many trees, shrubs, and perennials. On this page: WHY PLANT IN FALL. SPRING-BLOOMING BULBS.
A perennial with an insect or disease problem should always be pruned in fall, no matter the type. Trim and discard of any infected plant stems to stop an infestation from carrying over into next year's growing season.
Give cuttings bright light but not sun. Keep soil moist but not wet. The cuttings should root within three weeks. Admit air gradually to wean the cuttings from their humid environment, then pot singly before outdoor planting.
Media is usually kept at 72-77° F while air temperature is maintained at 68-73° F. If bottom heat is not used, air temperature should be maintained between 77 and 80° F. Maintaining air temperatures lower than medium temperatures retards shoot growth while promoting root development. Excessive heat can damage cuttings.
Taking cuttings is a great way to propagate new plants. You can take cuttings at any time of year in a variety of ways, but the easiest (and most successful) method is by taking cuttings of plants' stems in summer.
Several cuttings may be placed together in one container. Be sure to add fresh water as needed until the cuttings are fully rooted. Rooting will generally occur in 3-4 weeks but some plants will take longer. When the roots are 1-2 inches long or longer the cutting is ready to be potted up.
The date that your ground actually freezes varies from year to year, of course, and some areas won't have frozen ground at all. If you're unsure, mid-November is a safe planting deadline for nearly everyone. - Get everything in the ground before the ground freezes.
Fall is the second best time, toward the end of October or in November, if the soil is still reasonably warm. The plant will do better the longer it has to reestablish itself before winter cold arrives. You can transplant roses in mid-season, say June or July, but it's risky.
Some plants will root in water, but cuttings will develop a better root system when rooted in a soil-less potting mix. Sand or perlite can also be used, especially for cuttings that need good drainage and may rot if kept too wet.
Can you put cuttings straight into soil? You can put a cutting into a fresh pot of soil or try rooting them in water, but it's often best to put the cutting straight into soil.