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.
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.
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.
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.
Taking cuttings can be really fun and a great way to keep your green fingers active over the winter months. Hardwood cuttings are taken from mid-autumn through to late winter, so you have plenty of time to get some into pots ready to settle in before root growth in spring.
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.
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.
Answer: Autumn is a good time to take cuttings of outdoor potted, tender, tropical plants such as coleus and Pelargoniums (tender, tropical geraniums). Using a clean, sharp knife, cut 3- to 5-inch lengths from your “mother” coleus and geranium plants. Remove about half of the leaves.
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.
“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.
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.
Tend the Cuttings
Most plants will not root well in full sun, so place the cuttings in a location where they will receive a 50/50 ratio of shade to dappled sunlight. For most plants, cuttings thrive on warmth and humidity, and the growing medium should be kept evenly moist but not drenched while roots develop.
Cuttings use energy to form new roots. If the cutting has leaves, most of the energy comes from photosynthesis. Expose these cuttings to bright light, but not direct sunlight, during the rooting period. If you use hardwood cuttings that have no leaves, the energy will come from reserves stored in the woody stem.
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.
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.
Storage of cuttings
It is best to harvest cuttings in early spring and plant immediately but if this is not possible, cuttings can be stored safely for about 4 months. Store cuttings in a cool, dark, and moist place. Do NOT store in a wet area as this will promote root growth and weaken the cutting.
Hardwood cuttings are best taken in October and November once the new summer growth has gone woody.
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.
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.
Clip off the leaves on the lower half of the shoot so you have a bare stem to insert into your potting mix. Then, if you want, dip the end of your stem in rooting hormone. This generally helps cuttings root more quickly.
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.
Cuttings from many annual plants will keep over winter, sprout roots, and be ready for planting in spring. You may place them in pots or cups without drainage filled with moist perlite or vermiculite. Locate them at first in bright light, away from the sun. Move later to an area where they receive morning sun.
Propagating plants in winter does take a bit longer than in the summer, two to four months for roots to develop, but it's a great way to get free plants from winter prunings. Providing bottom heat will speed things up a bit, but isn't necessary.
The sooner you can get your cuttings into a more normal environment with air flow and no dome, the better off they'll be. After about a week, remove the dome and monitor your cuttings to see if they begin to wilt. If they do, they're not ready to go dome-less, so try again in 1-2 days.