Harvest plant cuttings in August to prevent missing the chance - 7 flowers and bushes to propagate immediately before summer's end
August is an ideal time for propagating a variety of popular shrubs and perennials, including rosemary, lantana, potentilla, ribes, lavender, forsythia, and sage. Here's a guide on how to take cuttings and ensure successful rooting.
Best Practices for Taking Cuttings
- Select healthy, non-flowering stems with firm growth, ideally taken in the morning when plants are most vigorous.
- Cut just below a node using sharp, clean scissors or pruning shears to reduce disease risk and improve rooting success.
- Dip the cut end in rooting hormone powder or gel to stimulate root development and protect against pathogens. Alternatively, raw honey can be used as a natural antifungal agent.
- Prepare well-draining soil or propagation mix, such as a gritty mix or specialized rooting soil with low nutrients to reduce rot risk.
- Plant the cuttings immediately, ideally after making a small hole to avoid rubbing off the rooting hormone, and firm the soil around them.
- Create a humid environment by covering pots with a plastic bag or using a propagation station. Keep them in a warm spot out of direct sun and mist regularly to maintain moisture until roots form.
- Protect young cuttings from wind, heavy rain, and harsh afternoon sun until they establish roots.
Specific Tips per Plant
Rosemary and Sage
Take semi-hardwood cuttings in August, dip in rooting hormone, and plant in well-draining soil. These woody herbs root best in warm, humid conditions.
Lantana
Use four-inch green shoots, strip lower leaves, dip in water then rooting hormone, and plant in gritty soil. Keep out of harsh afternoon sun as roots develop over 6+ weeks.
Potentilla and Forsythia
Hardwood cuttings taken in late summer to early autumn root well. Use rooting hormone and plant in a moist, well-draining medium. Keep cuttings sheltered from extremes of weather.
Ribes (currant/gooseberry relatives)
Hardwood cuttings taken in late summer can root if placed in a well-draining, damp medium with rooting hormone. Keep them humid and warm until rooting.
Lavender
Softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings work best in August. Dip in rooting hormone, plant in gritty, well-draining soil, and keep cuttings warm and humid but not wet. Avoid excessive moisture to prevent rot.
Using raw honey as a natural rooting stimulant is an alternative to synthetic rooting hormones, providing anti-fungal and antibacterial benefits that encourage healthy root growth.
Ensure patience as root development timing varies by species and environment. After sufficient root growth (several weeks), transplant cuttings into larger pots or the garden.
Sage cuttings can be taken via soil propagation or in water, with changing the water every few days if rooting in water.
- For rosemary and sage, it's best to take semi-hardwood cuttings in August, dip them in rooting hormone, and plant them in well-draining soil, as these herbs root best in warm, humid conditions.
- When propagating lantana, use four-inch green shoots, strip lower leaves, dip them in water then rooting hormone, and plant them in gritty soil to create a favorable environment for roots to develop over 6 weeks.
