On Fri, 7 Feb 2003 23:48:39 -0000, "tim" wrote:

(re-arranged)
"Sally Thompson" wrote in message
...

Last summer we planted six Elaeagnus Pungens Maculata as part of the
evergreen section of our hedge. They have been doing very well, but
in the recent high winds a large section of one of them was broken
off. We've temporarily stuck this in water, but can we plant it out?
Should we take cuttings (how?!) or plant it as it is? The piece
that's broken off is about 18 inches high and the stem is about as
thick as my little finger, and it also has a heel, if that's any help.

It depends on how healthy your broken piece is.
I suggest you try and see. What have you got to loose.
Take nodal cuttings, about six inches. Remove all but one pair of leaves.
Use rooting powder and place the cutting into an open textured compost with
plenty of grit.
Push the cutting in so as to include more than one node if possible. Cover
the pot with a polythene bag and keep it somewher warm but out of direct
sunlight. Check every now then that the compost remains moist but not over
wet. (You are attempting to root the cutting befor it rots.)
The night time temperatures are the most important and you must try to keep
them around 18 to 20 degrees c.
If you have the heel left over you can make a separate cutting from this .
Clean up the heel using a rasor blade, dip in rooting powder and push into
peat as above.

Thanks for the advice Tim. Yes, as you say we have nothing to lose -
and at least the lower part of the shrub is still okay. We'll give it
a go.

--
Sally in Shropshire, UK
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