having to move in autumn for work and i want to take cuttings of a number of shrubs/plants before i leave.

can anyone recommend a good website/book which gives clear instructions as never done any cuttings b4.

if you want to give me recommendations on how to take cuttings for the following then that would be great to, but please bear in mind i have no greenhouse, but do have a bright east facing window with lots of space for pots

clematis
camellia
honeysuckle
azalea
hebe
hydrangea (including a climbing petrolaris)
jasmin

appreciate your help

I have covered most of these in my website;

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/

Use the alphabetical index and related links to get to the info'

Tiger303 wrote:
having to move in autumn for work and i want to take cuttings of a
number of shrubs/plants before i leave.

can anyone recommend a good website/book which gives clear instructions
as never done any cuttings b4.

snip
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile...ing_tender.asp
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon

"Tiger303" wrote in message
...

having to move in autumn for work and i want to take cuttings of a
number of shrubs/plants before i leave.

can anyone recommend a good website/book which gives clear instructions
as never done any cuttings b4.

if you want to give me recommendations on how to take cuttings for the
following then that would be great to, but please bear in mind i have
no greenhouse, but do have a bright east facing window with lots of
space for pots

clematis
camellia
honeysuckle
azalea
hebe
hydrangea (including a climbing petrolaris)
jasmin

appreciate your help

You can do the first 3 between now and July using new growth just starting
to harden, a set of leaves/buds at the top and about 1" of stem below,
inserted up to the buds, cover the pots with white plastic bags with some
sticks or hoops to keep it off the cuttings and place in a place that is
light but not hot, water in using a fungicide. (mix in the pot can be a
variety of things but peat and perlite 2 to 1 works well for me), don't let
it get too dry, you get better results using bottom heat but its not
essential.

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

michael adams wrote:
snip
Here's a website about softwood cuttings from hydrangeas. Which are
easy providing you catch the plant when the leaves are just the
right size. Probably just about right now in fact. On the website
she recommends cutting the leaves in half on the potted cuttings.
Which I wouldn't necessarily be happy with. If the leaves are the
right size this shouldn't be necessary in any case.

When my husband takes cuttings from quite large leafed plants, he
*always* chops the leaves in half. It helps prevent water loss. I'm
talking about things like Camellia, Eleagnus, Hydrangea etc.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon

"Sacha" wrote in message
oups.com...

michael adams wrote:
snip
Here's a website about softwood cuttings from hydrangeas. Which are
easy providing you catch the plant when the leaves are just the
right size. Probably just about right now in fact. On the website
she recommends cutting the leaves in half on the potted cuttings.
Which I wouldn't necessarily be happy with. If the leaves are the
right size this shouldn't be necessary in any case.

When my husband takes cuttings from quite large leafed plants, he
*always* chops the leaves in half. It helps prevent water loss. I'm
talking about things like Camellia, Eleagnus, Hydrangea etc.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon


The leaves on the side shoots on my hydreangeas are currently
2" long. While camellias being waxy leaved shouldn't lose that
much water in any case. I'm not happy about cutting leaves
uncecessarily because this prsumably diverts energy and
resources into forming a callous on the cut which otherwis
would put towards rooting. Also if the cuttings are properly
covered in a suitable environment, moisture loss shouldn't be
an issue - whereas concievably space, might be.


michael adams

....

"Sacha" wrote in message
oups.com...

michael adams wrote:
snip
Here's a website about softwood cuttings from hydrangeas. Which are
easy providing you catch the plant when the leaves are just the
right size. Probably just about right now in fact. On the website
she recommends cutting the leaves in half on the potted cuttings.
Which I wouldn't necessarily be happy with. If the leaves are the
right size this shouldn't be necessary in any case.

When my husband takes cuttings from quite large leafed plants, he
*always* chops the leaves in half. It helps prevent water loss. I'm
talking about things like Camellia, Eleagnus, Hydrangea etc.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon


My mistake. And just to confuse the OP even further, the hydreangeas
will need to be softwood cuttings, taken now. Rather than semi
hardwood cuttings taken later in the year i.e too late for present
purposes, which would indeed have very large leaves.


The leaves on the side shoots on my hydreangeas are currently
2" long. While camellias being waxy leaved shouldn't lose that
much water in any case. I'm not happy about cutting leaves
uncecessarily because this prsumably diverts energy and
resources into forming a callous on the cut which otherwis
would put towards rooting. Also if the cuttings are properly
covered in a suitable environment, moisture loss shouldn't be
an issue - whereas concievably space, might be.


michael adams

....

michael adams wrote:
"Sacha" wrote in message
oups.com...

michael adams wrote:
snip
Here's a website about softwood cuttings from hydrangeas. Which are
easy providing you catch the plant when the leaves are just the
right size. Probably just about right now in fact. On the website
she recommends cutting the leaves in half on the potted cuttings.
Which I wouldn't necessarily be happy with. If the leaves are the
right size this shouldn't be necessary in any case.

When my husband takes cuttings from quite large leafed plants, he
*always* chops the leaves in half. It helps prevent water loss. I'm
talking about things like Camellia, Eleagnus, Hydrangea etc.
--

The leaves on the side shoots on my hydreangeas are currently
2" long. While camellias being waxy leaved shouldn't lose that
much water in any case. I'm not happy about cutting leaves
uncecessarily because this prsumably diverts energy and
resources into forming a callous on the cut which otherwis
would put towards rooting. Also if the cuttings are properly
covered in a suitable environment, moisture loss shouldn't be
an issue - whereas concievably space, might be.

I can only say that he's been doing this for over 20 years and that
while the propagating house is always pretty full, it's not done for
space. Some of the things he does that to are put into a sort of tent
arrangement where the mister works over them but they also get bottom
heat. Presumably, those who use this method find the lowering of
moisture loss overcomes any worries about forming a callous. His
success rate is high, so something's working! Everyone has their pet
methods, especially the pros, so that's his. There can be no doubt
that having all the 'gadgetry' makes life easier but I see in another
thread that Chris Hogg says he does the same to leaves - it's a
recognised method to prevent loss of moisture.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon

"Sacha" wrote in message
oups.com...

michael adams wrote:
"Sacha" wrote in message
oups.com...

michael adams wrote:
snip
Here's a website about softwood cuttings from hydrangeas. Which are
easy providing you catch the plant when the leaves are just the
right size. Probably just about right now in fact. On the website
she recommends cutting the leaves in half on the potted cuttings.
Which I wouldn't necessarily be happy with. If the leaves are the
right size this shouldn't be necessary in any case.

When my husband takes cuttings from quite large leafed plants, he
*always* chops the leaves in half. It helps prevent water loss. I'm
talking about things like Camellia, Eleagnus, Hydrangea etc.
--

The leaves on the side shoots on my hydreangeas are currently
2" long. While camellias being waxy leaved shouldn't lose that
much water in any case. I'm not happy about cutting leaves
uncecessarily because this prsumably diverts energy and
resources into forming a callous on the cut which otherwis
would put towards rooting. Also if the cuttings are properly
covered in a suitable environment, moisture loss shouldn't be
an issue - whereas concievably space, might be.

I can only say that he's been doing this for over 20 years and that
while the propagating house is always pretty full, it's not done for
space. Some of the things he does that to are put into a sort of tent
arrangement where the mister works over them but they also get bottom
heat. Presumably, those who use this method find the lowering of
moisture loss overcomes any worries about forming a callous. His
success rate is high, so something's working! Everyone has their pet
methods, especially the pros, so that's his. There can be no doubt
that having all the 'gadgetry' makes life easier but I see in another
thread that Chris Hogg says he does the same to leaves - it's a
recognised method to prevent loss of moisture.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon


See my other post. I confused softwood cuttings with semi hardwood
cuttings taken later on in the year when the leaves will indeed be
full sized and so too big for use as cuttings without trimming
of some kind. I've only ever taken softwood cuttings of hydrangeas.
While the semi hardwood cuttings of the camellias were taken much
later. Quite when I can't remember. The OP's problem will be the time
of year, and what's possible with each of these plants, given that
any cuttings need to be established by autumn. I think.....

michael adams

....

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
Charlie Pridham wrote:
[...]
(mix in the pot can be a variety of things but peat and
perlite 2 to 1 works well for me), [...]

I've always followed Geoffrey Smith's recommendation of coarse grit
rather than perlite. He said -- but I have no idea at all if it's
true -- he thought the sharpness of the grit helped to stimulate rooting
as well as promoting aeration.

--
Mike.

Could be he is right, but if you find something that works for you under
your conditions you would be silly to change horses as they say, mind you as
the OP hasn't started yet I guess he could go for any of the suggestions, I
certainly use several methods for some plants in order to be able to
propagate all year round. Many ways to skin the cat, many rights and very
few wrongs :~)
I suppose the most important thing is to reduce water loss until it roots,
some cuttings are tiny (I have been doing clematis today and they are only
6-7mm long at this time of year - and would be shorter but I nick my
fingers!) how you achieve it doesn't matter too much, plants seem to want to
survive.
--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
I've always followed Geoffrey Smith's recommendation of coarse grit
rather than perlite. He said -- but I have no idea at all if it's
true -- he thought the sharpness of the grit helped to stimulate
rooting
as well as promoting aeration.

Probably does, though I think the difference is marginal. If true I
suspect the abrasive action of the grit would make a multitude of
minute injuries to the expanding callus and those injuries would
probably stimulate root initials to form. Come to think, when I find
myself using grit it's for those subjects that callus readily but tend
to be slow to form roots.

--
Rod

My real address is rodtheweedygardeneratmyweedyisp
Just remove the weedy bits
and transplant the appropriate symbol at.