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Easy Summer Cuttings

© Jane Hollis

Now is a good time of year to take cuttings from shrubs and some perennials. Taking cuttings can seem a complicated subject - many text books talk in great detail about where to place the cut, use of rooting powder and sophisticated misting units. For some plants, like Rhododendrons and Camellias, all this palaver may be necessary as the plants are not easy to propagate, but there are many garden plants that will take from cuttings really easily.

In most cases all that is necessary is to snip off a shoot, trim off some of the leaves and stick it in a pot of moist compost and place the pot out of direct sunlight. Water the pot enough to stop the compost drying out and in a few weeks time your cuttings should have rooted. To check whether roots have formed you can check to see if roots are protruding from the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot, or you can give the cutting a gentle tug to see whether it is anchored in the pot. A few shoots may wither and die before rooting takes place, so to ensure success take several cuttings from the same plant.

Some plants root so easily, such as Lavatera 'Rosea' (tree mallow) and Euonymus fortunei, that they will often take if trimmed shoots are placed directly into the soil beneath the plant.

Here are a selection of the plants that I find it easy to strike cuttings from:

Penstemon: These lovely evergreen perennials are the mainstay of my late summer garden, from the tiny rock garden varieties in the scree bed, to the large border varieties. Some types flower until Christmas in a mild year. They come in a wide colour range including pink, purple, blue, white, red and bicolours. They like full sun and a warm spot. The variety shown left is Penstemon 'Blue Gem', a low-growing variety suitable for the front of the border or a rock garden.

Salvia officinalis (sage): This familiar sub-shrubby evergreen herb comes in a range of leaf colours including plain green, variegated and purple (left). They like full sun and good drainage.

Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary): Another useful evergreen herb that doubles as a good garden plant with aromatic foliage and attractive blue flowers. 'Miss Jessop's Upright' is a good variety that is hardier than some other types.

Euonymus fortunei: This compact evergreen shrub is usually found in variegated forms such 'Emerald 'n' Gold'(right) or 'Silver Queen'. They can be used for low hedging or will clamber up walls like a climber. They will grow in most sites.