Striking Cuttings - SUMMER BLOOMERS
After the first flush of flowers, cut the plants down down to 2.5 cm (1") off the ground. New shoots will grow there and it is those which you will use for your cuttings. It's very important to not overwater during the time that these shoots are growing. The plants must be slightly thirsty for this to work properly. They should not be wilted either, of course.
WHY grow shoots on the dry side? Because plants transpire less when they are on the dry side, and this in turn can wear out the very tissue you are trying to preserve. Also, a succulent shoot is not as strong as a fibrous shoot, and they might bend or snap when you are working with them.
Be prepared with a few pots filled with potting soil, in a cool place out of the way of hot sun and drizzley rain. Alternatively you can place rows of the cuttings into seedling flats. This way you can strike a maximum amount of cuttings in a minimum of space. Also be sure to have some #1 rooting powder (for softwood cuttings) handy.
Once the shoots are 3 to 5 cm (2 to 3 inches) long, snip them off right at the base of the shoot, and by that I mean right at the crown of the plant. The best perennial cutting is that which has a bit of brown on it from where it attatches to the crown of the plant. This is also known as the hard brown callus. You might even see some tiny buds at the base of the shoot. These little buds are an excellent sign - they ensure a really fast recovery on the cutting and therefore a vigorous new plant.
Do not snap these cuttings away from the parent. Be sure to get right in there and snip or cut it away for the minimum of damage to the cutting. This will likely mean you will need a good sharp knife such as a paring knife used for peeling apples in the kitchen.
Don't take all the shoots off one plant. That is just sapping all its energy. Leave at least 1/3 of them to grow up and flower.
Clean off lower leaves, and make a good fresh cut on the bottom of the cutting, preferably with a clean, sharp kitchen knife (if it can pare apples it can do cuttings). An exacto-knife works well too but it's important that it's clean as well. Whether or not the cut is on an angle or not is not that important. The important thing is that the cutting and the cut is fresh.
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