Planting Hydrangeas From Cuttings: A Guide?

To propagate hydrangeas from cuttings, start by removing all leaves below the top leaf pair on your cutting. Then, stick the cut end of the cutting into a small pot filled with 1 part potting mix and 1 part sand or vermiculite. Hydrangeas are flexible and can be started from softwood cuttings taken in early spring or semi-hardwood cuttings (partly matured first year). Mid-spring or early summer is the best time to take hydrangea cuttings, as they are actively growing during this period and are quick to produce new plants.

To root hydrangea cuttings, start with new growth that has no flowers on it. Remove a 6 inch piece of stem and cut each piece right above the node where leaves attach to the stem. Due to its woody nature, hydrangea cuttings cannot be propagated in water, so they need to be placed in a pot of gritty compost. Propagate at the right time of year, cut off a small branch, trim leaves, and dip the lower end of the cutting into rooting hormone.

Sanitize your pruners, take a cutting from a green stem, trim leaves, and dip the stem into rooting powder. Prepare the site well by digging in plenty of Daltons Compost. Hydrangeas can be grown in sun/semi-shade but don’t do well in boggy soil. For hardwood hydrangea cuttings, stick them in sand and leave outside all winter, water when warm and dry, and water in the spring.