How can I start a hydrangea from a cutting?

Hydrangea propagation from cutting is very easy! Here are the steps:

1. Take a cutting with about 2 or 3 leaf joints from the top. Be sure to remove the stem just below a leaf joint and remove the lowest leaves to produce a bare stem that can be planted into your compost you'll be planting the cutting into.
2. If you have any flowers on your cutting, remove them that the cutting can direct all its energy into creating roots!
3. You can get rooting potting soil at your local garden center, or just make your own using a ration of 50% peat to 50% sand.
4. Place three cuttings into 3" pots and water them. Put them in a sunny window, but don't let them get too hot (or cold) - even temperature is best!
5. The cuttings will take about 10-20 days for the roots to grow. Once rooted, split each of the three cuttings in one pot into a 3" pot of their own using basic potting soil. 
6. About a month into the endeavour, pinch out the top of the cutting to pomote side growths.
7. Depending on where you live, you may want to keep your new plants in a greenhouse or indoors in a sunny window and then plant in Spring... or just put them in a place that has good southwestern exposure, maybe close to the house.

Tags

cuttings, propagation, hydrangea cuttings, new plantings