Buying more plants is the obvious way to expand a garden, but propagating cuttings is free. Take cuttings from healthy plants this month and you can root, pot and grow them at no cost this summer.
May is one of the best times for root plants from cuttings. Growth is active, the stems are still flexible and the heat cuttings to be established are here. It’s a simple and fun activity that saves money and allows you to easily expand your garden.
The following plants are the best choices for May propagation, but each has slightly different needs. I’ll share my top tips to help you get the most out of your May cuttings.
Multiplication Basics
Bonide Bontone II rooting powder
Rooting hormone gives plant cuttings a boost when they form new roots.
These petite pruners make taking cuttings for propagation easy and efficient.
Back to Roots Organic Perlite
Plant cuttings form roots quickly in perlite and there is less risk of rotting.
1. Hydrangea
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A single established hydrangea it can produce a dozen cuttings in one session without the mother plant noticing. They prefer partial shade and consistent moisture and once established, are long-lived and undemanding.
Take softwood hydrangea cuttings before the new growth hardens. Stems should bend without snapping. We cut below a node of leaves, remove the lower leaves, dip in one rooting hormone like that from Bonideand push the cuttings into a mixture of perlite and peat.
Cover loosely with a plastic bag to retain moisture and keep out of direct sun. Roots tend to form in about three to four weeks.
2. Rosemary
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Rosemary It tolerates drought well once established, but needs full sun and becomes woody and loose without occasional cutting.
If you’re pruning rosemary plants in May, it’s worth keeping your trimmings. Use them to multiply rosemary to new plants that can fill gaps in an herb bed, go into containers, or pass on to friends or neighbors.
Cut 4- to 6-inch (10-15 cm) cuttings from the tips of unflowered stems, remove the lower two-thirds of the leaves, and place them in a potting mix of perlite sand and compost. You can modify any watering mix you already have on hand by adding more perlite, which you can get from Home Depot.
Rosemary takes root slowly – it takes about four to eight weeks – but the warmth of May keeps the growth moving. Do not overwater it cuttings as the rot sets faster when roots form in wet conditions. Misting instead of regular watering is the best approach until roots are established.
3. Lavender
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Lavender from a garden center is expensive, especially for how simple it is to propagate. This plant needs full sun, excellent drainage and loose soil. Richly amended beds encourage leaf growth at the expense of flowers.
May is ideal for propagating lavender cuttings because the new growth is big enough to work with but has not yet budded, which is the best time to take softwood cuttings.
Take cuttings 3 to 4 inches (7-10 cm) long from non-flowering shoots, remove the lower leaves and plant in a very free-draining potting mix. Heat down helps if you have a heating mat like this one from Amazonbut not required.
Keep the cuttings in a warm place. Without adequate heat, expect rooting to take four to six weeks. New plants will root faster with a heating mat. Overwatering is what kills lavender cuttings. Allowing them to dry out slightly between waterings is much less of a problem than keeping them constantly moist.
4. Fuchsia
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Fuchsia it is okay to cut it for dissemination. The mother plant recovers quickly and new plants taken in early May have a full season to fill out and actually flower before the summer is over. Partial shade, constant humidity and hanging baskets suits this plant well. In fact, the unique hanging flowers look best from below.
Soft-tipped cuttings with a root length of 2 to 3 inches (5-7 cm) in as little as two weeks in May. To propagate fuchsiastake the cuttings from your ends, remove the lower leaves and push them into a liquid propagation potting mix like this one from Amazon. There is no need for rooting hormone with this plant.
Prune new plants as soon as the cuttings resist a gentle pull. They will not resist until there are roots holding plants in the ground. Pinch back the growing tip after potting, otherwise it may grow tall and long instead of coming out.
5. Pelargonium
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Pelargoniums, or what most say geraniumsthey are probably the most forgiving grafts on this list. They can sit out of the ground for an hour before planting and still root without issue. They like full sun, moderate watering and plenty of good drainage. May cuttings have a full season to swell before they need to be overwintered or replaced.
To geraniums multiplycut stem cuttings 3 to 4 inches (7-10 cm) just below a leaf node. Remove the lower leaves and then allow the cut end to dry and the callus for an hour or two before planting. This good step prevents the risk of rotting
Put the cuttings in a free-draining potting mix and keep it on the dryer side until roots form. No moisture tent or rooting hormone required – pelargonium cuttings root in two to three weeks.
Small terracotta pots from Amazon they work well for propagation. Clay removes excess moisture, which suits pelargoniums better than plastic containers.
6. Peppermint
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Mint it spreads so aggressively that most gardeners keep it in pots. The same vigor that makes it a nuisance in the border makes it extremely easy to spread.
Cuttings are rooted in water within a week during the month of May. Take 4- to 6-inch (10-15 cm) stem cuttings, remove the lower leaves, and place in a glass of water on a bright windowsill.
Roots appear in about five to ten days. Once they are 1 inch (2.5 cm) or more, put them in regular compost. That’s all. Mint tolerates partial shade and needs constant moisture.
You can too I propagate mint directly into the compost and skip the water step. Both methods work well, but the water method is useful for seeing exactly when roots are forming.
7. Salvia
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Decorative and culinary varieties of salvia both propagate well from softwood cuttings in May. They prefer sun and well-drained soil. Many of the tender salvia varieties sold as annuals in colder climates can be overwintered as rooted cuttings instead of being purchased new each year.
If you overwinter your plants or survived outdoors in the cold months, May is the perfect time propagate salvia cuttings. Take 3- to 4-inch (7-10 cm) long cuttings from unflowered stem ends, remove lower leaves, and place in potting mix like this one from Rosy Soil.
Rooting hormone helps but is not necessary. Salvia enjoys a warm spot with indirect light. Be sure to keep the medium just moist, not soggy. Roots form in about two to four weeks.
