Cut stems into 6" pieces making sure you have at least one set of leaves per section - preferably two. The cuts should come just slightly below the leaf nodes. Remove the bottom set of leaves, cut about half off of each of the top leaves - just slice them with a razor blade. Cutting the leaves in half reduces transpiration. Dip the bottom in rooting hormone and poke into moistened soil. Mist daily or put a plastic bag over the cutting. They take 6-8 weeks to root. You can usually tell they are rooted when you see new growth.

OR ---- I prefer to layer my hydrangeas. Take a branch, bend it down to the ground so it makes contact with the soil. Make sure you don't bury the tip. Put a rock on it and by summer's end you should have a rooted branch. Then you can cut it away from the mother plant when it has a nice root system. This method works best when plants are actively growing (June here). I've rooted several different types of hydrangeas this way and it works great. You also get a bigger plant to start with this way too.

Good Luck

hi, I am new at this and would apprecipate some directions (1-2-3 etc. Alamada I also live in east tx (H) and have not seen any hydranyeas in the area, from the northwest to north and northeast and south and the southeast and or the southwest not even in the med.center area. I would think we would have some one in the area that could give some directions in making new cuttings...bwrmocity

This link may help...

Here is a link that might be useful: Hydrangea propogating

Pamela -- In terms of layering, how long should you wait before cutting the new plant from the mother plant? When I bought my ES last June, one of the stems was already partially buried near the base. I went to pull it up to straighten it out and noticed that it was rooted! I left it to see what would happen. It acted like the rest of the plant and spent the whole summer just growing. Well this season, while their was some dieback on the stem, some of the buds near the base did grow and it is now ready to flower. I think it is sufficiently rooted. Should I wait until the fall to cut? Next spring?

Once it has a decent root system on the stem you could sever it from the parent. Plant it quickly and keep well watered.

You will find this happens w/o even trying. Branches lie on the ground and root easily. I moved one from Bluebird this spring and it is only about 10 inches tall and has two blooms! Bluebird currently has 3 more growing off. I'm no pro or expert, but I leave them until the next spring.

what pamelia said except i don't even use a rooting hormone.
each year, i bring some of these to the ladies at work and, when the flowers are past their prime, retrieve them and take back home.
all i do is cut off the flowerheads, remove the lower leaves, stick them in gallon containers with a soilless mix, water well and move them into an area with no direct sun, keeping them moist the rest of the summer. they are about as easy to propagate this way as anyting i have tried.
most all of them successfully grow roots and now is the time to do it(in my area, anyway).

Thank you all so much for your advice! I plan to do this next week and will look forward to success thanks to your encouragement!
Judith

I followed this method today and the cuttings wilted in the pot within one hour. I think it's just too hot outside!

It's been in the 90's here the past couple days.

I wonder...Has anyone ever gotten a cutting to root just by putting it in a glass of water? While transporting a hydrangea from the nursery to home, I accidently snapped off a small shoot. I tore off the bottom set of leaves, set it in a small vase and set it in a bright window. It has been two weeks and is still perky and even growing new leaves. But will it root?

I've successfully rooted my cutting, but when I take the plastic bag off of it, all the leaves wilt.

Any suggestions?

jeff_al, have you gotten the new plants from rooting cuttings in this manner to bloom? Because I had no Hydrangeas but someone gave me a blooming cutting and it appears to be a blue Lacecap. I love it and want a plant like it but read that if you root blooming cuttings they won't bloom?
I also live in Alabama. Thank you in advance of an answer.

I took a couple cuttings from my Hydrangea last fall in October just before first frost. I put them in a glass of water (with rooting compound). I know that normally you use the rooting compound when planting them in soil but it seems to help with getting them to root in water as well. Anyway, they rooted just fine and a month later I transfered them to a 4 1/2 inch pot with soil. One didn't make it but the other has some awesome pink and yellow blooms going on it today. I still have more than two months before I can get it planted outside as I live in Wisconsin. I plant to take several more cutting this year. Maybe even in the spring this time.

Bruce

That's awesome, Bruce. I've done just fine with some of my
paniculatas...just by putting the cuttings into pots of soil
and moving to a shady spot. Most of the time, I don't use
the rootone.
The Annabelle and Incredibal seems easy to root. i want
to try to root some Lacecaps in water

Hi, I have a question about this Hydrangea that I grew from a cutting. The bloom on it finally began to fade so I pruned it off completely. So, will this be the last bloom I can expect before it goes through a normal seasonal cycle or can I at least hope that it blooms again this summer after I transplant it outside???
thanks,
Bruce