Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
pixie_lou

When to propagate hydrangea?

pixie_lou
9 years ago

I've had good luck the past few years propagating forsythia - just put new growth cuttings in potting solid and keep them moist. I've heard that I can do the same with Hydrangea. I want to propagate my hydrangea paniculata tardiva. I see new growth - green shoots - on my hydrangea. So would this be the time to try to propagate it?

Comments (8)

  • bostongardens
    9 years ago

    Was thinking of doing the same! Seems like the perfect time.

    But will try something I read/saw on the Internet.

    Will poke the shoots into potatoes and plant them.

    Seems silly, but it might work.

    Has anyone tried this?

    ~ Hilda

  • claireplymouth z6b coastal MA
    9 years ago

    I never heard of that, Hilda, but it makes sense. The starch in the potato is there to nourish the new potato plants that are located in the eyes, so it might be well suited for the hydrangea.

    Worse comes to worst you'll get potatoes growing. I've read that they have pretty flowers.

    Claire

  • diggingthedirt
    9 years ago

    My Tardiva throw lots of seedlings, so I haven't tried to propagate them from cuttings. Fine Gardening says you can root green wood cuttings of Tardiva in early summer, or hardwood in winter, so I'd go for it. Not sure if I'd use a potato, but ... can't really say why not.

    We've discussed propagating other types of hydrangeas on the forum in the past, and apparently the big hurdle is getting them through the first winter; GEO always said that was why you should start early (like, now).

    I'm not sure if the usual problem is just plain cold, or trying to control the amount of water in the soil they're in. I leave pots with my baby hydrangea seedlings right next to the house, in shade, and usually have pretty good luck over the winter.

    Here is a link that might be useful: hydrangea paniculata at FG

  • pixie_lou
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Well I don't have any potatoes. Just potting soil. I did the forsythia today. It was so liberating - I took my cuttings then chopped the rest of the bush down. It was so tall and lanky and horrible looking. Not I can attempt to keep it a manageable size,

    I made the pots and the labels for the hydrangea. I'll go out and prune the hydrangea tomorrow. I haven't ever gotten any volunteers. And I leave the spent blossoms on all winter long.

    I'll decide in the fall what to do with the potted shrubs. If they grow. Maybe get them in the ground, then put a bucket over the plant for the winter?

  • ishareflowers {Lisa}
    9 years ago

    If you have a shoot close to the ground you can take a knife and take a scrapping iff the outside and bury the shoot. It will grow roots and you can cut it away from the mother plant next year. I have heard the potato trick but it was for rose cuttings.

  • ontheteam
    9 years ago

    i do what Ishareflowers does..minus the scraping.
    I just take a low lying branch,put a big rock on it and let it sit for a yr or 2. I get big transplants with out any worry of die off.

  • prairiemoon2 z6b MA
    9 years ago

    I've used a semi transparent plastic sweater box with a lid and a mix of mostly sand with some peat mixed in and have had success with a number of items with that arrangement. Boxwood and rose cuttings too. Haven't tried hydrangea as I seem to have more than I need at the moment.

  • pixie_lou
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Turns out I had excellent luck planting hydrangea cuttings. I took 10 cutting; 9 survived. I plan on planting them this weekend. And see if they survive the winter. If not I'll try again next year.