Boxwood Hardwood Cuttings

Hardwood cuttings are taken from woody perennials e g.

Boxwood hardwood cuttings.

Hardwood cuttings provide an easy and reliable method of propagating a range of deciduous climbers trees and shrubs and as bonus they are taken from mid autumn until late winter when more time is usually available to the gardener. Wait until after the flowers have faded since actively blooming cuttings are slower to root and. Start boxwood cuttings in midsummer after the spring growth has hardened and produced mature leaves. Boxwood cuttings root best.

It should be noted that the hardwood cuttings take longer to root. I ve discussed the basic theory of how plants can be propagated from cuttings in the article propagating softwood cuttings so i ll go straight. Forsythia cornus and willow in autumn and winter. The cuttings should be 4 to 6 inches in length.

Hardwood cuttings are taken in winter during dormancy when all leaves have fallen. When cutting boxwood buxus spp for propagation the success you are likely to have from a particular piece of stem depends not so much on its dimensions as its age. Only cut healthy stems with no insect damage or discoloration. Taking boxwood cuttings in midsummer catches the stems at just the right stage to give you the best chance of success.

Some evergreen plants hollies for example can also be taken at the same time of year as other hardwood cuttings. Strip the bottom half of the cutting of its leaves. Cut 3 to 4 inch 7 5 to 10 cm tips of new growth with a sharp knife. In spring or early fall if you live in a warm climate take tip cuttings 6 inches in length.

I place several cuttings into the pot. You can remove the desired cutting by gently snapping it off using your thumb and forefinger a sterile knife or a pair of gardening shears whichever way you prefer. They can take several months to produce roots so leave them for a year before lifting and potting up or transplanting. Pruning shears or scissors pinch the stems and make it hard for them to take up water later on.

Place boxwood slips into potting medium using a dauber of some sort i used a sharpie back end to create a slot to place your cutting into your pot of soil i used my diy potting soil by creating a hole in the soil you prevent the rooting hormone from getting removed as you slide in the stem. Remove the lower inch of leaves. I always plant 5 7 stems together just to achieve an instant shrub effect.