I'm trying to root a cutting in water. I got the idea online, and although it was stated that the method is not always successful, I think it's working. The picture showed a cutting with a blossom on it that was making roots in some water, so I tried a cutting from a blue hydrangea that I love. It is now showing signs of hazy 'hairy' things on the stem part that is in the water. I plan to try ground layering with another stem in fall.
Previously I also had success with placing a cutting in soil located in a bright spot without full sun, and that worked too. Neighbours across the street have a pinky red one that I think I might try next-they offered cuttings of anything they had a while ago and I think I'll take them up on it now.
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take a look here at these postings...if you need more details i can look them up in my little book... would you believe that i bought a "how to garden" book at winner's for $5 and it's GREAT!! that's where i got my info - very useful and is canadian!
Hi Dawn, I just bought a silver leaf climbing hydrangea and when taking i out of the car, knocked off about 4 inches of the main shoot. I was in kind of a hurry so just stuck it in a glass of water on a little shelf I have about my kitchen sink. I have a florescent light about 10 or 12 inches from where it sits. That was about a month ago and there are definite roots developing, but more like a thicker white shoot, not so hairy. This seems to be the place to root things as this little light is the first one on and the last one off every day. I will be potting it later this summer and will probably leave in the window sill until next May. I have had lots of success with propagating from new shoots in water. The more scientific route (no pun intended) is need for older growth (woody stems) where you should use a rooting hormone and sterile potting medium. Lots of annuals like million bells, ivy geraniums, trailing verbena, torenia, will root in a couple of days...but won't live too long without potting.
I don't really know anything about propagating hydrangeas, so I can't help you there, sorry. junebug gave you some good info, though :)
I tried an experiment with two hydrangeas that seems to have worked. I bought them last spring at Easter time, and when it got warm enough outside, I planted them in the flower bed in front of our house. The blooms stayed for quite a while. In the fall, I covered up the plants with leaves & put large plastic containers over them. They survived the winter, and some flower heads are just starting to bloom. One plant looks like it'll be purple, and the other one pink. They were both blue last year -- guess I didn't give them enough aluminium sulphate.
I didn't think they'd make it thorugh the winter, so this is a major accomplishment!! More than one gardening expert in our area told me that the only hydrangeas that will grow in our zone are the white peegee & annabelle varieties. I hope I"m proving them wrong!!
Good luck with your propagations, and keep us posted on how they're doing :)
being new to gardening, i can tell you from my reading that a hydrangea cutting is an easy cutting to grow. you should put it in a "rooting medium" of equal parts peat and coarse grit without fertilizer. make sure the pot has drainage holes. do not firm the cutting in, but rather insert into soil them softly water to settle the soil. cover with clear plastic careful not to touch the foliage. this will help prevent moisture loss until the cutting is rooted...
hope this helps (courtesy of my "how to garden book")...not sure about the hairs though - maybe those are the new roots. i would try potting it now :)
the rooting should take about 6 weeks it saysat which poit you could repot or plant in the garden.
good luck and let me know how it works...it's something i'd definitely like to try....