Hydrangea Propagating
 

I found several methods online but am wondering if any of you have had success with a particular method using cuttings. One thing I learned is early summer (now) is the best time to take cuttings and propagate. Thank you!

I haven't done this, but I bet you could find your answer on the website "Dave's Garden". It's an awesome place. Check it out. You won't be disappointed.

i usually have no luck propagating plants.

twice, though, i have had success with hydrangeas.
cut off a few inches; strip off all but the top leaves.
stick it directly into good dirt.
keep the soil moist but not soggy.

if the top leaves stay green, you should eventually see new leaves, too.
once you can tell the cutting is established, water as often as you do the full-grown plant.

I have always just taken a cutting about an inch below a set of two leaves, dipped it in root tone and put it in soil in the windowsill. They've always taken root. The tricky part is acclimating it to the temperature outside if you live in a climate where the spring can be quite cold or if you are putting it outside in the summer after keeping it in A/C. I have taken many cuttings from my grandmother's and neighbors hydrangeas. They are pretty easy to grow. I usually start with really small cuttings and keep them in the window in the kitchen for about an entire year to give them a good healthy start. It seems to work best for me if I don't have a large cutting so the plant doesn't have so much to feed before it gets properly established with a solid root system. Root Tone is the key.

In my rental house I had a most gorgeous hydrangea... now I have a cutting from that plant full sized in the house I bought after that.

I took several cuttings, which all survived the process and the move between houses. You want fresh tops, just the top 2-4 leaves and about 2-4 inches of stem, under 6" total. I bought a small container of rooting hormone powder from the plant store and basically followed the directions on that package which I think were to stick the stem into the power then into very damp potting compound.

I kept the cuttings in containers for the first year I think, then I felt one set was strong enough to put in the ground but I kept another set back "just in case" but didn't need it. It's been about 20 years now -- the ground one is just starting to bloom for this year, I trimmed it pretty heavy this spring, this year will be fine but next year will be glorious!

When I think about it, I don't think I've ever had roots grow on flower cuttings I've had in water, and as we know those last a long time and have the opportunity to grow.

I read somewhere recently that adding baking soda to water and giving that to hydrangea's makes them thrive. Just can't remember the portions.

Thanks Linda. I looked it up - 1 T baking soda to 2 quarts water. ;-)

https://www.creeklinehouse.com/reviv...ing-hydrangea/

This article is on pruning, but I'm sure he has something on his site about propagating. He is so full of basic info. Hope it helps.
https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/201...ing-made-easy/

LavendarBlue...thanks for finding the article, it's the same one I had read. Going to try this today, as one of mine hasn't bloomed in a couple of years.

For blooming, like many plants hydrangeas like to have about 1/3 pruned out each year. If you prune down to the ground each year you will not get the blooms you want! Here's a picture of the bush I've been talking about that I took from cuttings from my rental house. We are just coming into the bloom season, as I said, I pruned it pretty hard this year -- next year it will be just solid blue from the flowers. It's our acid soil here that makes the blue so strong, good for growing rhodys and azaleas too.