Saturday, 01 August 2009 02:17
(This article was excerpted from John Cretti’s “Gardening in the Rocky Mountains”)August is a good month to propagate or start new perennials from soft-wood cuttings. This can be done at almost any time during the active growing season.
Cut stem sections that have become somewhat mature; cut 6-8 inches back from the tip just above a node at the point where the leaves emerge. Select stems that are tipped with healthy foliage, or pinch off any flowers.Remove the lowest leaves so that an inch or so of the stem is bare. Dip or dust the cut end with a rooting powder (rooting hormone).Insert a pencil into a pot filled with moistened vermiculite or a sterilized growing medium to make a hole for the stem cutting.Then stick the treated end of the cutting into the moistened rooting medium.
Water well and cover the container with a clear plastic gab to maintain humidity around the cutting.
Place the containers in light, but not direct sun. Make sure the rooting medium does not dry out. The emergence of small leaves is a good sign that roots are establishing on the cutting.Remove the plastic cover and increase sunlight gradually. Water in with a soluble plant fertilizer diluted to half strength.Transplant directly into a prepared perennial bed. Shelter the young plants from harsh winds.Mulch with a few inches of compost or other organic material. Water as needed when the soil begins to dry out.
