Why Pay for New Shrubs? 5 Plants You Can Propagate for Free This February
These hardwood cuttings are so reliable, success is virtually guaranteed
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You take hardwood cuttings during a plant’s dormancy from mid-fall to late winter. Once the buds start breaking, the window has closed. In many climates, that makes this the last month, so here are some easy plants to propagate in February from hardwood cuttings while you still have time.
Trees, shrubs, and fruit bushes are all ideal candidates for hardwood cuttings. It is a reliable way to expand your plant collection, and a satisfying way to get new plants for free. As the window is closing, it is preferable to stick to some of those reliable, forgiving plants that root easily.
That is what we focus on here, those cuttings that are almost guaranteed to prosper. With that in mind, let’s look at five plants to propagate in February from hardwood cuttings and discover a few tips for taking plant cuttings to ensure they root successfully.
1. Willow
Willows (Salix) cover a broad genus of shrubs and trees, with hundreds of types of plants. Most of them are simple to propagate and root really quickly from hardwood cuttings. The cuttings are easy to take and root reliably quickly, making them a good choice for simple plants to propagate in February.
Select healthy stems that grew last year and are around pencil-thick. Cut these into 12 to 18-inch sections, with an angled cut at the top and a straight one at the bottom.
Place the cutting two-thirds deep into pots filled with a potting mix for cuttings (like this propagation potting mix at Amazon), or directly into a trench outdoors. Keep the soil moist, and the cutting should root and start showing signs of top growth within a few weeks. Provided the ground is frozen, slotting them straight into the ground is the easiest route.
An even easier option is rooting them in water. Simply pop the cuttings in a jar of water and place them in a spot that gets lots of bright, indirect sunlight. Change the water every few days, and you can transfer the cutting into soil when it has roots 1-2 inches long.
It is important to note that certain willow species, especially some non-native types, are classed as invasive plants in some states. It is important to check the variety of willow and its status in your area before propagating any new plants.
2. Dogwood
Dogwoods are stunning trees or large shrubs that can add glorious fall color and vibrant winter stems to a garden.
They are also great plants for a wildlife garden. If you want to grow more dogwood plants to enjoy and benefit pollinators and birds, most root well from hardwood cuttings, including some of the best native dogwoods.
You should take cuttings of flowering dogwoods before the buds break, which is the same window as pruning dogwoods, which should be done during dormancy. This allows a great opportunity to take hardwood cuttings when you prune shrubs.
Take 10-12-inch cuttings of straight, healthy stems of one-year-old wood. Trim it at the top and bottom – cutting above and below a bud, respectively – and dip the bottom in rooting hormone to help speed up the rooting process. You can get gel products, but I prefer a powder one, like this rooting hormone powder at Walmart.
Insert the cutting into the ground so that roughly four inches remain above the soil level, making sure that at least two buds are buried beneath the surface. You can otherwise put the cutting in pots and place it into a cold frame, and it should be ready to plant out come fall.
3. Forsythia
Forsythia is one of the earlier spring-flowering shrubs, putting on a dazzling show of vibrant yellow blooms in March and April. It is a welcome harbinger of spring, and it is perfectly understandable why any gardener who grows forsythia might be tempted to add another to their garden.
You don’t prune forsythia in late winter, as you would remove all this year’s buds, but you can snip off the odd stem to take forsythia cuttings, as they are very forgiving and root reliably via hardwood cuttings.
Removing a couple of one-year-old pencil-thick stems won’t affect your display much, and the reward is new, low-maintenance shrubs that will add more seasonal color and provide early food for pollinators.
Identify some healthy, straight stems and take 8-12-inch cuttings, making sure they have four to six buds on them. Dip the base in rooting hormone before putting them in containers or into the ground.
If you use containers, opt for a taller pot (like these tall tree nursery pots at Amazon) and make sure it has drainage holes to prevent waterlogging and rotting. Putting a clear plastic bag over the container can boost humidity and reduce moisture loss.
4. Spirea
Spirea (or Spiraea) is a win-win shrub for home landscapes. It has a long flowering season, which you can keep going with deadheading, and offers dazzling fall color. Add to this that they are reliably low-maintenance, and you can see why they are so popular with homeowners seeking easy-going, attractive shrubs.
Spirea is also reliable from hardwood cuttings, which need to be taken before the first signs of growth appear. If you have a summer-flowering spirea variety, you can do this at the same time as pruning.
However, if you have a spring-blooming type, don’t prune spirea in late winter, as it should be done after flowering. You’ll ruin this year’s display by pruning this month.
Like others on this list, take 10-12-inch cuttings of healthy one-year stems that are around pencil-thick. Trim them at the top and bottom, above and below a bud, with an angled cut at the top and a straight cut at the base. Dip the base in rooting hormone, and place the cutting into a container or straight into the garden.
If you put your cuttings in containers to start them in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, you can use a heat mat to speed up the root development.
A gentle addition of heat can speed up the process, so use a heat mat with a digital thermostat like this one at Amazon to keep the temperature around 65-70°F around the root zone.
5. Currants
Currants are dependable candidates for hardwood cuttings, and I have always found that they root readily. If you grow currants in a kitchen garden or raised beds, I recommend them as plants to propagate in February to boost your fruit harvests.
No matter what currants you grow, whether blackcurrants, redcurrants, whitecurrants, or more unusual fruits like pinkcurrants, they all tend to have a very high success rate from hardwood cuttings.
As late winter is also an ideal time to prune currant bushes, why not trim and propagate at the same time for ultimate satisfaction?
The pruning technique for currants does vary, depending on the type of bush. Luckily, we can help as these pieces on how to prune blackcurrants and how to prune redcurrants explain the differences.
When it comes to propagation, the technique is the same no matter the type of berries. You want healthy, straight, one-year-old stems from which you can get 8-12-inch cuttings. These cuttings should be placed into a trench outdoors or into deep pots. Either way, they want two-thirds under the soil surface.
If you do use a trench, it is often beneficial to add some coarse sand to the bottom to improve drainage, such as this graded and washed play sand at Lowe’s.
It may take 12-18 months until the cuttings are ready to plant into their final position. During this time, keep the soil consistently moist.
Don’t forget about the cuttings during the year, especially if they are planted in a corner of the garden, and remember to keep the soil moist in summer or risk all your hard work going to waste.
Late winter is the ideal time to prune many trees and shrubs in your garden, but not all, as targeting the wrong plants can rob you of a season of blooms.
To help you identify what and what not to trim, these guides to plants to prune in February and plants to never prune in February reveal seven plants you do want to cut and seven to steer clear of.
Tools for Pruning and Taking Cuttings
Pruning snips are great tools for taking cuttings, both hardwood and softwood. These have straight chromium blades to get into tight spaces when snipping.
A solid pair of pruning shears is essential for pruning and taking cuttings. These have coated non-stick blades and ergonomically shaped grips for comfortable trimming.
Sharp pruning tools are vital for doing any cutting. This pocket-sized handheld sharpening tool can be used on pruning shears, loppers, and hedge shears.
