Advice about propagation - Taking Cuttings, Sowing Seed and other methods of propagation.

• Seed - Raising new plants by seed sowing, is by far the most popular method for many plants. Seed propagation is a relatively cost-effective way of producing masses of similar plants - such as bedding plants for the garden. Some would probably think that the cost of some seed is high, and therefore not cost effective. Commercial growers have to produce the most plants in the shortest time. Seeds allow them to do just that.  A seedling bedding plant, can be sown and on the garden centre shelf in a matter of a few weeks. This is not possible with plants raised with cuttings.

• Cuttings - Taking cuttings of plants is the surest way of propagating a new plant which is identical in all respects to the parent. (Not always the case with seed propagation). Cuttings can be taken at many times of the year - by softwood cuttings, semi-ripe cuttings, ripe cuttings, hardwood cuttings, leaf cuttings, root cuttings and stem cuttings. The different types of cuttings involve different forms of preparation, but all are aimed at putting roots on a part of a parent plant that has been removed for that purpose.

• Layering - There are basically two types of layering that are practiced, general layering involves inserting part of a plant into the ground to promote new root growth. The other method of layering is known as air layering, and is used where it is not possible to lower a branch to the ground. It is also useful method of propagation for plants grown indoors - where it is not possible to layer a plant into the ground.

• Division - Division is a method of propagating new perennial plants. Easy, mostly foolproof, and suitable for turning an aging perennial into a few - perhaps many - new plants.

• Grafting - Grafting is a method of inserting a part of a desirable plant into a 'parent' plant in order that the new grafted plant will have many of the characteristics of the 'parent'. Wisterias for instance, are grafted onto a wild wisteria stem, a/ because wisterias are difficult to root from cuttings, b/ because it is a quicker method of producing a saleable plant, and c/ because the wild wisteria seedling plant, will pass on its natural vigour to the new child plant.

• Budding - Plants can be raised by the propagation technique of budding. This involves removing a 'bud, with little bit of other growth attached, and inserting it beneath the bark of a host plant. Roses in particular are grown using this method. A rose 'cutting' is quite slow to become established, and not always healthy on its own roots. By budding it onto a wild briar-type rootstock, the new rose will have much more vigour than if grown on its own roots. Modern propagation methods now allow some varieties to grow on their own roots - from cuttings.

• Stolons and rhizomes. - These are underground stems, roots or 'runners' from which new plants can easily be propagated. Taking the runners of strawberry plants is a method of propagating new plants, that are true to form of their parents.

• Micro propagation - Micro propagation is fast becoming a modern technique of propagation plants on a commercial scale. Many plants that used to be difficult to raise in large number, such as orchids, are now propagated from microscopic cell tissue, and spend their early life in a test tube or other sealed container. The success of this type of propagation, has bought down the price of orchids in particular, so that they are now almost an everyday item in many households.

Fuchsia Cuttings - How to increase your Fuchsia stock without spending money!
Taking Cuttings - A great way to increase your plant stock - and not too difficult. Softwood Cuttings | Semi Ripe Cuttings |
Seed Sowing - Outdoor Seed Beds