Cutting Edge Technology
(or: Clarkie Goes Soft)
by
For a change, I'm not going to bore you with words.
Well, perhaps just a few. Irrespective of hemisphere, you can clone your favourite plant with softwood cuttings. I say irrespective of hemisphere, because although I am conditioned to taking softwood cuttings from June to August, the name of the month is actually irrelevant. The ideal time to take softwood cuttings is around two months after bud-break, or if you like, two months into the growing season. At this time, plants are at their most active, and growth has not yet become "woody".
In the world of commercial plant propagation, technology now plays a major role. In custom-built propagating houses, sophisticated computers control air and root temperatures, while fully automated misting and watering systems are de rigueur. But we can propagate at home, without all that. A few recycled bits and pieces will give us the edge we need to be successful with softwood cuttings.
The work involved in preparing softwood cuttings takes a little time, but it's still an easy and very satisfying way to acquire new plants.
So what is a softwood cutting?
A softwood cutting is taken from the current season's young growth, before it has ripened or become woody. Usually, I would use the tip growth, although in many cases cuttings taken from further down a stem are equally successful. Where a plant has put on good new growth, it is often possible to take several cuttings from one shoot. Just make sure you don't go back into last year's wood.
Ideally, select a non-flowering shoot. Sometimes this is difficult, and if you have to use a flowering shoot, make sure you remove all flower buds.
Trim cleanly below a node (leaf joint), and remove the lower leaves, leaving perhaps two or three pairs.
As a rooting medium, a fifty-fifty mix of compost and sharp sand is ideal. Always use a dibber or a pencil to make a hole – don't push the cutting in as the soft stem is delicate.
Insert the cutting almost to the base of the first pair of remaining leaves. Water well. If you are only taking two or three cuttings, a small round pot is fine. If you're taking a batch, use cell trays or square pots.
The reason for this is that most softwood cuttings need to be covered initially, to avoid moisture loss – remember these are not dormant, but in active growing mode. Without roots to replenish moisture loss, your cuttings will frazzle in no time. One of the easiest ways to deal with this is by using the upper half of a plastic soft drinks bottle. This will sit neatly on top of a small round pot, and it has the added advantage of a sophisticated air venting mechanism. Leave the top screwed on for the first few days, then as rooting begins to take place, the top can be removed to acclimatise the cutting gently, before the whole thing is removed.
With a whole batch of cuttings, it is handier to have a propagator. I'm not talking at this stage about heated apparatus, simply a tray with a clear plastic cover. One with adjustable vents is best. And hence the suggestion that square pots are better in this case, as air space is minimised, and of course you can fit more in!
By the way, don't be tempted to compensate for lack of bottom heat by putting your cuttings on a sunny windowsill. You will incur casualties for certain. Keep them in good light, but not direct sunlight. Move them into the sun only after they begin to make new growth.
While your cuttings are completely enclosed, they are unlikely to need further watering if you have soaked the compost thoroughly at the outset. But keep an eye on them, and don't let them dry out. Once you've removed the bottle top or opened the propagator vents, they will need water, but not to excess. Sodden compost will lead to rot, so don't be heavy handed with the watering can.
© Mike Clark 2005
Here's a link to Mike's guide with images and captions only
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