Yard work in the Winter?!

I know, I know, it's still January but it's never too early to make plans for your yard and garden.

Landscaping can be quite expensive but there's a simple way to get FREE plants, shrubs and herbs: obtain cuttings from friends' and neighbors' established plants and root your own.

That's where today's post comes in - I'm going to show you step-by-step how to root cuttings!

Let's get started.

Look around your neighborhood and identify the plants that you really like and that grow well in your location.  You might even want to take a photo of the plant so you'll know what to expect.

If you spot a shrub that you like don't hesitate to introduce yourself to the homeowner and ask if you can snip off a clipping.  You'll be amazed at how flattered people are when you compliment their landscaping and choice of shrubs and plants.

1.  After obtaining permission and using pruners to snip, choose newer but mature growth from the parent plant.  Generally, you'll cut at a 30 degree angle and the clipping should be 3 to 5 inches long for a perennial plant and 6 to 12 inches for shrubs.

Roots tend to grow around or underneath a knot so cut your clipping
1/4 to 1/2 inches below a knot.

Tip:  Small cuttings are best for smaller plants and shrubs while larger cuttings (called "truncheons") work best for larger plants.  If you're really not sure, make the cutting about 4 to 8 inches long.

2.  Strip half to two-thirds of the leaves from the lower part of the clippings and remove the bottom two leaves as well as the top pair of leaves.  If flower buds are present remove them, too, as they will suck the nutrition right out of the clipping you're trying to roots.

3.  Treating the cuttings will 'jump start' them with nutrition and gives the plants a better chance of rooting.  Place the cuttings in a weak mixture of water and a seaweed-based liquid fertilizer for 3 to 4 hours.

4.  There are basically two options for rooting the cuttings - a very diluted fertilizer and water mixture or a more solid medium such as potting soil or sand.  Which ever option you choose, remember to keep the cuttings out of direct sunlight.

One of the benefits of liquid rooting is that you and your family can watch as the roots develop.   It's a wonderful opportunity to discuss plants with young children.

A key step in rooting is to keep the cutting moist.  Water in a mister works great.



5.  When you think the cuttings have grown enough roots it's time to plant them in their final growing spot.  If you choose to root the cuttings in soil or sand, here's a simple test to determine if they're ready for planting: gently tug on the cutting.  If there is a slight resistance then the cuttings have probably grown adequate roots for planting.


Note:   While a vast number of plants and shrubs can be rooted from clippings, not all can be grown this way.  Best to do a little research on the type of plants you want to root along with information on your area's growing season.

Trees are the hardest to grow from cuttings, while cactus and succulents are the easiest.  Rooting plants with water retaining leaves like lavender and geraniums work almost 100% of the time.

In addition to growing your own plants from scratch (and saving a lot of 'scratch') rooting is also a stellar opportunity to grow your own gifts - rooted cuttings are appreciated by flower lovers who want to add to their own gardens.

Be sure to bookmark this post so that you can refer to it in the Spring when everything starts to bloom.

In closing, I'd be remiss to not relay two other ways that I've obtained free shrubs and plants:

• Literally I've picked them up off the side of the road after homeowners dug them up and threw them away (get them home immediately, replant and water, water, water them.)
• People have brought half-dead plants back to the home improvement store where they were purchased and I've asked the salesperson what they're going to do with the plants.  You'd be surprised at how often I've been offered the ailing plants and how easy it is to bring them back to life.

How ever you obtain your free shrubs and

plants, give them lots of TLC.  They're worth it!