Is there a bad time to take cuttings? It's almost spring here - my brugs in the GH have been leafing out all winter and some are blooming. They're not getting taller though. I know - it's winter. But if I wanted to take cuttings of the side shoots would they be harder to root at this time of year? I've got itchy fingers.
Winter cuttings
If your name is Cala then there is never a bad time to take cuttings. That much I know is true. For the novice though, spring and summer seem to be the best time.
Fire away Liz, scratch those fingers. it has to be close to your last frost date right? i'm itching to start roses.
My last frost date is March 21st - was thinking about Monika's standards and the only way to get the look is get rid of the from-the-root side shoots.
Liz,
Our last frost date here is May 24 weekend. I just pruned a plant for a friend to train it into a standard like Monika's. Ida gave me all of the cuttings and that was 2 weeks ago. The cuttings were predominently from the flowering region and one big cutting from a "Y" The "Y" cutting is 8 inches long, rooted in water and now potted up into a big 5 gallon pot. All the other cuttings I cut up further into smaller cuttings with nodes and they are now planted as "Eric's Log Method". Most of them are rooted now too.
So I would say to go ahead and try some cuttings! By the way, the temperature here dips to -11 degrees at night and I brought these cuttings home in a car, just inside a plastic bag. I stopped to do a grocery shop (half and hour) while they sat in the car and seem to have suffered no damage at all.
Joydie
Brugcrazy - I'm going to start hanging them from the roof beams - who did I steal that from? Cala? Haven't got an original thought in my head. (except for the socks) LOL
Liz, NOW is the time to take cuttings, the days are getting longer and it's warming up(well, some places are). I took some teeny cuttings and used Eric's log method (2-24) and they are starting to root, they already have little nubs and a root or two. My passion vines are easier to root now too. I take all kinds of cuttings from the garden like phlox paniculata and tricyrtis and stuff because the next couple of months seems perfect for rooting. I have taken some teeny side branches that grow out from where leaves were and they are rooted and have doubled in size(there wasn't much to start with) and they are about two inches high now.
Cala - I've noticed that my passifloras are rooting better now too - I guess the sap is starting to rise. It's all on your heads now - my heart said get rooting - my brain said wait until later. What brain? HAH!
Liz, the days are getting longer too, helps a lot i think.