Xela's Garden

Cut to within an inch of old growth after flowering to keep them from getting horribly straggly

recommended method for taking cuttings:

1.

Prepare a pot or seed tray by filling it with soil. I recommend you use a mixture of multi-purpose compost (peat) mixed with sand for additional drainage.
2.

Cut a section of non-flowering, fresh growth from the plant between two to three inches in length using a knife.
3.

Remove a few of the bottom leaves from the offcut, where the stem will be pushed under the soil.
4.

Carefully poke the cutting into the soil using a pointer if necessary to make a hole first.
5.

Make sure you keep the soil moist while the cuttings are rooting. It is perfectly ok to keep your pot or tray of cuttings outside of a greenhouse for them to root. For a quicker propagation, place the pot in either a greenhouse, cold frame, or in a heated propagator.
6.

Outside, cuttings will take about six months to root, depending on the weather conditions. Placing the cuttings in a slightly warmer area could speed this up. After adequate time has been allowed for rooting, remove the cuttings from the pot. Pot up any rooted cuttings into individual pots and throw away any unsuccessful ones.

Some varieties are easier to propagate than others; this varies depending on their shape, formation and climate requirements.

If you are a beginner, I would try propagating one of the following as they tend to be quite easy to get to root:

- H. 'Chocolate Blotch' (green foliage, orange flowers)

- H. 'Ben Ledi' (dark pink flowers)

- H. 'Rose Queen' (pale pink flowers)

- H. 'Ben Fhada' (rich yellow flowers)
- H. 'Wisley Pink' (pale pink flowers)

For the same reason, these are also the more common and widely available Helianthemums with many suppliers throughout the UK.

After adequate time has been allowed for rooting, remove the cuttings from the pot. Pot up any rooted cuttings into individual pots and throw away any unsuccessful ones.

Cut to within an inch of old growth after flowering to keep them from getting horribly straggly

recommended method for taking cuttings:
1. Prepare a pot or seed tray by filling it with soil. I recommend you use a mixture of multi-purpose compost (peat) mixed with sand for additional drainage.
2. Cut a section of non-flowering, fresh growth from the plant between two to three inches in length using a knife.
3. Remove a few of the bottom leaves from the offcut, where the stem will be pushed under the soil.
4. Carefully poke the cutting into the soil using a pointer if necessary to make a hole first.
5. Make sure you keep the soil moist while the cuttings are rooting. It is perfectly ok to keep your pot or tray of cuttings outside of a greenhouse for them to root. For a quicker propagation, place the pot in either a greenhouse, cold frame, or in a heated propagator.
6. Outside, cuttings will take about six months to root, depending on the weather conditions. Placing the cuttings in a slightly warmer area could speed this up. After adequate time has been allowed for rooting, remove the cuttings from the pot. Pot up any rooted cuttings into individual pots and throw away any unsuccessful ones.

Some varieties are easier to propagate than others; this varies depending on their shape, formation and climate requirements.

If you are a beginner, I would try propagating one of the following as they tend to be quite easy to get to root:
- H. 'Chocolate Blotch' (green foliage, orange flowers)
- H. 'Ben Ledi' (dark pink flowers)
- H. 'Rose Queen' (pale pink flowers)
- H. 'Ben Fhada' (rich yellow flowers)
- H. 'Wisley Pink' (pale pink flowers)