PLANTS FOR FREE
One of the most rewarding aspects of gardening is to propagate your own plants and in the process
save significantly on the purchase of established specimens from garden centres.
Opportunities for acquiring plants and increasing stock include: growing from seed; taking
leaf/softwood/semi-ripe/hardwood/root cuttings; by division; layering; budding and grafting. Many
are simple and perfect for the beginner with others offering that challenge for the experienced
gardener.
This is the ideal way to obtain a bounty of plants. To germinate well, seeds need their individual
preferred light, water and heat in harmony. Therefore always follow the detailed instructions on the
packet. Use a fresh, moist, good quality seed or universal compost. Start them off in pots/trays in
the greenhouse bench, or on a window ledge adjacent to a radiator. Pot on as they grow until of
sufficient size to plant out.
Where instructed to sow directly outside soil temperature is paramount so don’t plant too soon,
await the right conditions.
In the autumn take time out to collect your own seeds. Ensure they are dried out and overwinter in
water tight containers in the refrigerator.
Seed Sowing Guides: Mr. Fothergill’s
Suttons
Thompson & Morgan
In spring and early summer alpines, shrubs and houseplants can all be increased by softwood
cuttings. Speed is of the essence, select a fresh healthy green and supple shoot. Remove the lower
leaves and cut immediately below a leaf joint at a node. Insert around the edge of a pot filled with a
fresh, moist, good quality seed or universal compost. Cover with a plastic bag and locate in the
greenhouse bench, or on a window ledge adjacent to a radiator. Pot on as they grow until of
sufficient size to plant out.
Link to RHS advice on taking softwood cuttings.
SEMI-RIPE CUTTINGS
Semi-ripe cuttings are suitable for many hardy climbers, evergreen shrubs, groundcover plants,
hedging, herbs and trees. Cutting material is selected from new season’s growth with the base hard
while the tip is soft.
There are four different ways to achieve: Basic (cut below a leaf); Heel (pulled off with piece of
stem); Basal (shoot severed at base) and Mallet (leaf planted with section of stem).
Web advice: BBC “Summer cuttings” Gardeners’ World “A mallet cutting” RHS “Semi-ripe cuttings”
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HARDWOOD CUTTINGS
A simple way to propagate a wide range of hardy shrubs, trees and climbers. They can take several
months to produce roots, so leave them for a year before lifting and potting up or transplanting.
Web link to Alan Titchmarsh video: “How to take hardwood cuttings”.
Web advice on taking hardwood cuttings:
BBC Gardening
Gardeners’ World
Root cuttings can be used to propagate a range of herbaceous perennials in late autumn or early
winter when the plants are dormant.
Web advice on taking hardwood cuttings:
RHS
Gardeners’ World
LEAF CUTTINGS
Some plants can be propagated from a whole or a part of a leaf. It is an easy way to increase
numbers of our favourite indoor plants.
Web advice on taking leaf cuttings:
RHS
Fibrous rooted plants can be divided up in both spring and autumn. Undertake at three year
intervals to maintain plant vitality. Divide by pulling apart with two forks or slicing with a spade.
Web advice on division:
BBC Gardening
RHS
Saga Gardening
BULBS
Bulbs can be increased by division (offsets produced naturally at base), bulbils (produced in the leaf
axils), scales (pealed from the parent bulb) and chipping (cutting the parent bulb into sections).
Web advice:
RHS
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TUBERS
Dahlias can be increased in the spring when at first stages of growth
Web advice:
BBC Gardening
Gardeners’ World
RHS
RHIZOMES
Old bearded irises produce less flowers so rejuvenate by lifting and cutting the younger rhizomes
which have grown around the old ones.
Web advice:
RHS
American Iris Society
LAYERING
Web advice on layering:
Web advice on air layering:
RHS
BBC Gardening
RHS
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Layering Runners:
Used where the parent plant produce stems which contain at the
end a small identical plant. These are left attached and pegged
directly into the soil or pots until growing individually.
Web advice on layering runners:
Strawberries
The following two techniques offer a challenge for the experienced gardener:
Used to propagate roses and is undertaken from June to September.
Web advice;
RHS
Roses can also be propagated by hardwood cuttings, semi-ripe cuttings, division, layering and even
from seed.
Grafting combines one plant's qualities of flowering or fruiting with the roots of another that offers
vigour and resilience. This is a difficult task and requires lots of skill and practice.
Web advice:
RHS
Grafting can also be employed with cacti and tomatoes.
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