Question
QUESTION: My question is about propogating hydrangeas. I live in western washington State and i really enjoy hydrangeas and my neighbor has a plant i can cut some branchs off to create my own hydrangea plant i was wondering if it was to late to try being that it is alrerady November. And i also was wondering if i should leave it indoors and how i should do it. For example should i put in a plastic bag with a damp paper towlel or should i get rooting hormone and put them in soil?????? I am very desperate for help and i just hope it isnt to late.Please help!!!!!!!!!!!

ANSWER: Lilly, you can propagate at any time. However, since you would be starting very early relative to when you will be transplanting next spring, you would need to provide the plant with adequate light over the winter months. This can be accomplished with fluorescent lighting or by placing the plant in an east window.

Propagation with cuttings is a very easy process. Simply cut a tender shoot from the parent plant. Be sure to avoid any growth that has turned woody. Keep the cutting in water until you get home. At that time, remove all but the upper set of leaves. Dip the stem in rooting compound, and plant the cutting in a goot potting soil. Water well. Cover the plant with clear light plastic to simulate greenhouse conditions. Check the soil every few days to ensure it is still moist. In approximately 3 weeks, the cutting should take root, and then be treated as you would any young seedling.  

Once spring arrives, make sure you acclimate the plant slowly to outdoor conditions before transplanting. This usually entails a gradual exposure to the sunlight and different temperatures. I normally place plants grown indoors in a protected area such as on a porch for a few hours each day for the first 2-3 days. On day 4, I move it out to a semi-shady area for 6-8 hours, and bring it back in overnight. Then on day 6, I move it out to full sun. This process protects the plant from sunscald and wind.  

I hope this answered your question. Good luck, and please write again if I can ever be of assistance.  

Regards,  

Mike


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank You soooo much this was a great help but i was wondering some more specific questions.
What is a tender shoot and how many noches long do you recommened?
Is there any cheap rooting compound that you would recommmend?
What size of pot should i use to begin my plants? And how often should i transplant to a knew pot?
How many leaves should i leave on each plant/branch and should i cut some in half?
What color of flower will i get in clay soil?
And when will i see my first blossoms?
Thanks so much once these questions are answered i am starting and am very excited to get some color to my yard!!!!

Answer
A tender shoot is a cutting with a stem that is still soft and not woody. Noches do not matter. A 6-8" stem is all you need. Just be sure to remove all of the leaves except for the top set.

I do not know of any generic rooting compounds. I use rootone. It is relatively inexpensive and can be purchased for around $5. You can also use Clonex. Attached are links to both products.

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/clonex-packets.html

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&keywords=ROOTONE&index=blended&page=1

In regards to the pot, a 6" pot is sufficient. Once the cutting roots and begins to grow, you need to repot it every 3 months to a pot 2" larger in diameter.

The color of the plant is not affected by the soil. Therefore the clay composition will have no bearing on the color. This is determined strictly by the genetic makeup of the parent plant.

Finally, you should see blossoms within 4 months. But as long as the plant is growing indoors, cut the blossoms to promote a stockier growth habit. Once outdoors, the plant should bloom within 4 weeks.

I hope this answered all of your questions. Good luck, and enjoy your weekend.

Mike