PELARGONIUM CUTTINGS
Increase plant stocks easily and cheaply by taking summer cuttings – you’ll rejuvenate the parents too!
Pelargoniums make fabulously colourful container plants. They’re tender perennials, so need protection from winter temperatures, and mature plants can also become quite large and woody. To maximise winter storage space and rejuvenate plants, take cuttings now. The thick stems will root readily at this time of year, making them one of the easiest plants to propagate.
How to do it...
1. Find the best material. Ideally you want non-flowering shoots, but if this isn’t possible use flowering shoots and pinch out the flower with your fingers or cut it off with secateurs. Choose healthy shoots without any blemishes or yellowing foliage. 2. Remove the stems. Aim for cuttings about 8cm (3in) long. Remove the stems from the plant with secateurs, cutting above a pair of leaves, then place in a plastic bag, which helps to keep cuttings moist. Use separate bags for each different cultivar and label them as you pick. 3. Trim the stems. Trim the base of the cutting below a leaf. Carefully remove any leaves on the lower part of the stem, leaving just three or four at the top. 4. Prepare your pots. Fill pots with a 50:50 mix of multipurpose compost and Perlite or grit and lightly water it. Push the cuttings into the compost around the edge of the pot. 5. Grow on. Label the pots but don’t cover with a plastic bag because this can cause pelargonium cuttings to rot. Place on a bright windowsill but out of direct sunshine and keep the compost moist but don’t over water. When you can see roots poking from the base of the container, pot the plants up individually and overwinter in a frost-free place. Sitting in cold, wet compost is the biggest danger to these young plants, so water only occasionally and allow the compost to dry out between each watering.