How to take hardwood cuttings

1 Stems should be mature (not be bendy or soft) and have finished growing for the season. On deciduous shrubs and trees, their leaves should have fallen or be ready to. Choose a stem at least 50cm long and cut it just below a bud.

2

Cut stems into lengths about 15-18cm long. Traditionally, hardwood cuttings would have been up to 45cm long, but recent experiments have shown that shorter cuttings work best. You should be able to make several cuttings from one long stem. Make a sloping cut above a bud and then make the bottom cut 15-18cm below that, straight across the stem and just below another bud.

3

Choose a sheltered corner with free-draining soil where you know the cuttings can remain undisturbed until it’s time to transplant them. Fork over the soil to a fork’s depth, firm gently then make a trench or a series of little trenches to fit in with the space you have by pushing a spade into the soil vertically and pulling it forward slightly.

4

Line the bottom of the trench with coarse grit or sand to facilitate drainage.

5

Line up the cuttings along the back of the trench, ensuring two or three buds on each cutting protrude above the level of the soil, and fill in, firming the soil gently. Water well if the soil is dry, label your cuttings, then leave them alone.

Next steps

Check the cuttings occasionally to see if they need watering, or refirming if frost has lifted them. New shoots will appear in spring, then, next autumn, when your cuttings lose their leaves, they can be lifted and either transplanted into their new homes or potted up if they are intended as gifts.