Pot up summer cuttings

Rooted cuttings will need more room to grow

- Ruth Hayes

IF you took cuttings earlier this summer, the chances are they are now ready to be moved on from their ‘nursery’ pots and moved into containers of stronger compost.

Cuttings are started off in seed compost, which has been formulated to contain the right amount of nutrients to grow strong and healthy young roots without scorching them.

Once the cuttings have taken, developed healthy roots and grown into young plants, they are ready for something stronger.

At this stage you can either use multipurpose compost or, for less well-developed cuttings, a mix of multipurpose with John Innes No 1 or 2.

Once potted up, more frost-tender cuttings such as pelargoniums, penstemons and fuchsias can be overwintered in the greenhouse, with a roll of fleece on hand to protect them on days and nights when the temperature plummets below zero.

Hardy cuttings, such as hardwood cuttings taken last autumn can be kept outside somewhere sheltered, or placed in a cold frame or mini greenhouse.