Softwood cuttings are one of the easiest and most affordable ways of producing new plants, and this month is the perfect time to start taking them. Most plants are currently at their most urgent surge of growth, so you'll stand a very high chance of success. I remember my astonishment, as a child, that the cuttings my grandmother gathered on garden visits sprung roots in just a matter of weeks!
The softwood propagation technique I'm about to explain is one that I use regularly for plants I buy that I want more of but are more expensive than I can afford. So, if you like to share plants with friends, save money and repeat a particular species through your garden or pots, then this is the technique for you.
Success with cuttings
Most softwood cuttings are taken in spring and early summer from the season's new growth, but potting up in midsummer will also allow them to develop roots that will survive winter
1 Take cuttings early in the morning. If you can't pot them immediately, place in freezer bag with a few drops of water to retain humidity.
2 Remove all but the top four or so leaves with a sharp, sterile knife or blade. If the remaining top leaves are large, halve them to reduce water loss.
Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av BBC Gardeners World.
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Denne historien er fra May 2023-utgaven av BBC Gardeners World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
A new plot for tasty crops
Taking on a new allotment needn't be hard work. By simply following a few easy tips you can have bumper crops in no time, just like Alessandro Vitale
We love July
July is an island floating between the joy of June and the slightly fatigued month of August. It's a grown-up month: the year has shrugged off its adolescent exuberances, the weather is (hopefully) warm enough for ice cream to be one of your five a day, the sea should be swimmable without (too much) danger of hypothermia and thoughts will be of holiday shenanigans and family barbecues. School's out this month, the next tranche of glorious summer colour is washing across our borders and it's my birthday. Lots of reasons to give three rousing cheers for July!
YOUR PRUNING MONTH
Now, at the height of summer, Frances Tophill shows how to boost your plants' health and productivity with a timely cut
Hassle-free harvests
Flowers are out in abundance this month and for Jack Wallington, many of these blooms make delicious, low-effort pickings
Bite-sized bounties
Glorious doorstep harvests can easily turn into gluts, so let Rukmini Iyer's recipes help you savour every last bit
Upcycled outdoor living
Create unique and stylish garden features for minimal cost using reclaimed materials and simple DIY skills. Helen Riches shares four step-by-step projects and more inspiring eco tips
Secrets of a COLOURFUL GARDEN
Buildings and landscapes can play a vital role in supercharging your space, as Nick Bailey demonstrates
Greening up a city balcony
Looking for sustainable, small-space gardening ideas? Take inspiration from Oliver Hymans' transformed balcony garden in north-east London - now a lush, green haven for humans and wildlife
The dry and mighty garden
As we adapt our gardens to a more volatile climate, Alan Titchmarsh reveals how to create a drought-tolerant plot and picks his top plant performers
Nature knows best
Carol Klein explains how to choose plants for specific growing conditions, based on what has naturally adapted to thrive there
