THE CLONE
A copy of the parent
University of Georgia Extension says vegetative propagation usually produces a clone genetically and physically identical to the parent, because no genes are mixed as in seed.
Check the seasonWHAT THE GROWING GUIDES SAY
Grow a copy,
not a gamble.
Every cutting you root is a clone.
Check the season
SAME PLANTonly more of it
A seed mixes two parents. A cutting copies one, so the new plant keeps the colour, leaf and habit you liked. The trick is matching the kind of cutting to the time of year.
At a glance
- Match the cut to the season
- Cut just below a node
- Keep it moist, not soggy
- One plant, many more
2–4 weeks
Time for softwood cuttings to root well
With moist compost and a warm, humid propagator, the RHS says softwood cuttings are well rooted in about 2 to 4 weeks. Hardwood cuttings take until the following autumn.
ROOTING · RHS
25 years
How long plant breeders' rights last
GOV.UK says plant breeders' rights last 25 years for plants and 30 years for trees, vines and potato varieties.
BREEDERS' RIGHTS · GOV.UK
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
Fast roots,
long protection.
One figure on how quickly cuttings can root,
one on how long a new variety stays protected.
While a variety is protected, GOV.UK says no one can produce, reproduce, propagate or sell it without the rights holder's permission.
A QUICK SEASON CHECK
What time of year
is it?
Pick a season to see which kind of cutting the RHS suggests. The bar shows how quickly that kind of cutting tends to root.
Based on RHS advice pages on softwood, semi-ripe and hardwood cuttings. Timings vary with the plant and the weather.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Same genes,
right season.
Cuttings work because plants can grow new roots.
When you take them decides which kind to use.
AUTUMN
Hardwood time
RHS advice is to take hardwood cuttings from mid-autumn until late winter, after leaf fall. They are slow to root but usually successful.
How to do it
SPRING
Softwood is fastest
Softwood cuttings have the highest rooting potential of any stem cutting, says the RHS, but they lose water quickly and need humidity.
See the numbers
FOUR STEPS TO A HARDWOOD CUTTING
Autumn is
cutting season.
It is mid-autumn, so hardwood cuttings are in season. The RHS rates them easy, and they need little more than a spade and patience.
Pick a vigorous shoot
Choose a healthy shoot that grew this year, after the leaves have fallen. Remove the soft tip.
Cut 15-30cm lengths
Slope the top cut just above a bud to shed water and mark the top. Cut straight across below a bud at the base.
Set them two-thirds deep
Push them into a sheltered trench or a deep pot of gritty compost, 10-15cm apart, with a few buds above ground.
Wait until next autumn
Firm them back after frosts and keep them from drying out in summer. By the following autumn they should have rooted.
WHY CLONE AT ALL
Some plants
only come true this way.
University of Georgia Extension notes that for some plants vegetative propagation is the only way to keep features such as variegation or dwarfing. Seeds mix genes; a cutting copies them.
Roots form because wounding triggers hormones at the cut, cells multiply into a callus and roots grow from it. That is why the RHS says to cut just below a node, where hormones that stimulate rooting are concentrated.
Questions
Questions people ask
Is a cutting really a clone?
In most cases, yes. University of Georgia Extension says vegetative propagation produces a clone that is genetically and physically identical to the parent, because there is no mixing of genes as with seed.
What can I take cuttings from in autumn?
The RHS lists many deciduous shrubs, climbers and fruit for hardwood cuttings, including dogwood, forsythia, roses, honeysuckle, gooseberries, currants and figs, plus willow and poplar.
How long do cuttings take to root?
It depends on the type. The RHS says softwood cuttings root in about 2 to 4 weeks in good conditions, while hardwood cuttings are left in place until the following autumn.
Why cut just below a leaf joint?
The RHS says nodes have a concentration of hormones that stimulate root production, which is why most cuttings are trimmed just below one.
Can I propagate any plant I buy?
Not always for sale. GOV.UK says that while a variety has plant breeders' rights, no one can propagate or sell it without the holder's permission. Rights last 25 years, or 30 for trees, vines and potatoes.
Sources
Where the facts come from
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