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Hydrangea cuttings dying
TheRickster
Posts: 85
looking for some advice please. I took 6 cuttings from a neighbors mop head hydrangea about 6 weeks ago. All rooted in water, and were then transferred to ericacious compost. Slowly they’ve all died off, ive tried putting them in different windows - sunny and shades, with the last couple now wilting away. I’ve kept them moist (slightly damp to the finger), so struggling to work out where I’ve gone wrong.
help please!
0
Posts
A couple of pics which probably explain this a little better than me!
they should have really gone outside somewhere sheltered if they had roots when potting up, not been kept indoors, they are outside plants after all.
but also its autumn/early winter and hydrangea's loose their leaves in winter.
as its not supposed to be below freezing for the next couple of days i'd stick them outside and hope for the best
Hi, I’ve had more luck with softwood cuttings for these. I have a hydrangea from my dad (from his mum/ my Nan) that I’m keen to keep going so have done both autumn, spring,and summer cuttings. The autumn all failed. Spring/summer softwood cuttings are easiest.
Try again perhaps in the Spring with softwood cuttings. See RHS guide below - covering the potted cuttings with a plastic bag for 2 weeks is very reliable for all cuttings like these to keep the moisture in.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=307
Ps-just use some free draining compost to help avoid rot, and I do mine in a cold frame outside.
I’m also enclosing another RHS link if you want to try again now or sooner with more cuttings (see semi ripe and hardwood):
https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/Profile?pid=404
You’ll easily find more videos online to show you how to do the cuttings.
Good luck.
Ps- unless you’re my Dad who seemed to have the magic touch with cuttings, not all will take, so put a couple into each pot for insurance.
The simplest way I've found to root hydrangea cuttings is from late spring to mid summer, prepare softwood or semi ripe cuttings and put them in a jamjar of water on the kitchen windowsill. Roots will form within a few weeks ... then separate them gently and put them into individual pots of very damp compost and pop them outside in a shady corner and keep damp. I've had 100% success some years!
Last edited: 22 November 2017 13:05:03
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Similar to Dove re time, but I think those cuttings in the OP are not big enough, take them bigger, longer and thicker, I don’t root them in water but do as my dad did and put a cover over them to keep moisture and warmth in until they’ve rooted. Also, cut all the leave in half on the diagonal. We always root them in the GH, never indoors.
there are now 60 in this garden all from cuttings when dad was on his rounds, either doctors, supermarket carparks, anywhere where there was a bit overhanging, ?
Thanks for the advice everyone. I’ll pop these outside and hope for the best, then try again in the spring