Late summer Penstemon cuttings

Posts

• JennyJ Posts: 10,576

  September 2020

  I always start mine inside on a windowsill and leave the bags on until they've rooted and are making new growth. Then I separate them into individual pots, back on the windowsill uncovered for a week or so, then to a sheltered spot outside.
  

  Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  

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• Lyn Posts: 23,190

  September 2020 edited September 2020

  I start mine off in a glass of water, pot up when good roots show. 

  Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 
  
  

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• BettyWales Posts: 71

  September 2020

  Thanks for your tip, I do have limited windowsills where I could put plants but may take the chance of leaving them outside for now and hope for some September sunshine & warmth to encourage roots and new growth before removing the bags. If I watch the forecast I could bring them into the garage overnight if it looks like it's going to be chilly... thanks again.

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• BettyWales Posts: 71

  September 2020

  Thanks Lyn I tried that in spring but it wasn't very successful at all as far as roots are concerned.....maybe I've not got green fingers! This is what gave me the idea to try late summer cuttings and pots but I'll be patient and see what happens.
  

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• JennyJ Posts: 10,576

  September 2020

  There's no single right way, and if they fail you can always try again in spring. Sometimes it takes a few goes to find that what works for you with the climate and facilities that you have. I'm sure we've all had cuttings fail, sometimes for no apparent reason, so don't fret if they don't take this time.
  

  Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  

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• Lyn Posts: 23,190

  September 2020

  I don’t t do them in the Spring,   I would do them about the end of September, then grow on as young plants through the winter. 

  Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 
  
  

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• Andyman Posts: 39

  September 2020

  Hi Betty. I've been taking Penstemon cuttings of my favourite varieties over the last two months and have had good results (approx an 80% success rate). I take 6 inch long cuttings and strip all but the top 3 or 4 leaves, then I insert 4 or 5 cuttings around the edge of a plastic 3 inch pot filled with multi-purpose compost and place it in a food zip bag which I position outside in a shady spot. I've found that the majority begin to form roots in about three weeks, and this is when I unzip the bag for a week or so to allow them to become accustomed to normal growing conditions. If rain is forecast, I place them under cover. 
  I then pot each rooted cutting in its own 2 inch pot and place in a sheltered and shaded position in a tray containing a small amount of rainwater. I find that this stops them drying out and keeps them turgid whilst they form a more substantial root system. It also encourages the roots to grow down towards the base of the pot. 
  We've had quite a lot of rain here in the North East of England during August, so I kept the tray of young plants under a gazebo, but the oldest ones are now growing away strongly and I've even started taking cuttings from the cuttings. Lately we've had temperatures down to 8C over night, but I don't think that this would harm your cuttings, although it's possible that it may check their growth rate slightly. 
  Meanwhile, the main plants are still flowering away merrily in the garden soil.      

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• 2 point 4 Posts: 60

  September 2020

  @BettyWales - I take quite a lot of late summer/autumn penstemon cuttings as I grow them for charity plant sales.  I put four cuttings in the corners of a 4” square pot which contains 50:50 compost/grit or perlite, etc.  I water once, put a bag over them and then basically forget about them!  If the bag looks like it’s got a lot of condensation on the inside, I will turn it over and give them a little ventilation but that’s it.  Once they are well rooted which can be 3 to 4 weeks, I remove the bag whilst acclimatising them for a few days prior to being put into a sheltered, frost free and dry location for the winter.  They will get a dribble of water from time to time and only get potted on in the spring.  I find penstemon cuttings do better if their roots are not too wet.

  
  

  I am fortunate in that I can overwinter mine in my summerhouse as I don’t have a greenhouse.  For yours, do you have a porch or could you knock up a cold frame of sorts?  For example, a glass shelf from an old fridge resting on bricks?  You just need somewhere to keep the worst of the weather off them.
  
  
  

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• Andyman Posts: 39

  September 2020

  I usually bring a few into the conservatory to overwinter (just to make sure),  but in the last couple of years, I've managed to achieve a reasonable survival rate by keeping them in a frost free shed, near the window. I've found that the earlier I take the cuttings, the better chance they have of surviving in the shed. The same applies to my Salvia cuttings. I also dig up my dahlia tubers after the first frost and place them in large pots of dry spent compost, and the majority of those also manage to survive in the shed. 

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• BettyWales Posts: 71

  September 2020 edited September 2020

  Wow thanks to everyone for your very detailed responses much appreciated! I seem to have gone about things in the same way as a few of you so fingers crossed they'll start rooting soon, then I'll decide what to do with them over the winter. I've taken the cuttings from a wonderful collection in the garden of my late sister so sadly a second chance next spring isn't an option as her garden will soon belong to someone else...so I'm sure you understand how sentimental these cuttings are.
  Thanks again

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