How to Root Plants from Hardwood Cuttings in the Winter (Viburnum, Crape Myrtle, Plum, and Peach)

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I posted links to results for the viburnum and plum cuttings in the description. These links are from previous times where I rooted them. I did not do a video due to squirrels that destroyed this batch of cuttings. The viburnums had rooted already and callusing had begun on the plums. I attempted to restick them but they didn't make it. Unfortunately I didn't catch the problem in time to save the cuttings. However you can go to my website GrowingTheHomeGarden.com and view results from where I have done this in the past. Those specific links are in the description for this video.

[@Growingthehomegarden]

growingthehomegarden.com/rooted-viburnums-from-hardwood-cuttings/

[@Growingthehomegarden]

growingthehomegarden.com/propagating-plum-trees-hardwood-cuttings/

[@emptynestgardens9057]

I'm really interested in a Part 2. What to do next? How long do they stay like this? Is this container in sun location for the winter or shade? When can they be potted individually and from there when will they be strong enough to put out into the landscape? Yes I know, a ton of questions from a newbie propagator. 😊

[@JustlittleolemeSuzi]

Very kind of you to explain the "why's" as you went along. *Scraping a tad at the planting end

[@TheWisendorf]

I would like to ad something. Not every tree even of the same variety will take to rooting very well. So if you only get a few out of many many cuttings you should count your self lucky. Now the really hard part of all this is patience. Apples ,peaches and most plums are very hard to get rooted. If you are lucky enough to have a fruit tree that has been cut down to the ground, then you can cut down a barrel about a foot high to encircle it.Fill with saw dust or something. The sprouts from spring will make roots down there in the saw dust eventually,then you can dig down and snip them off along with some nice roots. This will take way into next year but it works just keep grass and weeds from getting in there and choking them to death. Some trees are great for root stock that you can graft to later on,Some are not.

[@DwyllisWatson]

Excellent. No messing about telling his life history just giving very good information

[@paulh98604]

Thanks for the no nonsense, to the point video!! My god I've watched about 50 propagation videos and have been so frustrated with the lack of info and the added bullcrap. This was to the point and spot on with no additional hype. Super simple. Thank you! New subscriber here.

[@frankdavidson9675]

i tried a diff way this year on peach cuttings i pruned in jan so limbs 4 ft long 1/2 in in dia at the cut then cut into section about 12 -14 in long scraped the bottom end a little then put container with water about 2 inch deep about 30 - 40 cutting sleft alone in my garage till mid feb placed in tubs of soil wet and put out side ( sc zone 7 ) mild winters this ist week in march several have tiny green leaves growing will wet as needed if i get 1 new peach tree free i am happy its just a hobby but i pass on what works to the younger folks

[@BillLowenburg]

Thanks, Dave! I’ve sprouted forsythia , works great. This winter I’m trying viburnum and peaches. Great fun for a very low cost. Garden center and big box store prices are ridiculous and it’s more satisfying to grow your own!

[@Growingthehomegarden]

Forsythia is a fun one to propagate. Virtually stick it in dirt and it grows! Viburnums should do well for you. What kind are you rooting?

[@mohammedmohammed846]

Thanks 🙏 I really love this planet now I know how to multiply it

[@Glitter221]

You have a wonderful way of teaching, thank you, I will start my cuttings tomorrow.

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I really appreciate your kind words!

[@tracythethriftygroomer6091]

ok, I have some hard wood contorted filbert suckers that I cut like 8 month ago they are still alive but I have only seen minimal roots on a few of them. I had them on an indoor ish patio, I just watched your video and changed their medium , dipped them an moved them outdoors, they actually did leaf out in that 8mo which I thought was a good thing, oops. we shall see. I will update in spring

[@texasRoofDoctor]

Great stuff. We have a customer who had a huge cedar elm fall over during a storm. The stump has about 10 new shoots coming out of it. I am going to try to transplant these and give the tree some descendants.

[@Growingthehomegarden]

Sounds great! Let me know how those do.

[@edie5285]

Ì didn’t hear you say it, but I assume you have the bottom of your container perforated?

[@kentedgar442]

I just rooted a Japanese cherry blossom. Lmao 1 out of 21 cutting haha i tried so many different ways and had one take on accident lol. Next year i will take some new cuttings off of it and see if i can get up to a higher % success rate

[@wildabezet860]

Thanks for the video. I would like to know why you clipped the top tip off? What if I want to try and root the top of my Christmas tree? It seems like that is the main sprout.

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I'd have to go back and see the video to know where you are referring but when you remove the terminal bud it sends a message for the plant to grow on the lower areas. That can help with rooting as well as forming side branches.

[@michaelvigh926]

Great video.

[@Growingthehomegarden]

Thanks!

[@svetlanamas8204]

Thank you 👍

[@mindalick8867]

what is your source please? for the fine shredded pine bark?

[@carolmcintyre8485]

I just found your channel. Thank you for all the good information. The volume is very low though. I'm subscribing anyway!

[@danawalker2651]

I live in Mississippi, and would like to know if I can take cuttings off of hydrangeas this time of the year.

[@Growingthehomegarden]

You could but depending on what kind of hydrangea you may be removing the blooms for next year. But if you aren't concerned about that then you shouldn't have any trouble getting them to root. If blooming buds start to open you will want to pinch those off of your cuttings so that they don't exert energy toward blooms in that first year. What kind of hydrangea are you attempting to root?

[@conniegriner1847]

Very informative! Thanks so much!

[@Growingthehomegarden]

You're welcome Connie! Thanks for watching!

[@hosta127]

I’m just a beginner and so happy to find such great learning on your channel. I discovered a huge, leggy Weigela in the overgrown lawn of the house I purchased. I want to take a bunch of cuttings to propagate but I’m not sure how to determine “this year’s growth.” There is so much old wood on the bush. Would it just be what is on the end of a cane/shoot?

[@BackSeatHump]

Nice presentation. More sensible than most videos on the subject. But as Empty Nest Gardens says, "I'm really interested in a Part 2". Is there a part 2? How many of those cuttings survived? 🌳

[@Growingthehomegarden]

The viburnums did great and put on some good roots. Unfortunately over the winter a squirrel when to looking for it's lost walnut and ravaged the pot it was in. I pretty much lost the whole planter of cuttings after that. I failed to protect the cuttings in the winter. A wire mesh cage would have helped a lot.

[@BackSeatHump]

@@Growingthehomegarden I am going to unsubscribe to the Chip 'n Dale 'GoFundMe' project. 🌳

[@jwinstons3352]

Thanks for the video. Hopefully the creator or someone else can advise: I live in Chicago where it can get -20 degrees in the winter. Will this kill the cuttings?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I'm much farther south than you (Tennessee) but I've found that if the plant normally grows well in that area a rooted cutting should be OK. You may want to offer a little help. Store it in a sheltered location and give it some cover when the temperatures are that extreme.

[@jwinstons3352]

@@Growingthehomegardenthanks so much for the speedy reply. I’ll continue to learn your channel :)

[@Growingthehomegarden]

@jwinstons3352 you're welcome, just happened to see your comment at a good time. 😀

[@lindacolbert6426]

Watching your videos and others as well., Ive tried at least a hundred crepe myrtle. None have rooted. I do exactly as shown on videos. Can they really be propagated??.

[@deborahhepting848]

Your video was very informative and I TRULY appreciate it❣️❣️

[@Plantnow]

Thanks for sharing. You just gained a new subscriber 👍

[@josephmcgee8450]

When do you take Rhododendrons cuttings? Zone 7B

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I don't have any rhododendrons to grow cuttings from so I haven't done them but they generally are taken jn the fall of first year growth. Mike Kincaid does a lot with them so check out this video he did for more info: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqukomivgrueqqs

[@rjgambino9859]

Tired this method. Thanks!

[@frankmartire2174]

great video thank you

[@sklee1644]

Where do you get the fine wood chip medium?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

It's usually sold as soil conditioner at the big hardware stores.

[@SampatHarish]

I planted hardwood cuttings of hydrangea 4 months ago in November. I see little buds coming out of stem. My question is, when should I take them out and put them in a pot and start giving fertilizer?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I would wait until you can see roots coming out from the drain holes. Budding is a good sign but doesn't always mean roots have formed yet.

[@SampatHarish]

@@Growingthehomegarden Thank You very much

[@davidg813]

Why you didn't show pinching the buds off of those peach trees and plum tree cuttings is that true to any cutting or the fruit trees different should the buds be taken off except for the top ones.

[@GeorgeNajem]

Hi and thank you for posting your video about growing fruit trees from cuttings. I want to learn about growing olive s from cuttings. Is it the same process?

[@Gnarmarmilla]

Thank you so much, sir. Has a couple questions, where are you at and what month was it when you filmed this? So you’re saying they will still slowly root during the snow? I have a bunch of White Ash cuttings and I am hoping to rebeautify southern Illinois. (We have lost many Ash trees to the emerald Ash borer.)

[@Growingthehomegarden]

This was filmed in January in Tennessee. I would probably wait a little longer to take cuttings in Illinois. Maybe mid to late February. They won't do a lot in snow but will root during the winter cold. They will slowly callus then begin rooting. I hope you can get those ash trees rooted!

[@zap4980]

Thanks for sharing ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@brianmurray785]

i have pineapple guava tree cuttings are they better left outside or kept in a greenhouse over winter.

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I would lean toward the greenhouse however I've never grown guava as they aren't hardy in my zone so I can't say for sure.

[@busybuddy8414]

Thank you. my question is : so you do hardwood cuttings during winter and semi hardwood and softwood cuttings during summer?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

Essentially yes! Spring through early summer are softwood or greenwood cutting usually. 1st year growth at the appropriate stage is what will root the best.

[@rocklady3317]

Dave. The ends are softwood or semi-soft. Im looking for hardwood training

[@SpiritualButNotReligious]

Hi, good video, did they root? it would be nice to see a follow-up video.

[@Growingthehomegarden]

The viburnums rooted well but squirrels got to the planter before the fruit trees could root. So unfortunately I couldn't do a follow up video with these cuttings.

[@marshaspears2237]

Going to try an propagate some river birch branches. What time of year is best to do this? It’s middle august in west Arkansas. Thanks! Enjoyed your video!

[@pjsullivan128]

I’m curious on the crêpe myrtles it’s obvious Lee winter or very early spring because your plants are dormant from my college days in my propagation books crêpe myrtles were best rooted in July and August which would make that Wood semi hardwood. I used to work for parks and racks, and I would route them all the time, I’m wondering do you have any samples of the crêpe myrtles that have rooted from this time of the year?

[@hosta127]

Also, my neighbor has given me permission to take cuttings from her crepe myrtle. Is it all right to take them now (late August) or should I wait until winter when all the leaves are down? Also the same question for the Weigela.

[@TcFW97TCM]

i think those would be greenwood cuttings and I think you can it is just a different process. Its january now so I hope you remember to get some cuttings

[@randyman8984]

Curious how the crepe myrtles turned out? I've got some on my property 15 to 20 years old I keep the tops cut out of them in the late winter. So will have plenty of material to try this. I'm starting to like the pink and red more because they don't seem to grow really big.. The Whites and light purples grow alot more aggressive, those two can get big pretty fast. . I have successfully rooted some pinks and red crepe myrtles through the Summer. My sucess rate is probably about 65% doing it this way. Once I get roots I move them to a new bigger pot and it seems like they just grow slower. But the few that I put in the ground , they have really taken off . Very impressed with those. Just wish they would grow this fast in pots, I can't get that part figured out yet. I love the new dark leaves with the pink blooms, i think they're a new variety. I seen a few of those in people's landscape and I like the way they look. But I have to get me a cutting plant and start taking cuttings.

[@1959jimbob]

I have a question for you. First, however, I want to say thank you for this video. I am new to your Channel, so I am playing catch up. Did you do a follow-up to show on how long it took the cuttings to grow and how well they did? Now to my question, is it possible to root cuttings from Sassafras trees? By possible, I mean, is it a reliable method? I have looked and looked, and I can't find anything on cuttings/rooting????

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I try to do follow ups but in this case I don't think I ever did. I had squirrels mess with them that ruined quite a few of the cuttings. The viburnums were rooting very well at that point. I have never done sassafras but I think the best way to do them would be to do root cuttings/dividing. Sassafras is a colonizing tree that makes groups of trees. I would try getting smaller outlying trees and digging those. Then take some cuttings while doing that. They are beautiful trees.

[@travisk5589]

I am going to want a follow up on the stone fruits and if they rooted. How do you know that the sap is a sign of a boring insect versus canker?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

It happens in the fruit as well as the stems which is more a sign of an insect. The boring insect is a type of weevil common in our area on stone fruits.

[@cactushound]

Do you have any luck with dormant or non-dormant persimmon cuttings? Diospyros virginiana and Diospyros kaki are the species I'm focused on. If you can grow any of these from dormant hardwood cuttings, I'd like to know how it's done.

[@philisbramlett6890]

I really need to know how to save my Dbl. Blooming Lilac bush stems that I cut free and put in cool water after a storm hit my 1year old plant . I cut it back only where broken branches were , leaving scarcely any but, amazingly it has grown more now than this past year even , after fertilizing ! I just need to know if I can put them outside just like you have demonstrated here as if they were a hard wood . I don't want to lose it 🏡 . I have all the same starter soil , root hormone , etc . I just need guidance . I just have a new "Cottage Garden " and a dream ... It may be the next generation to see or hopefully enjoy it . I'm the Proud Gardener of Quick fire Hydrangeas with P. W. LILACS to the End Caps . I have a little hibiscus in the corner which I' be c giving a C.O.A. due to water requirement differences next to my Lilac though ( oops!) . Any advice on lilac propagation outdoors would be such a blessing . I have to get moving though . They have been in a cool room . No direct light . Help ? Thank you so much ! You make this seem so simple . Harvesting is where the work begins I think 💫

[@Growingthehomegarden]

In general if the lilac is hardy in your area then it should be safe to leave it outdoors. Maybe give it a little more sheltered location but it should do ok.

[@LisaMartens-Klanke]

How would you propagate a maple tree ?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I would take about a 9 or 10 inch cutting. You will want to wound the end where you made the cut about 3/4 of an inch. Just scrape the bark away to get underneath. You would do that so that the area can callus. Apply rooting hormone then stick the cutting in your medium. Take the cuttings of first year growth from midsummer to fall.

[@PATTYH1111]

does this work on camphor trees? thank u

[@Growingthehomegarden]

It can but I've never tried it on camphor trees. It's something I've never grown but the basic techniques should work.

[@mariaarevalo6874]

Can a crepe myrtles cutting be dormant long enough to be mailed Thanks

[@KevinSandersMDGoHokies]

zone 7B here , do you worry about the medium in the planter / roots/ callous freezing ???

[@tubular2bueller241]

How do you keep squirrels from digging up your cuttings?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I'm still experimenting with things. The best I have come up with is to cover with another tray, like a mesh daisy tray, but that won't help with cuttings mostly seeds. Probably making a wire cage to cover the cuttings would be the best solution.

[@kathys1236]

Hi thanks for the informative video! It is June, and I just cut several suckers off a mature Witch Hazel tree. I could not bring up any roots with the cuttings as they were securely growing from the tree roots. The cuttings are as tall as 4 feet. Should I cut them into small pieces with maybe 4 nodes, and try and root these little cuttings? Thank you!!

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I'm sorry to reply to late. I would reduce the cutting size quite a bit. Probably no more than 8 inches or so. I have not been successful with witchhazel cuttings yet and have heard they can be tricky to root. Often they are grow from seeds or grafted onto seed stock.

[@j.t.7273]

I have been trying to root red quince with cuttings. When is the best time to do this? I have one growing in a 16" plastic tub but would like to propagate a few to give to friends and family. How many inches should the cutting be? Thanks.

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I have not tried rooting quince before but I would try 6 inch long cuttings. That's a good default length to start with when you don't know for sure what works best. For timing I would suggest early spring.

[@MsLindy57]

I’m in zone 10a. It’s Feb 23rd. Can I still propagate fruit tree cuttings? The ones I have are dormant.

[@plantsim]

How'd these go? I thought perncil size or thicker, heard you say do what you got, what was your rooting rate thi year -- and do you plant in 1 year?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I usually will pot up for a while and plant the following fall if I have a spot for them. This batch of cuttings got attacked by squirrels and non made it all the way. The viburnums rooted easily but the fruit trees needed more time. I didn't protect them enough from the squirrels.

[@BacktonaturelivingCom]

Great video. Thank you. QUESTION: We get up to 9 ft of snow each winter on our Rocky Mtn Homestead. Is it okay to leave your cuttings outside during the winter with this snow load. Will the mice eat the bark off of your cuttings under the snow... What would you suggest for these situations...Thanks again for such a great youtube channel...

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I think in your case I would bring the cuttings to an unheated area like a garage or shed. I don't ever see snow loads like that here in TN but I don't think cuttings would love that! Mice very well could get into them under the snow so if you put them in an unheated yet sheltered area you may be able to monitor them more closely.

[@ldsage]

What time of year are you doing this? It looks like fall, but maybe it’s early spring?

[@Psikolirik]

may I know does this applies to all hardwood plant? I am new to this cutting technique. i am trying to cutting on agarwood..is it the same?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I'm unfamiliar with agarwood but it might work with it. Not all plants root with hardwood cuttings but many do. If in doubt you should test it and see.

[@mulonru2965]

How long does it take pecan cutting to produce pecans?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

It could take several years. I've not rooted one before but young trees sold in stores will take a while to produce. You also need a pollinator of a different variety to get good pollination to produce nuts.

[@gardenbee583]

Do you need to cover the bin?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

You shouldn't need to in winter but these cuttings were pillaged by squirrels and chipmunks and very few survived after that. So I do recommend covering with some kind of protection from those creatures. Chicken wire or hardware cloth will help.

[@lkhbhydroponic6858]

Can i grow hackberry tree from cutting?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

You may be able to but they pop up very freely. It may be better to propagate them from seeds rather than cuttings.

[@lkhbhydroponic6858]

@@Growingthehomegarden thank you i ordered 1kg seeds let's see how it goes.

[@chriskendall9522]

What are the next steps, is there a second video on the hardwood cuttings? I.e. what do you do next, and when?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I didn't do a followup unfortunately. Squirrels dug up the cuttings. Definitely protect them with a wire mesh if you have squirrels or chipmunks in the area. The next step would be to wait until spring and check for roots. Once a cutting has roots I pot them up individually in small pots.

[@chriskendall9522]

@@Growingthehomegarden Ah shame! Thanks for the information 👍

[@APPYEAGLE]

I'm new at propagating. My peach cuttings are rotting, dying but my apple are still alive. Do you know what differs?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

It's a hard question to answer. It could be something with the condition of the cutting, size of the cutting, if the cutting dried out or not. It could also be a fungal thing on the peach tree that doesn't affect apple trees.

[@ryanpurcell9083]

How about dunstan chestnut trees. I got 6 cuttings in the mail yesterday. It’s spring now I have three in a pot in a bag inside window with sun. I was thinking about putting the other three in a pot outside should I put in full sun or no sun?? Thanks for the information great video!

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I've never done a chestnut tree before. I would maybe try and keep them tented in some way to keep the humidity around them. I would avoid full sun for sure. Indirect or dappled light is probably ideal.

[@donnabauerofbrilliancebyde1178]

How would it work with winterberry in the spring?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I would wait until just before summertime and take fresh 1st year cuttings that weren't too pliable. Maybe about 4 inches or so. I've done evergreen hollies this way but not tried winterberry.

[@andreareinas7214]

How do you cut the stems off the plant? When should you do this?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

Take the cutting just below the node of the plant at the length of cutting you want. I just use a pair of sharp pruners for this. For hardwood cuttings you would do this through the winter.

[@samuelcooley6406]

Great video, what month do you take your cuttings Samuel

[@antaratarocchitarot2780]

What growing zone are you in? Can I leave mine outdoor for the winter in 6 b

[@Growingthehomegarden]

They should be OK in 6b. I'm in zone 7. I do recommend covering with hardwire cloth or something else that will prevent squirrels and other rodents from digging in your planters. Mine did not fare well after a squirrel incident.

[@periscope2009]

Thank you. Good information. We are in zone 8. We still have few leaves on the Plum tree (last week of Nov). What month do you recommend for hardwood cuttings to be cut from parent tree?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I would probably recommend January through a couple weeks prior to spring.

[@periscope2009]

@@Growingthehomegarden thank you.

[@ronmesser9091]

What type of medium

[@ervinboeckers520]

Can these be left to freeze if taken during January

[@Growingthehomegarden]

If they are naturally hardy in your area then they can be left outdoors during freezes as long as they haven't broken dormancy. Once they start sending out leaves and buds they can be damaged by a frost/freeze.

[@adamb.8854]

Apricot is also doable? For me it is hard

[@willaerley7140]

So how did the cuttings turn out? What was the success rate?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I haven't pulled them yet from the mix. They are all still alive and some are showing signs of rooting like callusing. I'm making sure to give them plenty of time to make roots.

[@zgoalscorer8450]

@@Growingthehomegarden what month was this done? good to plant in mid spring or so? im in new york

[@JuliaLopez-jb2sd]

Can you please show the results you got from those cuttings

[@Growingthehomegarden]

A squirrel or chipmunk got into the planter sometime that winter and the cuttings did not survive. At that point though the viburnums had already rooted and the plums were callusing. I did some plum cuttings again this winter which have rooted at this point.

[@jacknanuq6119]

Its been a year. how did this work?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

The viburnums did great. The fruit trees got rampaged by squirrels or chipmunks as they were burying their walnuts.

[@jacknanuq6119]

@@Growingthehomegarden dang

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I was not very thrilled. They've been bad this past year digging in quite a few plants. I did some pawpaw trees from seed that I think have been eaten as well.

[@CodeXGangstAH]

Great informative video! Is it too late to make hardwood cuttings of ninebark (it's beginning of March in NJ, zone 7)?

[@Growingthehomegarden]

I think you still could, but even if it didn't make it ninebark will root well from late spring to summertime cuttings of 1st year growth. You would need to mist or tent to keep the humidity up during the summer.

[@CodeXGangstAH]

@@Growingthehomegarden Got it. Thanks a lot!

[@Growingthehomegarden]

@@CodeXGangstAH You're welcome! Let me know how it turns out.

[@ohbutthejoy]

Very helpful thank you 👍

[@davidritchie8049]

I did the same thing zero results, tried potting mix, sand, a blend of soils and potting mix. only 1 ever take was a mulberry and a bore came thru and killed it, I soaked in water and also with out

[@sparkywatts3072]

You failed to mention what kind of plant your working with.

[@lydiahubbell6278]

update?

[@a.j.b.8658]

Oh yeah, didn't think of separating out rooting hormone for each plant 🙈 I go round thinking these are just magic potion, no need to apply some common sense 🙄 👍

[@Growingthehomegarden]

lol, It may never be an issue but I'm just being careful.

[@furlvr1961]

Moist soil first, then the only thing I would do differently is when placing the cutting covered in the rooting hormone, is to make a depression the depth of what you intend to plant your cutting to. Don't just poke it into the soil. Because as you do this, you are effectively wiping off the rooting hormone when you push your cutting into the soil. Then firm the soil around it and water.

[@JustlittleolemeSuzi]

*please speak a little bit closer to the mic, or maybe a headset

[@svetlanamas8204]

Thank you 👍

[@Growingthehomegarden]

You're welcome!