Overwintering Rooted Cuttings of Hydrangea (Part 1) | Protect the Roots from Frost

[@MikeKincaid79]

Get your rooted hydrangea cuttings safely through the winter!

[@liveinlakewoodranch]

Hi! Your Channel is awesome! I’m a complete beginner but a dedicated one, I want to make the best garden for our family. I have a question, so right now I want to start propagating hydrangeas, does it mean that I could plant them in soil once they root? Or when is it a good time to do it?

[@talkingdoc]

I propagated 20 clippings and followed your directions best I could with the plastic container method. 11 survived and are strong and healthy. I'm so excited, but now nervous to plant them in the ground. Our Jersey winters are brutal. But I'm going to trust the expert here and go for it! It's amazing how much I care about a few plants haha. Here goes!

[@MikeKincaid79]

So awesome! Careful, though. I give several methods for overwintering cuttings depending on how cold it gets and how brutal the winters are. I don't want to steer you in the wrong direction. If the plants are cold hardy to your area then chances are good they'll survive but you could give some added protection this first winter by leaving them in the tote, cracking the lid for air flow, and bringing them into an unheated garage or shed after the first frost. If you do plant them in the garden, you may want to place some sort of barrier around them to protect from wind or heavy snow loads. Your winters get much more brutal than mine so take that into consideration. Great job on the cuttings!

[@RRAMir]

I don't know how do you always know what I need. I mean you always come to rescue.

[@MikeKincaid79]

Must be fate!

[@viktoriyastevens4123]

A gentleman down the street has the most beautiful hydrangea hedges around his home and for years I just admired their beauty. I'm waiting for June-ish so I can go ask him if I can have some cuttings. If he says no I may have to take a walk at night with a pair of shears 😁

[@MikeKincaid79]

Ssshhhhhhh! lol

[@elmormonteiro5780]

Hopefully he’ll give you some branches, if not good luck with your plan.

[@wesleyhackney]

Thanks for the advice. I have successfully rooted about 10 hydrangeas from my neighbour earlier this summer and now plan on taking your advice and planting them where I want them to be permanently and see how they do. Was afraid to do this but they are native to area

[@MikeKincaid79]

They should do fine. Mulch well. If you don't like where they're at next spring, you can always move them while they're still young.

[@wesleyhackney]

@@MikeKincaid79 thanks for the advice I got tons of leave to mulch. I'm wanting to build a propigation box like yours. Plan on becoming a member to get the details

[@jstamps9578]

Excellent point about planting plants that are "cold hardy" to your area. Learned the hard way over the years that lots of plant stores here sell plants that aren't cold hardy for our zone. So your rooting cuttings vids really show the way to go to get successful plants for our climate by cloning existing proven plants. Only one of my hydrangea cuttings rooted (only took 3 and it was my 1st time ever trying, after watching your vids and it counts as a surprise success), but I rooted it in the middle of the summer so it's kinda small with some new growth but not a lot. I'm thinking maybe leaving it in the pot and protecting it through this winter might be the way to go, instead of planting it now, where I want it to go next spring. Then next spring I'll do more hydrangea cuttings at the correct time instead of waiting till mid summer. Good info on winterizing rooted cuttings before the cold hits.

[@MikeKincaid79]

Thanks for watching, glad you like the video. You can leave them in pots too. One tip for that is to up-pot to a bigger size to surround the roots with more soil and buffer the temp fluctuations.

[@Georgeous.Garden]

Overwintering cuttings has been on my mind lately too, so thanks for this video! I’ll stay tuned for more videos. 🌸🌿

[@MikeKincaid79]

More to come!

[@elmormonteiro5780]

I have 2 hydrangea cuttings that are starting to grow new leaves. I hope they’ll grow and survive the coming winter. Thanks for all your help/information.

[@MikeKincaid79]

That's great, let them keep rooting and protect them through the winter.

[@LadyWisdomSpeaksAcademy]

I was wondering what to do next with my cuttings but now I am going to find place in the garden to plant them in the ground. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@MikeKincaid79]

You're welcome! More videos on this topic are coming.

[@carminepetracca7518]

shoot: mike your rhodies are really growing well in the hoop house. i made dilly beans and they were delicious. i remembered a way my grandma used to quick pickle, but tell Sheila they were good and crunchy. i almost ate them in one sitting but had to stop myself.>>> i remember in my youth , the azalea man, who planted a farm of plants in the ground and when you wanted to buy one he would dig it out and burlap it for you and there you go home to plant.>>>good show.

[@MikeKincaid79]

Aren't those dilly beans great! I would like to eventually have an area where I grow bigger rhododendrons for sale in the soil and ball and burlap them. They just do better in the soil.

[@fatherofchickens7951]

My neighbor cut down their giant lilac bush. And I asked if I could have the wood to build an arbor. I put the wood in my backyard and forgot about it through an Alaskan winter. The next spring when I was getting ready to use the wood.... I found leaves sprouting out of the wood that had been chopped up and left in the sun for weeks. Then hauled to my backyard. And left over winter! Working on saving some of those sprouts for new lilac bushes😊

[@jstamps9578]

Now that's a plant saying it wants to grow.

[@MikeKincaid79]

You can plant the piece of wood and it will grow roots.

[@camicri4263]

That's awesome! So exciting!

[@LdyButterflyDMG]

Discovered you a couple of months ago. Always interesting and informative. Hydrangeas are my favorite plant, though it seems the one plant I can't kill are hostas. I got lotsa hostas lol. Watched your Empress Wu (and Wu La La) videos right after I bought some. They were received as roots. I keep them inside until they were about 4 inches and just planted them just under a week ago. Almost doubled in size. I have a few new 2 gallon Summer Crush Endless Summer hydrangeas. I will be trying your method to propagate them since I love the color so much. Thank you again! :)

[@grahamthomas6283]

Another master class in tips and information thanks for your time and consideration 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@MikeKincaid79]

Appreciate your support Graham! I enjoy making the videos for you.

[@markwalker9107]

I'm starting to think about making a green house to start propagating trees and maybe plant starts for my garden and or sell them . Lol I enjoyed gardening too much . This video is very well done and great information like always. Thanks

[@MikeKincaid79]

No such think as enjoying gardening too much, haha. Thanks for the great comment, Mark, and I appreciate you being a part of the family here.

[@markwalker9107]

@@MikeKincaid79 my wife doesn't think that. Lol but I've been getting 5 lb of peppers every few days out of my garden dehydrating like crazy.

[@MikeKincaid79]

Dang, 5 pounds a day! No shortage at your place, haha.

[@markwalker9107]

@@MikeKincaid79 I'm in the process of adding raised beds in my garden I have a hundred by 70 foot Of Garden space to add my beds have pretty much no soil it's chock right below half an inch of dirt . Wanting to make my land to actually work for itself. My 14 goats definitely don't do a whole lot other than giving me plenty of compost starting material.

[@MikeKincaid79]

Wow, sounds like a huge beautiful garden!

[@jenniferschwinn9648]

I love your videos! You share so much valuable info in a short video. Thanks for pruning out the chit chat deadwood. You keep the commentary pithy. I am hooked on propagating since I found you. Keep the content coming, If I could make a request... How about seed collection how to for fall? Thanks!

[@MikeKincaid79]

So glad you love the videos! Thanks for watching and I'm always open to suggestions for new videos. I do have some videos on germinating Japanese maples if you're interested.

[@camicri4263]

Good video Mike like always! Where is Johnny? I have heard him in a long time. Hugs to you and the family. Blessings!

[@MikeKincaid79]

Johnny's been busy. He's a daddy now! My wife went out to the chicken coop and one of his hens had 11 chicks following her around, haha!

[@camicri4263]

Hahaha Mike, good for him and for you! Congratulations for the new chicks......and you didn't tell us? How about a video? 🐣🐤🐥🐦🐓🐔❤😘

[@camicri4263]

Mike, I am just now getting some hydrangea cuttings! At church there is a huge bush that was left unpruned....I am going to do the pruning and get some cuttings. Any suggestions? I don't have a hoop house or an extra room in the house. .... What do you think? ??

[@carminepetracca7518]

yes, mike : in the ground is the appropriate way to sell many hard plants. thanks for the reply. next time. carmine p.

[@abigailstevenson5629]

I just learned about propagating hydrangeas from your video and some other KZbin videos as well. I’m really excited, but the problem is it’s November here in Idaho and we’ve already had our first couple of snows. I saved a few hydrangeas from the snow and put them in a vase in my kitchen. Have you ever had success doing this in the winter? Im afraid they won’t root until December and then what? I’m thinking maybe using your clear Rubbermaid container as a green house idea. Let me know if you have any tips.

[@MikeKincaid79]

I actually got a ton of comments like this after the most recent hydrangea video I did. So I decided to do it all over again right now and see if it will work this late in the year. Results to follow.

[@spencerkristina]

Can you make a video for cuttings that need to stay inside over the winter? How do you care for them inside?

[@MikeKincaid79]

I've done many videos about this but it's been a few years. I can do another and update things.

[@angelaschachter2823]

Amazing! Thank you,!!

[@carlyrn2005]

Awesome video again, you were meant for youtube👍. How do you get your dirt to be so nice and crumbly?

[@MikeKincaid79]

What a wonderful thing to say, thanks Carly! The soil around here is actually pretty rocky and hard to dig in but the area I was digging was actually amended with quite a bit of cow manure and wood shavings which attracts a ton of worms and it breaks down into beautiful soil.

[@lightsobrite]

Do you have any suggestions for planting hydrangea cuttings in clay in October in zone 6B for their permanent landscaping area

[@shawnacostain6737]

This is a really awesome video I love all your videos I've been watching you for years I did propagate hydrangeas and they're doing great but my concern is my Japanese maple that I propagated I needed it to go dormant and I don't know what to do and I watched your video again but I'm confused I had it ioutside and when it started to get cold at night I was worried it would die so I brought it inside but it's still has its humidity hood and I'm trying to get it out of that and when I started to the bottom leaves starts to die and then I thought well now I needed to go dormant so I took it back outside and then the good leaves start at the fall off so I was like oh great so I took it in my greenhouse and it has heat so I'm worried that it won't go dormant is this is a big deal I read that if it doesn't go dormant it won't be as strong as a tree help

[@MikeKincaid79]

It will still be a strong tree. It has the same genetic potential and that doesn’t change. If it doesn’t go dormant then it may not take off and grow as vigorously the first summer, but if that’s what it takes for it to get it through the first winter then so be it. I can tell you’re nervous about it so just keep it in your greenhouse this winter and save yourself the stress, lol.

[@midsouthhomestead9180]

Mike I didn't try to propagate my hydrangeas but I found 12 saplings under my Japanese Maple saplings under my tree. What do I do with them during the winter? I want to give them to family members next year.

[@MikeKincaid79]

Leave them in the ground over the winter and pot them up in early spring before the new growth starts taking off.

[@maryannm1977]

Mike, I want to prepare cuttings from my Annabell panicle hydrangea. Do I follow the same technique as your Macrophylla? Can you create a video to make a cutting into a tree form? I dream of having a 100 of these trees in a row. Mary Ann

[@MikeKincaid79]

Yes, you can use the same method, and you can also root them as hardwood cuttings in the winter/late spring. I plan to do some videos about it at some point, and yes, I'll make some trees out of them. This is a very long term project though so hope you'll be around here for awhile.

[@maryannm1977]

@@MikeKincaid79 Thank you Mike....I have found a new love, flowers and shrubs. I plan on staying here forever.

[@triumphmanful]

what about us folks in the NE USA. Should we keep the cuttings indoors or plant them now ? Will they survive frozen soil and winter freezes that we get here ?

[@triumphmanful]

well ? anyone know ?

[@madambutterfly5343]

I was in the floral section of a store. They had blooming white Hydrangea cuttings in vases. They are in excellent condition, look fresh cut. No drooping, dead leaves, stems are still green and sturdy. Can I root these? Also it’s November is it too late to root them on my window sill? I really want to give this a try😊

[@MikeKincaid79]

Yes, you can root them. I've got an experiment going right now at this time of year and so far it's looking good.

[@madambutterfly5343]

@@MikeKincaid79 Thank You 🙏

[@elsiejordan271]

In southern living. Magazine may issue 2021 has the most beautiful red hydrangea. Called heart throb" it would be beautiful in your collection and then propograte this species.

[@MikeKincaid79]

That sounds wonderful, I'll have to look it up. I try to stay away from patented plants though because you can't legally propagate them without a license deal with the company that owns the patent.

[@aldrindsouza1320]

Hi, question for you. I live in Minnesota. Can I take clippings now and plan them into the ground in 6 weeks before the frost?

[@MikeKincaid79]

It's getting colder and the decreasing light is slowly triggering fall signals to the plants and eventually dormancy, so now isn't a good time start this outdoors with hydrangeas. You can take softwood cuttings and root them inside under lights and I'm working on a project about that right now.

[@aldrindsouza1320]

@@MikeKincaid79 thank you so much.

[@noelhamilton8332]

Mike do you dead head your rhodos old flower bracts, enjoyed your walk around your rhodo park thanks a million noel nz

[@MikeKincaid79]

I deadhead all the young rhododendrons in the hoop house but not the plants in my landscape.

[@melissahaynes6218]

How long should I keep my hydrangea cuttings in my propagation box before I open it slightly to let it adjust to less moisture then transfer to bigger pots before winter. Still summer here in New Zealand.

[@MikeKincaid79]

Once they are rooted, start acclimating them to less humidity. Once you get them out of there, the roots will grow even faster. You've still got plenty of time. I'd starts acclimating them now and get them out completely within a week or so and then pot up into bigger pots. Good luck!

[@edhowell7658]

Is there anything you can propagate during the Winter months, North Georgia zone 7a.

[@MikeKincaid79]

Absolutely, figs!

[@elizabethbabcox1374]

I put all 8 hydrangea cuttings 1 huge pots. That was Late August, they all rooted. We’ve had several frosts & leaves turned dark & fell off. They are not nearly as big as your June batch. Should I separate them and bring in under lights for winter?

[@MikeKincaid79]

I'd leave them outside at this point. As long as they have a good root system, they should do well. If you're worried about them then you can bring them inside but you'll have to have proper lighting and keep them fertilized all winter.

[@robcutlip1909]

How do you spell the name of that tropical looking rhododendron at 2:25?

[@MikeKincaid79]

Sinogrande!

[@elmormonteiro5780]

Hi Mike. My hydrangea is turning brown. Is that normal due to the weather? Thanks.

[@MikeKincaid79]

Yes, the leaves will eventually fall off. The new green leaves will emerging the spring.

[@elmormonteiro5780]

@@MikeKincaid79 thanks. I can’t wait for spring and do more propagation and planting new plants. Plants are so expensive though. I want some heuchera, rhododendron, zinnia, lilies, daisies etc. I will try air layering my magnolia and rough leaf dogwood, I have no luck doing soft wood propagation on those 2.

[@sanniperrotticonnery334]

Please let me know how to protect lilac babies from high winds and freezing temps. I stuck the in the ground and used bagged mulch around the. I did this about 3 weeks ago in 6B Tiverton RI. Also a 1 gallon butterfly bush. Today is 9/14/2020.

[@MikeKincaid79]

Sounds like you're doing everything right so far. You could set up some cinder clocks or something similar around the new plants just to block the winter winds for the first year. Some people put in short stakes and wrap burlap around them to block wind. No need to cover them though.

[@sanniperrotticonnery334]

@@MikeKincaid79 thank you.

[@redwood1957]

Do you know of a new variaty of roady that is heat tolarent to zone 8? Thank you

[@MikeKincaid79]

I live in zone 8 and all my rhododendrons grow well. They just need to be mulched and watered well for the first few years like any other plant. Some afternoon shade helps too.

[@dianepittsbritt6945]

Is it to late to pot my rooted hydrangeas up..

[@MikeKincaid79]

No, you can pot them up now. The extra potting soil around the roots will help buffer them from frost.

[@samuelyockey3187]

Will harder stemmed hydrangea cuttings root the same way?

[@MikeKincaid79]

They won't root as quickly but they will root. They root the fastest as softwood cuttings in the spring.

[@andielliott2306]

What potting mix did you stick the softwood cuttings in?

[@MikeKincaid79]

I use either fine fir bark or a mixture of composted cow manure and wood shavings that I get at a local dairy.

[@marksparks420]

so if i get some cuttings at the end of next month and put root hermone and put them in the tub in 4 to 5 months i cant plant them already outside?

[@MikeKincaid79]

Depends on the types of plants you're taking cuttings from but if they're hydrangeas then now is a better time to take them.

[@stevenrettig]

So I was preparing to plant my cuttings in the soil today.. I started to take them out and the roots just don't look as good as the ones in this video... there are roots just look a little premature... I planted two and got nervous.. so I just covered them with a tote again in the soil and hope they keep growing.. maybe another week... cause the leaves of the ones planted started to dry out immediately Am I screwed?

[@MikeKincaid79]

LOL, yep sounds like they weren't ready. Just keep the tote on them for a few more weeks and then slowly acclimate to less humidity.

[@stevenrettig]

@@MikeKincaid79 so should I take the ones I planted...(that are also under the tote) and put them back in pots

[@rebeccaryan1779]

Hi Mike - Been watching a lot of your videos on rooting and overwintering hydrangeas. It's going great! I'd like my hydrangeas to be in big big pots as my dogs would tear them from the ground unfortunately. Can I plant my new rooted hydrangeas (which are a little over a month old) into the big pots? My goal is for them to survive the winter in the Pacific Northwest (Portland)? I can bring them inside if there is a freeze.

[@MikeKincaid79]

Yes, they should do very well in large pots. We live in the same climate so I don't think that will be a problem for you.

[@binhtang8594]

How many degree i have to bring my rooted hydrangea pot in to house. I plant in 16 “ pot, is it big enough ?( ít root is tiny short small.) from now to winter my plant will be3 months old. I live in zone 8a. I really appreciate for answering

[@leonahawker7977]

My roots are not as big as yours. They are only started growing up and I could see them from the top so I repotted them. So should I put them in the ground maybe next month and maybe cover them over the winter