Winter Propagation - Hardwood Cuttings, Annabelle Hydrangeas, Elderberry, Figs, and more!

[@melodyscamman244]

I absolutely LOVE your, 'if you don't know, give it a try approach". Your approach may differ from "best practices" approach that every agency spouts off, but results vs input effort is a vital statistic to weigh.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Oftentimes "best practices" are spouted by people whi aren't actually doing the thing... they just repeat what they've heard. Sometimes it's right and sometimes it's not.

[@awakenacres]

Elderberries root real easy. I’ve even stuck them right into the ground. As long as they stay moist they should grow. Thanks for the inspiration!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

OK, thanks! I've not tried them, but have heard the same thing many times. Will definitely let everyone here see the results, good or bad.

[@danradtke1663]

Busy busy busy. Spring is not far off. Busy time right now for that time. 👍Dont forget the in ground mother plant expansion for divisions and bigger container sales i believe the deeper cells are better for less transplanting and larger root growth room. As always great job

[@LibertyFallFarms]

I think I like the type of tray that you used on these cuttings. Looks like they would great as they go into next fall.. Let us know how they work out for you. Love the Lav mic upgrade as well.. Great video as always! You are an inspiration to all of us that enjoys growing! God Bless!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I don't normally use trays this big, I usually use 50 ct. But I have a lof of them laying around from plants I've bought in here and there and wanted to try something different, and let them stay in these trays longer than I normally might. The lav mic? I've had it and use it occasionally, but it's a lot more stable sound, for sure.

[@teamSnaG01]

This inspired me to go out and practice with some hydrangeas that I have in the yard. Great info!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Go for it!

[@SouthernladyLindy]

Thank you for this! It’s December, 2024 and I’m in zone 7b. I’m just going to give it a try and see what happens.

[@urbanharvestdfw]

I'm gonna have to save this I've never had good luck with hardwood cuttings

[@toddholm408]

I really enjoy your videos and I find them very educational. If you are looking for an additional revenue stream, I would suggest a series of short books on the various topics you cover. For example I think each of these topics could be a book: Propagating flowering plants, propagating trees, propagating fruits and bushes, a series of short books on starting a small nursey business, and even a book that just showed some of the options for physical setups and arrangements of a hoop house/potting benches/irrigation systems. With generative AI you could easily outline some ideas and have it create most of the text of the book. You can even teach it to write in your style. If you need a little help with that, feel free to reach out to me and I can show you everything you need to know. You have a unique way of presenting ideas that goes into just enough depth, but you stop before it becomes useless trivia. I think each of your videos on a specific topic could have a link to an appropriate book in the description. You don't even have to plug them in the existing videos. You have good information, and I think you can share it even more with a book series. Just a thought, keep up the good work my friend.

[@johnt3728]

Thank you again for another informative video.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

You bet!

[@anniathome]

Thank you!

[@joedasilva7536]

always enjoy your videos

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Glad you like them!

[@amped79]

Very happy to have found your channel. New sub here and thankyou for teaching how to propagate! From vancouver island, canada

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Welcome! Glad to have you here.

[@zoegarriss5506]

Perfect! I needed this one! Love from NC🙏🏼💓🌲

[@jkkelley7582]

Oh I love seeing this one! Will be trying a few cuttings myself! Thanks!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Good luck!

[@PercussusResurgo]

Love your get'er done attitude

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Appreciate you watching our videos.

[@ginaskrobosinski49]

I wish l could do all this too 😮

[@savvydirtfarmer]

You can!

[@vintagemotorcyclerepair4052]

You mentioned that the bottom tray you placed under the Hydrangea cuttings had nothing to do with propagation, but you did leave it under the cell tray, which raises the question of whether the bottom tray has drainage holes.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

yes, never leave anything with plants in it outside without drainage. Ever.

[@DJDOUBLE077]

I like the miracle grow potting mix. I use it for moisture retention and add perlite/sand and peat to it for propagation. It works great and has less hydrophobic properties.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

yes to both! And, it's readily available everywhere.

[@farmyourbackyard2023]

You can use a tool called a dibble to make the holes. I have a variety of sizes for doing my potting, and they are also handy for planting in the garden when you make them long. I have one that is almost 2 feet tall.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I've seen those! When I get more efficient and get my system a bit more perfected, I'll probably get one.

[@Growing-Our-Retirement]

Great video! We have to get started with Hydrangeas!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

It's time! Still a few weeks left to get them going.

[@Growing-Our-Retirement]

I think best to follow your advice and give them a try. We have a couple that are over 12 feet tall that need a pruning anyway.

[@brownthumbnursery]

Great video as always!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I appreciate that

[@richardroele7970]

Ámazing

[@hudson8865]

Thank you.

[@UpTheIrons51510]

I also do elderberry cuttings as 2-node but I’ve seen Edible Acres KZbin say you can get away with 1-node elderberry cuttings, exactly the same as hydrangea. He leaves about 6” stem below the node and pushes them directly into the earth so that the node sits just above soil line. His strategy seems ideal for field plantings/hedgerows & the 2-node seems better for shallower container planting.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Good tips!

[@user-jk6sc4sp7u]

Thank you for this video! Do you have a list of plants that you recommend for propagation? You've inspired me to start my own nursery business so I've been trying to find some plants that I'll be able to propagate for future sales!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Not really. I just mainly propagate the plants you see on my videos - lots of different lants.

[@BarbaraShafferIsagenix]

How long until these are ready to sell? Or pot up into a gallon or five gallon? What size to expect at least at the end of the first summer? Thanks!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

It varies by plant... a lot, actually. But... if things go well, I'll pot the plugs late summer, early fall, and sell them next Spring.

[@DachiaTheDogMom]

I wonder if using a regular soil, not sand or perlite, would help with the transplant to a larger pot, as there would be an actual plug. Dirt with roots holding it together, that you could then put in a larger pot and backfill. Thoughts?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

In general, plugs tend to transplant better. They also take up more space to produce. And, plugs can be transplanted any time of year without regard to whether or not you're disturbing the roots too much, as can be the case when dealing with bare root pants during the growing season.

[@williamcarter746]

Can you use the same technique for all hydrangeas or just Annabelle?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I don't know about all, but many.

[@darleneallen3135]

I live in a number 5 zone, can you do this in my zone?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

yes

[@darleneallen3135]

@@savvydirtfarmer do I still do it in February ?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

@@darleneallen3135 any time in winter, but I prefer late winter... for you, maybe early march. The exact date won't make it or break it.

[@darleneallen3135]

@@savvydirtfarmer thank you

[@mz.amazing]

Hi, I have hardwood cuttings of plants that are not cold hardy in my zone. I'm in omOhio zone 6b. Next time I'll wait till March or April. Where should I store these? Leave them outside like the cold hardy cuttings since these don't have roots and are dormant? Or store them in an unheated garage? Or store them in the warm house since that is their prefered temperature? Thanks

[@savvydirtfarmer]

If they aren't hardy in your zone, seems like leaving them out in the weather would be a no go. Unheated garage? Seems reasonable, as long as they don't get overly dry. Warm house? Probably not your best bet unless you're doing something to root them there.

[@mz.amazing]

@savvydirtfarmer okay. Thanks for helping me.

[@kckola4553]

Did you say that’s a shaded area you are placing your cuttings? Just because it looked like an open area…GREAT VIDEO!

[@savvydirtfarmer]

It just has a 50% shade cloth over it

[@henrymurawskibigdogrepair]

Now if you dig a hole and fill it with potting soil and put your cutting in that do you need to dig it out after or let it grow if that’s the place you want it

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Leave it alone all year, til next winter. Then dig it out bare root. If you make plugs, as shown here, just pop the whole plug out.

[@SecondMileDIY]

Do you do limelight hydrangeas the same way as Annabelle? I have access to a lot of limelight that I planted for a customer a few years back. But I haven’t had Success growing hydrangeas in my own yard for some reason so it makes me nervous. Does it matter how much sun they receive during the winter months? And when should we start watering them if we are keeping a tray in a separate location from where we typically water?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Limelights do not root as well as annabelles as winter hardwoods. However, they root very, very well in summer. Winter months? Doesn't matter how much light cuttings recieve... they just sit there no matter the light

[@victoriagoddard4617]

Does it work well with all hydrangea or only the Annabel ?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

All or most

[@juneramirez8580]

My black mission fig was trimmed and I took the long ends about 5 inches each but they have bud tips. Do they have to be cut off? My hands are always in the dirt. Thats why I have hand soap! Lol

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I don't know about the tips... this is my first try with figs. Try some with and some without. I suspect they'll all root.

[@richardroele7970]

Can you dish in march of is that to late

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Yes. Most places are still dormant. Hardwood cuttings are for dormant wood.

[@gwilliams4402]

Sorry if I missed a video, think can do forsythia same way as hydrangea winter cutting?

[@gwilliams4402]

Also, lost huge branches here in PA off white pine, ever prop those winter cuttings?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Yes you can Forsythia root very easily, use mutliple nodes.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

never tried white pine. I have done some spruce... may be similar, with some success.

[@kellyrosberg6483]

Do you bake the miracle grow first? To kill larvae

[@savvydirtfarmer]

No

[@christywhitaker4021]

What about quice and camelias? Will this work for them?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Haven't tried but they would both be good candidates (woody shrubs)

[@stevenfrey8034]

Do you leave them in the water tray , or take them out eventually?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

That's not a water tray... just a strong carrying tray to support weight.... completely pass through for water and not necessary. I have them, so I use them.

[@AbdulahHausic]

Do you water these at all till the warmer days come?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

Only if there are many days with no rain. They don't dry out much in winter at all.

[@miraman68]

So, I noticed that you don't use rooting hormone. I am in the no rooting hormone needed camp myself. In fact, I think I had worse results using it? Good video.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I've used it and couldn't see any difference at all. I do thousands of cuttings each year with none. Personally, I think it's snake oil. Under specific environments with specific plants, it **may** increase your rooting by a percentage.

[@mikel646]

Every single time I've used rooting hormone, my cuttings rot and die. My success rate is literally zero. Without it, things work just fine. I've done side-by-side comparisons. No idea what I'm doing wrong, but I'm fine without it.

[@soccermom1245]

Don't skip wetting the soil. Be sure the buds are sticking up out of the soil.

[@savvydirtfarmer]

I wet them in the video.

[@christywhitaker4021]

And forsythia?

[@savvydirtfarmer]

100%

[@andielliott7721]

Even with gloves, somehow my hands manage to get dirty.