How to start hedge clippings root?

Question

How to start hedge clippings root?

Answer 1

Many hedging plants eg Buxus (Boxwood), Euonymous, privet etc are easy to grow from cuttings.



For buxus I usually take semi ripe cuttings (not the soft top bit, and not the brittle bit at the bottom, the middle semi soft part of the stem). You can do this from late summer to late autumn. I usually make the cuttings about 4" long, make sure you know which is the top bit and which is the bottom (usually done by cutting the top of straight and the bottom off on an angle or vice versa (you don't want to plant them upside down). The leaves will root from the lumps on the stem where the leaves join on (nodes). Trim the bottom of the cutting just below one of these joining points cut the cutting off at approx 4". I strip all the leaves of bar a few at the very top. Dip the cutting into rooting compound or honey use a stick to make a hole in the compost you are going to grow the plant in, carefully put the cutting in the compost so you don't knock the rooting compound off. Push the compost against the cutting to hold it upright. Keep doing this till you fill up a pot of cutting (you can make quite a few). Water the compost well and gently. I then put a few sticks into the pot and place an upturned bag over the pot (the sticks are to stop the plant material touching the bag), and put a large rubber band around the bag which holds it onto the pot (make sure it is secure with no holes or gaps for moisture to get out). You now have a mini hot house. Place the covered pot in a very shaded position. Every week water and replace the cover on the pot. After 6-8 weeks they should be rooted, don't be in a rush though ,let them get going then pot up into individual pots (no covers) in the shade to grow to the next size.



The main thing is be careful with your hygiene, Wash any pots with a 10% bleach solution before use (kills fungal diseases etc) and also use the same solution on you secatours. Some plants will die so make lots of extras. I find a 50 /50 mix of peat moss and sand works well for me, but you can use propagating mix if available. Its very rewarding to do and lots of fun.

Answer 2

I think it depends on the type of hedge. When i was a kid and getting interested in gardening I used to take cuttings from a neighbors privet hedge (new growth) and put them in a glass of water and they would grow roots relatively quickly. You can also buy rooting hormone (Rootone) to help stimulate growth.

Answer 3

we've a great tarp we use for backyard chores. For a hedge, we lay down the tarp alongside the backside of the trees, and enable the clippings drop. as quickly as we've reached the top of the tarp, we fold it over and drag out to the compost. This makes cleanup plenty less demanding and forestalls us from worrying the mulch.