How to Propagate Plants from Softwood Cuttings

A green potted plant with multiple healthy leaves, placed on a concrete surface.

A growing garden needs plenty of plants, and buying enough plants to fill even a modest garden can become expensive. Propagating plants from cuttings provides a simple and inexpensive way to produce many new plants from those already growing in the garden.

Many plants can produce new roots from their stems. A section of stem removed from a suitable parent plant can therefore be prepared as a cutting, placed under the right conditions and encouraged to develop its own root system. Once those roots have formed, the cutting becomes an independent plant.

Plants produced from cuttings are genetic clones of the plant from which they were taken. This form of vegetative, or asexual, propagation is especially useful when we want to reproduce a particular plant or named cultivar without losing its characteristics.

Leafy stem cuttings do present one major problem. Once a cutting is removed from the parent plant, its leaves continue to lose water through transpiration, but it no longer has roots to replace that water. Successful propagation therefore depends on keeping the cutting hydrated while new roots develop, while also providing enough air around the base of the stem for those roots to grow.

The method described in this article provides the moisture, humidity, air and light needed to keep leafy cuttings alive while they produce a new root system.

Softwood and Herbaceous Cuttings Are Propagated the Same Way

Softwood cuttings and herbaceous cuttings are propagated using the same basic method. The difference between them is the type of stem being used.

Softwood cuttings are taken from the soft new growth of woody plants. The stems are still green and flexible and have not yet matured into firm woody tissue. Herbaceous cuttings are taken from non-woody plants such as basil, coleus, chrysanthemums and many perennial herbs.

Both are leafy stem cuttings, so the practical method is the same. The lower leaves are removed, the prepared stems are inserted into a moist, well-aerated propagation medium, and high humidity is maintained around the remaining leaves while roots develop.

The basil cuttings shown in this article are therefore technically herbaceous cuttings, but the method demonstrated is the same method used for softwood cuttings from woody plants.

Woody plants can also be propagated from stems at later stages of maturity. Semi-hardwood cuttings are taken after the current season’s growth has begun to firm and mature, while hardwood cuttings are taken from mature woody stems, commonly during dormancy. In deciduous plants these stems are leafless, so hardwood cuttings do not have the same problem of water loss through leaves and are propagated differently.

The Difference Between Cuttings and Seed-Grown Plants

The major difference between plants grown from cuttings and plants grown from seed is genetic variation.

A cutting is produced by vegetative reproduction. The new plant develops from one parent and is genetically the same clone or cultivar as that parent. Seeds, on the other hand, are normally produced through sexual reproduction. Genetic material is combined during fertilisation, producing offspring that can differ genetically from both parents.

This genetic variation is important in nature because it creates differences between individual plants. Some of those differences can improve survival and reproduction under changing environmental conditions, allowing plant populations to adapt over generations.

For a gardener trying to reproduce a particular cultivar, however, that same genetic variation means that seedlings may not reproduce the characteristics of the parent plant.

Apples provide a familiar example. A seed collected from the fruit of a named apple cultivar does not grow into another genetically identical tree of that cultivar. The resulting seedling may differ in growth habit, disease resistance, flowering time and fruit characteristics. Its fruit may be smaller, more acidic, more astringent or simply much poorer in quality than the apple from which the seed was taken.

Named apple cultivars are therefore maintained by clonal propagation, most commonly through grafting or budding. Other fruit crops are propagated by cuttings, layering, grafting, budding, division or tissue culture according to the biology of the plant.

Cuttings also retain the developmental state of the plant tissue from which they were taken. A seedling begins life in a juvenile phase and must reach physiological maturity before it can flower. In some woody plants this juvenile period lasts for several years.

A cutting taken from mature plant tissue does not return to the juvenile seedling phase. Once the new plant has rooted, established and grown large enough to support flowering or fruiting, it can become productive sooner than a plant of the same species grown from seed. This is another important reason vegetative propagation is useful for fruiting plants and other perennial crops.

When to Take Softwood and Herbaceous Cuttings

Softwood cuttings are taken during active growth while the current season’s shoots are still soft and flexible. In temperate climates this commonly occurs from spring into summer, but the developmental stage of the stem is more important than the calendar date. A suitable softwood shoot has expanded leaves and enough stem strength to hold its shape, but has not yet matured into firm woody growth.

Herbaceous cuttings are also taken while the plant is actively growing.

The condition of the parent plant has a major effect on rooting success, so take cuttings from healthy, vigorous, disease-free plants that are adequately watered and properly nourished. Do not take propagation material from plants showing nutrient deficiency symptoms, and avoid shoots produced after excessive fertilising, particularly with nitrogen. Heavy nitrogen feeding can produce very soft, succulent growth that roots poorly or is more prone to rotting.

Cuttings should also not be taken from wilted or drought-stressed plants. Leafy cuttings are best collected early in the morning, when the plant tissues are fully hydrated and contain their greatest water reserve.

Choose healthy vegetative shoots without flowers where possible. Flowers and developing flower buds are removed during preparation because the cutting needs its stored water, carbohydrates and nutrients for survival and root formation rather than reproduction.

Prepare Everything Before Taking the Cuttings

Softwood and herbaceous cuttings begin losing water as soon as they are detached from the parent plant, so prepare the propagation equipment before taking them.

Have a clean propagation pot or tray, propagation medium, plant label, cutting tools, rooting hormone if it will be used, and a clear humidity cover ready. Use clean, sharp scissors, secateurs or a propagation knife so that the stem can be cut cleanly without being crushed.

Preparing everything in advance means the cuttings can be taken, prepared and placed into the propagation medium with as little delay as possible.

Choosing a Propagation Medium

A propagation medium needs to perform several jobs at the same time. It must support the cutting physically, hold enough water to prevent the base from drying out, drain excess water and contain enough air-filled pore space to provide oxygen to the developing roots.

Moisture and aeration are equally important. Roots require oxygen for respiration, so a saturated medium with all its pore spaces filled with water creates poor rooting conditions and encourages stem and root rots. A medium that drains too freely and dries rapidly creates the opposite problem, allowing the base of the cutting to dry before roots can develop.

A suitable propagation medium should also be clean, low in soluble fertiliser salts and free of plant pathogens.

Materials commonly used for propagation include coarse sand, perlite, vermiculite, peat moss and coconut coir. These materials can be used in different combinations to balance water retention with aeration.

A mixture of one part peat moss and one part coarse perlite by volume is a standard propagation medium. Coconut coir can also be combined with coarse perlite, while a mixture of one part peat moss and one part coarse sand by volume provides another suitable option.

Commercial propagation mixes can also be used.

Regular potting mix will work for many easy-to-root plants, and the basil cuttings shown in the photographs in this article were successfully propagated in regular potting mix. A dedicated propagation mix, however, generally provides greater air space and lower fertility.

Garden soil should not be used in propagation containers. When confined in a pot it compacts easily, drains poorly and can carry plant pathogens and weed seeds.

The propagation medium does not need to be highly fertile. Before a functional root system develops, nutrient uptake is limited, while high concentrations of soluble fertiliser salts can damage newly forming roots.

Fill the propagation container with medium, water it thoroughly and allow the excess water to drain before taking the cuttings. The medium should be evenly moist when the cuttings are inserted, not dry and not saturated.

Can Cuttings Be Rooted in Water Instead?

Many easy-to-root plants can also produce roots when their stems are placed in water.

Water provides plenty of moisture, but it does not provide the same root-zone conditions as a porous propagation medium. Roots produced under water develop in an environment where water is constantly available and oxygen conditions are very different from those in a potting mix. When the rooted cutting is transferred to a porous growing medium, those roots must adjust to a root zone containing alternating air-filled and water-filled pores.

This is why water-rooted cuttings can experience greater transplant stress when moved into potting mix. Rooting directly into a suitable propagation medium avoids that transition.

Water propagation still works very well for many plants and is useful when the species roots readily under these conditions. For more information on this method, see How to Propagate Plant Cuttings in Water.

Rooting Hormones – What They Are and How They Work

Rooting hormone is optional. Plants such as basil, coleus and many other easy-to-root species can produce roots readily without additional hormone treatment, while plants that root slowly, produce weak root systems or have a lower strike rate benefit more from the use of rooting hormone.

The hormones most closely associated with the initiation of adventitious roots are auxins. The principal naturally occurring auxin in plants is indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), which regulates many aspects of plant growth and plays a central role in root initiation.

Commercial rooting products commonly use indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) because both are effective at promoting adventitious root formation.

NAA is a synthetic auxin.

IBA has a more complicated history. It was first described in 1935 as a synthetic compound capable of stimulating root initiation and was later found to occur naturally in plants. IBA can be converted to IAA within plant tissues and is widely used in commercial propagation because it is stable and highly effective at promoting root formation.

IAA itself was chemically identified during the development of auxin research in the 1930s and is now recognised as the principal active natural auxin in plants.

Commercial rooting hormones are available as powders, liquids and gels in different concentrations. Easy-to-root, moderately difficult and difficult-to-root cuttings require different strengths, so use the concentration specified for the type of plant being propagated. Using more rooting hormone than recommended does not produce more roots; excessive auxin can inhibit root formation instead.

When using rooting powder, pour a small quantity into a separate clean container rather than dipping cuttings directly into the original container. This prevents moisture, pieces of plant tissue and pathogens from contaminating the remaining product.

Dip the freshly cut base of the stem into the powder and tap the cutting gently to remove the excess. If the stem is dry, lightly moisten the basal end first so the powder adheres. Liquid and gel formulations are applied according to the manufacturer’s directions.

Some commercial rooting hormone formulations also contain a fungicide to help protect the wounded base of the cutting from fungal infection during rooting. Other rooting hormone products contain no fungicide, so the ingredients depend on the particular formulation. Commercial products containing both auxin rooting compounds and fungicides have been used in horticultural propagation; Rootone F, for example, contained IBA and other rooting compounds together with a fungicide.

A homemade willow preparation can also be used as a rooting aid. See How to Make Home Made Plant Rooting Hormone – Willow Water for instructions.

Water extracts made from Salix species have shown root-promoting effects in experimental work. Homemade willow water is not a standardised hormone preparation, however, so its concentration and effect depend on the willow material used and the way it is prepared. It should therefore not be treated as equivalent to a commercial product containing a known concentration of IBA.

How to Prepare and Root Softwood and Herbaceous Cuttings

Step 1 – Select and Take Healthy Cuttings

A green stem with several leaves arranged along its length, set against a white background.

Suitable leafy stem selected for propagation

Select healthy shoots from the current growth of the plant. For softwood cuttings, choose shoots that are still green and flexible but developed enough to hold their shape. For herbaceous plants, select vigorous leafy stems.

Take cuttings approximately 10–15 cm (4–6 in) long. This is a useful size for many plants and provides enough stem to include several nodes, the points where leaves and buds are attached.

Use clean, sharp scissors, secateurs or a propagation knife to make a clean cut without crushing the stem.

Take several cuttings rather than relying on a single one.

A green potted plant with multiple leaves growing from dark soil, placed on a textured surface.

Taking several cuttings increases the chances of producing the number of plants required

Not every cutting will necessarily produce roots. Some species strike readily, while others have much lower rooting percentages. Taking several cuttings increases the chances of obtaining the number of plants required without adding much extra work.

If a plant has a strike rate of only 20% under the conditions provided, for example, ten cuttings would produce an average of around two rooted plants. Any surplus plants can be grown on, planted elsewhere in the garden, exchanged with other gardeners or given away.

Keep the collected cuttings cool and moist while they are being prepared. Never leave freshly cut material exposed to direct sunlight or drying wind.

If cuttings need to be transported, wrap their bases in damp paper towel and place them in a plastic bag.

If the cuttings cannot be prepared immediately, wrap their bases in slightly damp paper towel, place them in a sealed plastic bag and keep them cool and out of strong light. For ordinary temperate cuttings, aim to prepare and insert them into the propagation medium within 1–3 days. University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources advises that cuttings stored this way can be kept for several days in a refrigerator, but propagation should not be delayed unnecessarily.

Cold-sensitive plants require warmer storage. Commercial propagation guidance from Michigan State University recommends approximately 7°C (45°F) for most unrooted cuttings and approximately 13°C (55°F) for tropical and chilling-sensitive species. A normal domestic refrigerator can therefore be too cold for tender tropical and subtropical cuttings and may cause chilling injury.

Where refrigeration is suitable, the material should remain enclosed so that it does not dry out. The paper towel or other moisture-retaining material should be only slightly damp, not saturated, because cuttings stored wet are more likely to rot. Propagate refrigerated material as soon as possible rather than using cold storage as a routine substitute for immediate propagation.

Step 2 – Remove the Lower Leaves, Flowers and Flower Buds

A slender green stem with several small leaves against a white background.

Lower leaves removed from the cutting

Remove the leaves from the lower one-third to one-half of the cutting. This produces a bare section of stem that can be inserted into the propagation medium without burying foliage.

Leaves buried beneath the surface remain wet, decay and increase the likelihood of disease developing around the cutting.

Leave several healthy leaves at the top. These remaining leaves continue to photosynthesise and provide carbohydrates needed by the cutting while roots are developing. Leaves and young shoot tissues are also sources of auxin and other compounds involved in root formation.

At the same time, leaves are the main surfaces through which the cutting loses water. The objective is therefore to retain enough foliage to support the cutting while removing enough to limit excessive water loss.

Remove all flowers and flower buds at the same time. Flowering and seed development use water, carbohydrates and nutrients that the cutting needs for survival and root formation.

On small-leaved plants, the lower leaves can sometimes be removed quickly by holding the top of the cutting firmly with one hand, gently pinching the lower stem with the other hand and drawing the fingers down the stem. Only use this technique where the leaves detach easily. If they resist, cut them away with scissors or secateurs rather than tearing the stem.

Large-leaved plants lose more water through transpiration. If the remaining leaves are very large, trim away part of each leaf blade to reduce the total leaf area. Cutting the leaves approximately in half is a common method.

Reducing the leaf area also makes large-leaved cuttings more compact, allowing several cuttings to fit into a propagation container without the foliage becoming overcrowded.

Step 3 – Make the Final Cut Below a Leaf Node

A green plant stem with several leaves, placed against a white background.

The base of the cutting is trimmed immediately below a leaf node

After removing the lower leaves, make a fresh cut approximately 5–6 mm (1/4 in) below the lowest leaf node.

A node is the point where a leaf and its associated bud are attached to the stem. After the lower leaves have been removed, the nodes remain visible as leaf scars, buds or slight swellings along the stem.

Making the basal cut just below a node places nodal tissue close to the base of the cutting. Many plants readily produce adventitious roots from tissues in and around the nodes.

The new roots produced from the stem are called adventitious roots because they arise from tissue other than the plant’s original root system.

After the stem is cut, living cells near the base respond to wounding and changes in plant hormones. Auxin plays a central role in initiating adventitious root formation. Suitable cells begin dividing, root initials develop into root primordia, and the new roots eventually grow through the surrounding stem tissues and emerge from the surface.

A mass of wound tissue called callus can also form around the cut end. Callus formation and root formation are not the same process. Roots do not simply require a mass of callus to form first and then turn into roots. Depending on the plant, roots can originate directly from suitable tissues within the stem or in association with callus.

For most softwood and herbaceous cuttings, the wound created by making the basal cut is sufficient. Some difficult-to-root woody plants respond to additional basal wounding, where a narrow strip of bark or outer tissue is removed near the base of the cutting. This exposes living tissue and can increase the response to rooting hormones, but it is not required for ordinary softwood or herbaceous cuttings.

Step 4 – Apply Rooting Hormone if Needed

If rooting hormone is being used, apply it to the freshly prepared base of the cutting now, using the method described in the Rooting Hormones – What They Are and How They Work section above.

Step 5 – Insert the Cuttings into the Propagation Medium

A small green plant is growing in a dark-coloured pot filled with growing medium, placed on a textured surface.

Cutting inserted into propagation medium; an easy-to-root basil cutting can also be propagated successfully in regular potting mix

If rooting powder or gel has been applied, make a planting hole in the moist propagation medium with a pencil, dibber or similar tool before inserting the cutting. This prevents the propagation medium from scraping the rooting hormone from the base of the stem.

Insert approximately the lower one-third to one-half of the cutting into the medium, making sure at least one node is positioned in the rooting zone.

Keep the cutting upright and gently firm the propagation medium around the stem so there are no large air gaps around its base.

When several cuttings are placed in the same pot or tray, space them far enough apart that the leaves are not crowded, overlapping heavily or shading each other. Leaves that remain pressed together under humid propagation conditions are more likely to stay wet and develop rot.

Keep the propagation medium moist but not waterlogged. It should contain enough water to keep the base of the cutting hydrated while retaining sufficient air for root respiration.

Label the Cuttings Immediately

A potted basil plant with several green leaves, labelled with a white tag showing the name ‘Basil’. The pot is placed on a textured surface.

Label cuttings when they are placed into the propagation medium

Label the propagation container as soon as the cuttings are planted. Write the plant name and cultivar, where applicable, and include the date the cuttings were taken.

It may seem obvious which plants are being propagated on the day they are prepared, but after several weeks a group of similar-looking rooted cuttings can become surprisingly difficult to identify. Recording the date is also useful because it provides a record of how long each plant takes to form roots under the conditions provided.

Step 6 – Cover the Cuttings to Maintain High Humidity

A plastic container with a green lid covering a small potted plant inside, sitting on a concrete surface.

A propagating pot with an adjustable vent that can be opened as the cutting becomes established

Cover the newly planted cuttings immediately to maintain high humidity around the leaves.

An unrooted cutting continues to lose water through transpiration, but it has no roots to replace that water. If water loss becomes too great, the cutting wilts, its tissues lose turgor and it can die before roots have time to form.

Increasing the humidity around the leaves reduces the rate of transpiration and keeps the cutting hydrated during this vulnerable period. A clear propagation dome, plastic propagator, clear plastic bag, clear container or recycled plastic drink bottle can all be used.

Place the covered cuttings in a bright, warm position out of direct sunlight. Light is required so the remaining leaves can continue photosynthesising, but direct sun must be avoided. A clear plastic enclosure traps heat very efficiently, and a propagator left in direct sunlight can quickly become hot enough to damage or kill the cuttings.

Keep the propagation medium moist until the cuttings have rooted, but do not water automatically. Covered containers lose very little water, so the medium may remain moist for a long time. Excessive water combined with poor aeration increases the risk of rotting.

The enclosure needs to maintain humid air around the cutting without keeping the leaves continuously wet. Adjustable vents are useful because they allow excess humidity and heat to escape.

Clear seedling propagation dome with a green vent knob, resting on a textured base.

A plastic seedling propagation tray can also be used for propagating softwood and herbaceous cuttings

Commercial propagation trays with clear lids are useful when several pots of cuttings are being rooted together. The adjustable vents found on many propagation lids can remain mostly closed while the cuttings have no roots and require high humidity, then be opened progressively as rooting occurs and the plants begin adjusting to drier air.

A traditional alternative is to cover the pot with a clear plastic bag and secure the bag around the container. The plastic should not collapse onto the foliage, because wet plastic resting against the leaves keeps them continuously wet and increases the risk of decay.

Place wire hoops, bent wire in an inverted-U shape, chopsticks or small stakes over the pot to hold the bag clear of the leaves.

Making a Simple Humidity Cover from a Plastic Drink Bottle

A clear plastic drink bottle makes an inexpensive and very effective individual propagation cover.

Cut the bottle across its width and use the upper section as a miniature humidity dome. Push the lower edge slightly into the propagation medium or fit it inside the rim of the pot so humid air is retained around the cutting.

The screw cap provides a convenient adjustable vent. Leave the cap in place when high humidity is required, then remove it once the cutting has rooted and needs to begin adjusting to lower humidity.

Four containers with young plants, two in clear plastic covers, one in a bottle with a red cap, and one in a green pot, placed on a black tray.

Clear plastic drink bottles can be cut to make excellent humidity covers for individual cuttings

For taller cuttings, cut only the bottom from a larger plastic bottle and place the entire bottle over the plant.

These larger bottle covers work in the same way as traditional cloches and can later be reused in the garden to protect young seedlings from snails and slugs. When a bottle cloche is used outdoors, provide ventilation by removing the cap, because a closed clear bottle exposed to direct sun can overheat very quickly.

Step 7 – Maintain the Cuttings While Roots Develop

Keep the cuttings in bright, indirect light while rooting takes place and check the propagation medium regularly. Water only when it begins to dry; the medium should remain evenly moist rather than saturated.

Watch the foliage and remove any dead or rotting leaves before decay spreads to neighbouring cuttings. Heavy condensation covering the inside of the enclosure indicates that very little moisture is being lost, so open the vents to increase air movement if the enclosure remains excessively wet or becomes too warm.

The time required for cuttings to strike, or produce roots, depends on the plant, the maturity of the stem and the propagation conditions. Some easy-to-root herbaceous plants can produce roots within a few weeks, while woody plants can take considerably longer.

If a cutting remains healthy and firm, continue to maintain the propagation conditions and give it time to root.

How to Tell When a Cutting Has Rooted

A green potted plant with multiple leaves growing in a black pot, placed on a concrete surface.

A healthy rooted cutting ready to begin the hardening-off process

Healthy new shoot growth is a useful sign that a cutting is still active, but new growth alone does not prove that roots have formed. Buds can begin growing using water and carbohydrates stored in the stem before the cutting has developed a functional root system.

Check for actual root development before permanently removing the humidity cover.

Roots may become visible through the drainage holes in the propagation container. Another method is to give the cutting a very gentle pull. A rooted cutting resists because its roots have begun anchoring it into the medium. Do not repeatedly tug on a cutting, as newly formed roots are fine and easily broken.

Where several cuttings are growing in a tray or loose propagation medium, carefully lift one with a plant label, dibber or similar tool and inspect the base rather than pulling it out by the stem.

New, full-sized leaves without the trimmed ends present on the original cutting are another sign that the cutting has resumed active growth, but the root system should still be checked before the humidity cover is permanently removed.

Once a useful root system has formed, the rooting stage is complete.

Hardening Off Rooted Cuttings

A newly rooted cutting should not be moved directly from the humid propagation enclosure into dry air, strong sun or an exposed garden position.

The high-humidity environment was necessary while the cutting had no roots because it reduced water loss through the leaves. Once roots have developed, the new plant must gradually adjust to replacing the water lost through transpiration under normal atmospheric conditions.

If a clear plastic bottle is being used as the humidity cover, the following staged hardening-off procedure can be used:

1. Remove the bottle cap or open the propagation vents and leave the plant under the cover for approximately one week.
2. Remove the entire humidity cover and leave the plant in the same protected, bright position for approximately another week.
3. Move the plant into a slightly brighter position appropriate for the species and allow approximately another week for it to adjust to increased light and lower humidity.
4. Move the established plant to its normal growing position, matching the light and exposure requirements of that species.

The timetable provides a practical progression rather than an inflexible rule. The response of the plant determines when it is ready for the next stage. If the leaves wilt badly when humidity is reduced, replace the cover and allow the root system more time to develop before trying again.

The same principle applies when using a commercial propagation dome. Open the vents progressively, then remove the cover once the plant remains firm and healthy at normal humidity.

Do not move a cutting that has been rooting in bright indirect light directly into strong sunlight. Increase light exposure gradually so the new leaves can adjust without scorching or suffering excessive water loss.

Potting Up and Growing On Rooted Cuttings

Once the cutting has rooted and adjusted to normal humidity, transplant it into a larger pot containing normal potting mix.

Propagation media are designed primarily to provide the moisture and aeration required for root formation. Once the cutting has a functioning root system and begins active growth, it needs a growing medium that can also supply nutrients.

Handle the new plant carefully because recently formed roots are fine and easily damaged. Lift the root ball rather than pulling the plant from the propagation medium by its stem, then plant the rooted cutting at approximately the same depth at which it was growing.

Gently firm the potting mix around the root ball and water thoroughly after transplanting to settle the mix around the roots.

Avoid heavily fertilising newly propagated plants. Their root systems are still small and excessive soluble fertiliser salts can damage young roots. Feed lightly until the plant becomes well established.

There is no need to rush a newly propagated plant directly into the garden. Growing it on in a pot allows the plant to develop a stronger root system and more shoot growth before it has to cope with wind, stronger sunlight, fluctuating soil moisture and competition from surrounding plants.

Once the plant is growing strongly and has developed a well-established root system, it can be transplanted into its permanent position.

References

• Abel, S., & Theologis, A. (2010). Odyssey of auxin. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, 2(10), a004572. https://doi.org/10.1101/cshperspect.a004572
• Ficko, S. A., & Naeth, M. A. (2022). Influence of treatment on rooting of arctic Salix species cuttings for revegetation. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 54(1), 62–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2022.2042946
• Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. (n.d.). How to propagate houseplants by stem tip cuttings. https://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.edu/how-to/how-propagate-houseplants-stem-tip-cuttings
• Michigan State University Extension. (n.d.). Propagation pointers. https://www.canr.msu.edu/floriculture/uploads/files/Propagation%20pointers.pdf
• Missouri Extension. (n.d.). Taking plant cuttings. University of Missouri. https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/ym106
• North Carolina State University Extension. (n.d.). 13. Propagation. In Extension Gardener Handbook. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/extension-gardener-handbook/13-propagation
• North Carolina State University. (n.d.). Hormones help in rooting. https://hortscans.ces.ncsu.edu/uploads/h/o/hormones_53a84c8694630.pdf
• Penn State Extension. (n.d.). Propagating houseplants. https://extension.psu.edu/propagating-houseplants
• Strader, L. C., & Bartel, B. (2011). Transport and metabolism of the endogenous auxin precursor indole-3-butyric acid. Molecular Plant, 4(3), 477–486. https://doi.org/10.1093/mp/ssr006
• University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. (n.d.). General information on propagation by stem cuttings. https://ucanr.edu/?legacy-file=362563.pdf&legacy-file-path=sites%2FYCMG%2Ffiles%2F
• University of Florida IFAS Extension. (n.d.). Plant propagation techniques for the Florida gardener. https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/MG108
• Virginia Cooperative Extension. (n.d.). Plant propagation. In Virginia Cooperative Extension Gardener Handbook. Virginia Tech. https://pressbooks.lib.vt.edu/emgtraining/chapter/8/
• Washington State University Extension. (n.d.). Propagating shrubs, vines, and trees from stem cuttings. https://pubs.extension.wsu.edu/product/propagating-deciduous-and-evergreen-shrubs-trees-vines-with-stem-cuttings/

>One thing a growing garden needs is plants, and lots of them! To buy enough plants to fill a regular backyard garden can be quite an expensive affair, but, thankfully, it doesn’t have to be that way. Nature provides freely and abundantly, and when we work with nature, it becomes quite effortless, and inexpensive too!

Plants naturally reproduce themselves, and they are more than capable of doing this without any help. We can take advantage of some of the mechanisms by which plants can reproduce themselves to produce an abundance of plants for our gardens.

Many herbaceous plants (plants that do not have a persistent woody stem) and even many woody stemmed plants can be reproduced if a cutting, a short length of the stem or a branch that is cut off, is put into moist ground in a partly shady cool spot. In time this cutting will sprout roots and become a new plant that is an exact genetic clone of the plant the cutting was taken from.

Softwood vs. Hardwood Cuttings

At this point you may be wondering, what the difference is between taking hardwood and softwood cuttings?

• Softwood cuttings are taken during the growing season, where the plants have leaves, so an important consideration is to maintain the humidity levels until roots begin to form to prevent the cuttings drying out.
• Hardwood cuttings are taken in winter, during dormancy, when all leaves have fallen.

When discussing propagating plants by cuttings, the question inevitably comes up – why not grow from seed?

The Difference Between Cuttings and Seed Grown Plants

The difference between growing plants from seed and growing plants from cuttings is genetic variation.

As just mentioned, cuttings are identical genetic clones of the parent plant because this is vegetative or asexual reproduction, as genes only come from one parent.

Seeds can produce plants that are different from the parent plants because seeds are produced by sexual reproduction, they receive genes from a male and female to form. As they are a cross from two sets of genes, many fruit trees are not true to seed, that is, their seeds will produce a different variety of tree from the parent. For the botany purists out there, yes, there are some exceptions, but this is generally the case.

For example, the seeds from a particular variety apple will not grow to be the same variety as the apple tree they came from. The seeds will produce a wide variety of different apple tree types.

So what you may say? Well, consider that not all the varieties of apple would taste good, some may not be palatable or edible at all!

Why do plants do this, mix and match their genetic material and constantly change? Simply, to adapt to different conditions and enhance their chances of survival and reproduction.

Now it should be clear why all commercial fruit tree varieties are grafted, the scion wood that is grafted onto a rootstock all comes from the same original parent plant, or plants grown from it.

The other great thing about propagating using cuttings is that the plant produced has the same genetic maturity as the parent plant. If a plant takes three years to produce fruit when it’s grown from seed, a plant grown from a cutting will be mature if the parent plant is, so a new plant produced from a cutting of a three-year-old plant will potentially fruit in the same year, which saves a lot of waiting around for trees to become productive.

Genetic variation isn’t as big an issue with most herbaceous plants, but we can maintain the variety if it has favourable characteristics, and it’s a great way to produce hardy, mature plants in a hurry.

Now that we’ve covered the basic theory, let’s get down to the practical matters of how to propagate plants from softwood cuttings.

Procedures for Rooting Softwood Stem Cuttings

When propagating softwood cuttings, which have leaves, there are a few extra steps required compared to using leafless dormant hardwood cuttings. Plants transpire (lose moisture) through their leaves, which makes softwood cuttings more susceptible to drying out.

Step 1 – Select Suitable Cutting

1. Most herbaceous (softwood) stem cuttings are best taken during the growing season of a plant, from spring to summer, and the best time is early morning, when the plant tissues contain the most water.
2. Cuttings are usually about 10-15cm (4-6”) long, from current or past season’s growth.
3. Cut below a leaf joint.

If possible, choose strong, healthy, disease-free shoot for a cutting, preferably from the upper part of the plant.

• Avoid taking cuttings from plants that show symptoms of mineral deficiencies.
• Avoid taking cuttings from plants that have been heavily fertilized, especially with nitrogen, as they may not root well.
• Avoid taking cuttings from plants that show moisture stress.

It is important to keep the cuttings cool and moist until they are placed into the propagating medium. When working with cuttings, don’t lay them out exposed to full sunlight, work in a shady spot!

If the cuttings need to be transported, wrap them in a moist paper towel in a plastic bag. If there is a significant delay in potting up the cuttings, they can be stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Step 2 – Strip Off Lower Leaves

1. Remove the leaves from the lower one-third to one-half (1/3 – 1/2) of the cutting to leave a bare stem. This allows the lower portion of cutting to be inserted into the propagating medium, and also reduces the number of leaves from which moisture can be lost.
2. Remove any flowers and flower buds when preparing cuttings so the cutting’s energy can be used in producing new roots rather than flowers.

On some plants with small leaves, it’s possible to strip off the leaves easily by holding the top of the cutting firmly with one hand, then using the other hand to pinch the lower part of the cutting and pull gently downwards. If this doesn’t work, trim the leaves away with scissors or secateurs.

If too much moisture is lost, the cutting will dry out. Remember, the cutting doesn’t have any roots yet to pull up more water to replace that which it loses! On large-leafed plants, to reduce the rate of water loss, cut all the leaves in half by trimming the ends off. This also reduces the size of the cuttings, so they take up less space. When new growth with uncut leaves emerges, this is an indicator that the cutting has produced roots and is growing!

Step 3 – Cut Stem Below a Leaf Node

1. Cut the stem about 6mm (1/4”) below the lowest leaf node on the cutting.

The leaf nodes are the areas where the leaves grow out from the stem, which are now stubs from where the leaves were removed earlier. If the area of the stem has no leaves, it may still have visible buds from where new leaves will grow.

The reason why we cut near the leaf nodes is because these areas contain a large area of meristem tissue. Meristem cells are undifferentiated cells, similar to human stem cells, that can grow and divide to form various kinds of cells for plant growth, including new roots.

The cells in the meristem divide quickly and form callus to seal the end of the cutting, and then under the influence of the plant’s own hormones, auxin and cytokinin, these callus cells differentiate to become root cells.

Hardwood species that are difficult to root are often ‘wounded’ by scraping away the bark using a knife to expose the light green cambium layer underneath, which helps promote rooting. Herbaceous plants don’t have woody tissue, and don’t have a cambium layer either, and therefore do not require this step.

Step 4 – Dip End of Cutting into Rooting Hormone (optional)

1. Dip freshly cut end of softwood cutting into root hormone liquid, powder or gel. Treating cuttings with rooting hormone can increase the chances of stimulating root growth. This is more critical in plants that are more difficult to root.
2. If using root hormone powder, be sure to tap the cuttings to remove excess.

Most commercially available rooting hormone products consist of two synthetic auxins (plant hormones), indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), discovered in 1935. They have similar functions to the auxin naturally produced by plants, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) which was first identified in 1934 and are more effective in promoting root formation. Afterwards IBA was also found to be naturally occurring in plants. Commercial rooting hormones usually also contain a fungicide to prevent fungi from causing rotting of the cutting.

It’s possible to make your own natural rooting hormone, see article – How to Make Home Made Plant Rooting Hormone – Willow Water.

Willow water is mild form of root stimulating hormone which contains IBA that can be made quickly and easily from willow tree twigs.

Step 5 – Insert Cuttings into Pot Filled with Propagating Medium

1. Fill a pot with propagating medium. Materials commonly used as propagating medium are coarse sand, regular potting mix, coconut coir, or blends such as a mixture of one part peat and one part Perlite (by volume), or one part peat and one part sand (by volume).
2. Water the propagating medium to moisten it.
3. Insert one-third to one-half of the length of the cutting into the propagating medium. Keep the cuttings vertical and space cuttings far enough apart from each other so they don’t shade each other out so that all their leaves can receive light.

Any medium which will lend physical support, provide moisture and oxygen in the right balance, is low in fertility and is free of pathogens can be used for propagating cuttings. The reason the propagating medium doesn’t need to contain nutrients is because the cuttings don’t have roots to be able to take them up.

The propagating medium also needs to be well-draining to provide sufficient aeration to grow roots. If it is anaerobic (no air), the roots will rot, as very few plants can grow roots in a container of water. Conversely, the medium should also retain enough moisture so that watering is not required too often.

Step 6 – Add Additional Cuttings to Increase Success Rate

Since cuttings don’t always ‘strike’ (grow roots), and some plants are notoriously difficult to propagate, it’s best to add a few extra cuttings into the propagating medium to increase the chances of success.

Even with plants that have really low striking rates, say as low as 20%, if we put in 10 cuttings in, we’ll potentially get 2 cuttings that take root.

Step 7 – Label the Cuttings to Identify Them

I can’t emphasise enough the importance of labelling plants when propagating by seeds or cuttings.

We might remember what plants and varieties we planted on the day, but what are the chances that we’ll remember after many weeks or months that they make take to grow roots? What are the chances of telling them apart?

Step 8 – Cover the Cuttings to Retain Moisture

1. Cover cuttings in some way to prevent them drying out while still allowing them to be exposed to light.
2. Set the cuttings aside in a bright, warm location, away from direct sunlight.
   

In order for cuttings to survive, they need to retain moisture within them. The leaves are able to lose moisture via evaporation, but the cuttings unfortunately don’t have any roots to take up more water to replace what is lost from the leaves.

The way to keep the cuttings alive is to maintain the humidity levels (moisture in the air) around them, while at the same time avoiding excessively damp conditions that will cause them to get mouldy and rot!

To do this, we lightly water the cuttings, and then cover thems with some kind of clear plastic that will hold in the moisture, and then place them in indirect light.

• Avoid direct sun, otherwise the cuttings will overheat and cook in their airtight enclosures!
• Keep the propagation medium moist until the cuttings have rooted.

Smaller pots can be placed inside a plastic propagation tray, these sell for a few dollars and last quite a while, they’re available at most nurseries and garden stores. Note the green air vent ‘butterfly’ on the top of the lid. This allows the vents holes in the lid to be opened which lets out the heat if it gets too warm, or to reduce the internal humidity when the cuttings start growing and need more air flow.

Some gardening books recommend covering pots with a plastic bag and securing them around the pot with a rubber band to retain the humidilty. Since the bags collapse around the plant, keeping the leaves wet, the suggested solution is to place a wire loop shaped like an inverted-U over underneath to prop up the plastic bag.

I’ve never been satisfied with that solution, so I came up with a better one. Here’s an effective design for a humidity cover that I’ve devised!

A regular plastic drink bottle can be cut in half, and pushed slightly into the propagating mix in the pots to seal the moist air in. The top halves of the bottles are more useful as the lid can removed for greater ventilation.

Taller cuttings can be accommodated by cutting off the bottom of the plastic bottle only, creating a taller humidity cover. These work like traditional cloches and can be used to protect seedlings in the garden from snails and slugs. Just remember to take the lid off otherwise the plants inside will overheat and get cooked in direct sunlight!

Step 9 – Harden Off Cuttings When They Show New Growth

The time taken for cuttings to ‘strike’ (produce roots) varies, depending on the type of plant, and the environmental conditions – heat, light and season. Some plants root readily while others can take what seems like forever. If the cutting still looks alive, be patient!

Newly rooted cuttings should not be transplanted directly into the garden. They need some time to adapt and harden off.

Hardening Off Procedure for Cuttings

When using the clear plastic bottle cover, the following hardening off process can be used:

1. Wait until new growth appear, indicating that the cutting has rooted.
2. Remove the lid of the bottle to reduce the humidity level around the plant, and leave this way for one week.
3. Next, remove the whole plastic bottle cover, and leave the plant uncovered for a week.
4. Move the plant into a slightly sunnier location so it can adapt to brighter light and slightly drier conditions and leave it there for a week.
5. Finally, move it out to a location matching its light requirements and necessary exposure/protection.

After hardening off a plant, it can be planted out the garden, or transplanted into a larger pot with proper growing medium (potting mix) to provide it with some nutrients. Avoid the urge to overfeed newly propagated plants, fertilise them lightly, as their roots are still quite delicate.

There’s no hurry to plant out newly propagated plants. Growing them on to a larger size allows them to develop stronger root systems, which makes them much more resilient, and increases their chances of survival when they’re finally transplanted to their permanent location.