In summer you can cut lengths of healthy growth from many shrubs, such as philadelphus, hydrangeas and forsythias and root them in small pots filled with compost.
What to do
- Choose healthy, non-flowering new shoots on your shrub and take cuttings of 5-10cm (2-4in) long.
- Prepare by making a straight cut beneath a pair of leaves and then remove several sets of lower leaves.
- Keep only one or two pairs of leaves at the tip of the cutting.
- Fill a pot with compost, level and firm. Insert several cuttings around the edge of a pot, keeping their leaves clear of the surface and water well.
- Label if you're making cuttings of several varieties. Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag, held in place with an elastic band and put in a light place until rooted.
- Pot rooted cuttings into individual pots and plant out when they have filled the container with roots.
Take several cuttings from each shrub to increase your chance of success.
