By: Jameson
Peters
The Hydrangea genus contains about 70-75
species of various flowering plants.
Most of these species are shrubs; some are small trees, while others are
of the climbing variety. Flowering
of these plants are produced by the plant from early spring to late autumn. A very unique thing about some hydrangea
flower species is that the color of the flowers on the plant can be
changed. In most species the
flowers are white in color, but in others the flowers can be changed to blue,
red, pink, or purple. The exact
color depends on the pH of the soil; neutral soils produce a creamy white color
flower, alkaline soils result in pink or purple flowers, while acidic soils
produce blue flowers. Hydrangeas
are very popular plants for ornamental purposes; people seem to love them for
their large flower heads.
The most common method of propagation for
hydrangeas is vegetative propagation.
This can sometimes be very intimidating to the average gardener, but if
the steps are followed correctly it can easily be done and also can be very
rewarding. The first step is to
find a healthy plant with new growth.
This new growth provides the best place on the plant to obtain the best
cuttings. Take cuttings from the
stem that are about 5” to 6” in length with at least one leaf/node pair left at
the top end. All leaves 
below the top leaf/node should be
eliminated while the actual top leaf/node should be cut down to about half its
original size (to reduce the demands for water while the plant is rooting). Next comes dipping the cuttings in IBA
rooting hormone (preferably 10,000 ppm or 2%) and then
placing them in a moist rooting media that should consist of 1 part peat/potting
soil and 1 part medium to fine grade perlite,
vermiculite, or sand. The 
cuttings should be placed in the medium so
about 2” of stem are in the soil and all leaves are above the soil. The cuttings now should be watered. This may sound like the easiest part but
in fact this part cannot be accomplished if the right tools are not had. Cuttings must be watered by
misting. Misting can be done with
any type of spray bottle or a misting nozzle on the hose. The cuttings cannot take over watering,
but the soil also cannot be dry.
Keeping a moist soil is essential, so cuttings should be checked every
day. Most people don’t have
greenhouses so the next best option is to cover the cuttings with plastic,
making sure not to have the plastic touch the leaves. This can be done by adding stakes to
keep the plastic propped up above the cuttings. Location is the next issue that comes up
when propagating. Hydrangea
cuttings should be kept in an area out of full sunlight and wind, where the
temperature is between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If everything is done correctly cuttings
should produce new growth within 2 weeks and by the end of week 4 the new roots
should be formed and ready for transplant.
This method of
propagation is probably the easiest one of all. However the only drawback is that one
can only propagate a few plants at a time unless a lot of hydrangea plants are
had. The first step is to select a
branch that is close to the ground.
To 
decrease the chance of rot or disease all
leaves located on the length of the branch that will be placed under the ground
must be removed. A small amount of
bark on the underside of the branch should be scraped off also to encourage
rooting. Probably the most
important thing to keep in mind while propagating this way is to make sure there
will be at least one leaf node under the ground when the branch is finally
placed. This is important because
this node or nodes is where roots will usually form. Before placing the branch under the
ground a trench should be dug to the length of the leafless branch and about 2”
deep. This trench provides the spot
for the branch to be placed. Once
the branch is in the trench it should be covered thoroughly and watered. A brick or stone should be placed on the
newly watered soil to help hold moisture in and keep the branch under the
soil. It should be watered
occasionally and eventually roots should form. When they do they can be cut from the
mother plant, potted up, and treated like a mature cutting.
Producing numerous hydrangeas from only one individual plant saves money for the average grower and in some cases even helps make money for people who sell plants. Whether you’re propagating by vegetative means or ground layering it can be fun, rewarding, and even very addicting. Once those first cuttings are looked at and determined a success you’ll be hooked, and propagating will become a part of your gardening processes year in and year out.
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