Gardening with Gary

Gardening Advice from an Expert

Late Spring Gardening Hints

The time to increase your number of plants which you particularly like by taking stem cuttings is in the late spring or early summer. This is easy to do, following this:

Take only fresh, healthy young, green stems [not brown hardwood ones] from the plant and place the cut end about 1 1/2 inches into a mixture of sterilized compost, vermiculite and perlite. You may wish to dip into Rootone, a rooting compound with hormones. Place in a bright place outside with no direct the sun, thus avoiding scorching and wilting.

After one month, the cuttings will be rooted. Wait another two weeks, and then plant out in your garden beds where they will blend in with others of the same kind, or offer contrasting colors and textures to other varieties.