8 shrubs you can propagate in winter – it’s so easy to grow plants from hardwood cuttings

Why not propagate your favourite shrubs in winter and get more plants for free? It’s easy to do with hardwood cuttings. We’ll tell you how to do it and which shrubs are particularly suitable.

There are still gardening projects to be done in winter, although not as many as in the warmer months. One of the most enjoyable is propagating shrubs from hardwood cuttings. The process is similar to that for cuttings, except that you use mature pieces of branch for hardwood cuttings.

Tip:If you prune shrubs in winter, you can use the cuttings to propagate the plants.

What are hardwood cuttings and how are they propagated?

Hardwood cuttings are lignified shoots taken from a parent plant. They are planted in the ground where they take root and grow into new plants. This method is particularly suitable for deciduous shrubs.

Step-by-step instructions:

Choose the right time: The best time to take cuttings is from late autumn to early spring, during the winter dormancy period.

Cut the cuttings: Choose healthy, one-year-old shoots and cut pieces about 20 cm long. Make the bottom cut just below a bud and the top cut about a centimetre above.
Prepare the cuttings: Remove the lower leaves or buds and stick the shoots about halfway into loose, moist soil.
Location and care: The cuttings need a sheltered location, ideally in partial shade. Keep the soil moist but not wet.
Be patient: the roots will start to form after a few weeks. In spring you can plant the rooted cuttings in their final location.

Which shrubs are suitable for taking cuttings from?

Many woody plants can be easily propagated from cuttings. Here are some particularly suitable species:

Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum)

Few gardeners have enough blueberry bushes in their garden. The fruit is simply too delicious, so any new bush will be welcomed by anyone with a sweet tooth. If you prune blueberry bushes in late winter, you can propagate the bushes if you have enough material.

Tip: Blueberries need acidic soil. It’s best to grow them in pots filled with rhododendron soil.

Position: Sunny to half shade
Soil: acidic, humic
Flowering time: May to June
Flower colour: white to pink
Flower shape: bell shaped
Care: Needs acidic soil, regular watering

Gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa)

Gooseberries are another fruit tree that is easy to propagate from cuttings. If you haven’t pruned them immediately after picking, late winter is the time to do it. Pruning waste is far too good to throw away.

Select annuals from shoots that are still a little soft at the top but quite woody at the end.

Position: sunny to partly shady
Soil: Well-drained, rich in humus.
Flowering time: April to May
Flower colour: inconspicuous, greenish
Flower shape: bell shaped
Maintenance: easy to maintain, pruning increases fruit production

Roses (Rosa)

Roses with long shoots are particularly suitable for propagation by hardwood cuttings, such as climbing roses. Cuttings for roses are best taken in late autumn and planted directly in the intended location. Young plants should not be fertilised in the first year to allow them to develop long roots in search of nutrients.

If you live in an area with harsh winters, protect the young plants with a fleece tunnel during the first winter.

Position: Sunny
Soil: Deep, humic
Flowering period: June to September
Flower colour: Variegated
Flower shape: Varies according to variety
Flower shape: Varies depending on the variety
Care: Demanding, regular pruning is necessary

Spirea

There are a large number of species and cultivars of spirea. What they all have in common is that they have a long flowering period and are very easy to care for. They grow to a height of between 50 and 200 centimetres, depending on the species and cultivar, and flower from April at the earliest to October at the latest. Spireas should be pruned between April and October.

Position: sunny to lightly shaded
Soil: permeable, nutrient-rich, moist
Flowering period: April to October, depending on the type and variety
Flower colour: diverse, from white, purple pink, carmine red to lilac
Flower shape: varies depending on the variety, flower umbels, cone-shaped panicles, umbel racemes
Care: Undemanding. Regular pruning will lead to more flowers.

Weigela

Weigelias can be used in the garden as solitary plants, for flower hedges or as tub plants. There is a very large number of varieties, so there is something for everyone.

Position: sunny
Soil: moist, nutrient-rich, fresh
Flowering season: June to September
Flower colour: diverse
Flower shape: varies depending on the variety
Care: easy to care for, must not dry out completely, fertilise after flowering

Elder Bush

Elder (Sambucus nigra) is a valuable medicinal and healing plant and an easy-care shrub that can be planted as a solitary plant or in a free-growing hedge. The elder tree flowers between May and July. The flowers can be used for elderflower syrup or elderflower vinegar.

Position: Sunny to partially shaded
Soil: Humic, not too dry, well drained
Flowering time: April to May
Flower colour: White
Flower shape: Umbrella shaped
Care: Low maintenance

Japanese Snow Flower/ (Deutzia)

Deutzias grow to a height of between 80 and 400 cm, depending on the type and variety. They flower best in a sunny position, but will also tolerate a slightly shady spot in the garden. Deutzias age quickly. Therefore, they should be periodically thinned to rejuvenate them.

Position: Sunny to partially shaded
Soil: well-drained, humic, not demanding
Flowering time: May to June
Flower colour: white or pink
Flower shape: bell shaped, in spikes
Maintenance: undemanding, tolerates pruning

Beauty Bush (Kolkwitzia)

Kolkwitzias grow about 30 centimetres a year. This means that if you prune them back in late winter, you will have plenty of material to propagate from cuttings. Kolkwitzias have a lovely overhanging growth habit. Their fragrant flowers are much loved by bees.

Position: sunny, sheltered
Soil: loose, well-drained, humic
Flowering time: May to June
Flower colour: pink
Flower shape: campanulate
Care: Robust, needs little care, tolerates drought