Hydrangea Cuttings...

Just round the corner from me there is the most beautiful Blue Lacecap Hydrangea which I have been swooning over every time I pass it..Sooo at the first opportunity I'm going to knock on the door and cheekily ask for cutttings.....it's obviously growing in Acid soil which I don't have but will be eventually planted in containers.
When I have normally taken Hydrangea cuttings..not blue ones...I've gone through the usual seed/cutting compost then gone through the John Innes route but my question is..Should I manage to get these cuttings of this plant which is so Blue should I plant the cutting/s directly into Ericaceous compost..I don't know why but have this feeling it maybe too harsh for a baby..

 

I’ve no idea, to be honest, but be brave, and ask for that cutting!!

Maybe a half-and-half mix with ericaceous compost?

 

Lolimac, no need to be “brave “.....you will be surprised at how happy that person will be that you admired his/her plant

I did this a couple of months back when I saw the most unusual weigela and popped in to ask for a cutting. The old lady was delighted and showed me around her garden. I was promised a rooted cutting or two of plants she had already propagated.
I also have folks popping in to ask me for cuttings or for the names of plants I grow and that’s nice ......so, no worries lolimac on that score.

Your blue hydrangea! Cornwall prob is the home of blue hydrangeas..the rich acid soil is ideal for them. However, I’m on the coast and the soil is neutral so cannot grow them here. I have cadged cuttings of blue hydrangeas and rooted them....they are pretty easy....and done so in mpc and in John innes/perlite.
No need for ericaceous compost at this stage...they will root and grow away just fine. However, I then pot on into ericaceous compost and repeat thereafter with the same.

 

These links both say moist "potting soil", not ericaceous compost.

How to Propagate Hydrangea M. Lacecap

Hydrangea Propagation – How To Propagate Hydrangeas From Cuttings
But I must confess to not even knowing what potting soil is! And just to add to my confusion, the "potting soil" link in the second article leads to... "soilless potting mix"!

Nick

 

Potting soil can mean different things ......can mean mpc, John innes ?? Different instructions according to the custom of the advisor I think
There really is no difficulty rooting hydrangea cuttings.
So much about gardening really is straightforward and to over think it is to over complicate a simple process.
As a matter of context, my old mum used to strike cuttings in ordinary garden soil. She had no idea of pruning anything but produced far more fruit and produce than I ever do with my
learned knowledge
We only have to compare the advice offered on the forum......everyone has his or her own, and successful, way of doing things

 

Hydrangeas will root easily if placed in a glass of water on a windowsill.

 

Thanks Verdun, I think I've probably killed many plants with a combination of kindness, over-complication and overworking my heavy clay soil in my 5 years of gardening.

 

I think we all have Nikalaos

 

I agree wholeheartedly, @Verdun . The “brave” referred to the courage to make the decision to walk up to the door, rather than when the door is opened.



I am always fearful of asking neighbours etc, I suppose here there is also the language difficulty. But I know that if someone expressed an interest in a plant, I immediately think of where I can get a cutting/division for them. Indeed, our young neighbours commented on our “lovely” blue campanula persicifolia, how they looked so “soft and natural” compared to the very formal Belgian style of gardening.
I have already earmarked a clump to lift and divide to give them a potful in the autumn!

 

Thank you for all your replies.

I've yet to ask for the cuttings as every time I pass it's usually 6am whilst dog walking but you can be sure I will do.