Nerium Oleander

I have a nice pink one in a pot, dozens of flower buds that haven't opened up just yet due to lack of summer sun (last year it flowered from start of July).

Anyway, does anyone know how to propagate? I'd love to have half a dozen on the patio when we have friends round for BBQ, the scent is amazing. I've heard (from a not-so-reliable source) that you simply take cuttings and it grows easily, and you snip out the top to give it bushy growth. Does that sound right?

And if that is the case - I don't have any lengths that haven't got flower buds on, normally you'd choose a non-flowering tip wouldn't you?

 

OogieB, propagating Oleanders is not normally difficult but you need to maintain a temperature of around 22/25c to enable rooting to take place fairly quickly i.e about 2/3 weeks. Any cooler and they may take a lot longer or not at all.
Non flowering side shoots are naturally best but if you only have shoots with a very tight bud it may be ok but no longer than 6ins. Yes you can cut the top out as it will stop the plant becoming too leggy but it may slow down the flowering the next year. Most Oleanders in this climate if planted outdoors struggle to flower although pruduce a lot of foliage. If you want them to flower well every year you would really need to over winter them in a greenhouse for at least 3/4 months as they need early spring warmth that we don't get here.
I presume you are aware that ALL parts are toxic.

 

Cheers for the advice - very much appreciated. I keep it in a tub which I overwinter, it then goes out late with the Bougainvillea. It's late flowering this year which I put down to repotting and the dismal weather. It is starting to get a little large and my worry is that by next year this would be too large to go through the door, so I'll create some babies. I was thinking that when they've taken I'd risk planting out the large one - I think it's probably big enough to take care of itself through the winter with a little fleece, but if that inhibits flowering then I'll probably keep it in the pot, trim it down and live without flowers for a year.

Yes, aware it's toxic. I visited Alnwick Gardens who have a "Poison Garden" - on the mini-tour they told a story of an army patrol of a dozen guys who used the branches as kebab skewers - half of them died overnight. (I like the idea of a poison garden - maybe something to do when I have a larger plot.)

 

By coincidence Oogie I went there last week on holiday plus the castle, Farne Islands(wildlife thread) Lindesfarne, Bamburgh castle, Preston Tower and Berwick. The poison garden was very interesting, probably the best part.
I have four plants coming into flower that I grew from my own seed, they are 3ft high and in a glasshouse so they will be cut back in november to increase bushiness.
All mine are in pots (as my back garden is paved) but I over winter them from dec to apr at work.

 

Good idea - to overwinter at work. I think I'll try that out too, we have lots of bland looking corridor space for the large ones and many empty desks and shelves that would take others.

I'm ingratiating myself to the facilities staff so I should get away with it! Work have a raised herb bed that the kitchen staff can't be bothered with, so I've offered to grow them for chef, in return I'll use a couple of modules for raising some of my seedlings when I run out of space at home.

I guess I could leave them a couple of chilli plants too - I certainly don't need 6 at home!

 

I should have added that work is a Parks Dept nursery so plenty of winter light. It also has a large number of chillis and tomatoes in tubs as it is 1/4 acre and virtually empty this time of year after the summer bedding has gone.
You may as well get something out of work too, best of luck.