Propagation by cuttings

Is it too late to take fuschia and hydrangea cuttings? I've a lovely deep pink hydrangea in a container which has large flower heads on every single stem, so how do I take a cutting from it?

 

@He who dares - in my opinion, no it’s not too late is the answer. Your greatest problem may be in finding non-flowering cutting material as it is generally accepted that cuttings take better if so. However, I sometimes ignore this advice, especially with fuchsias, and just pick the flower buds off.

I take a lot of fuchsia cuttings in early September. It gives them chance to put on good root growth before the colder weather. I overwinter them on a window sill (no greenhouse) and they quickly get away in the spring.

With hydrangeas, you need semi-ripe cuttings of about 4 to 5 inches in length cut just below a leaf node. Strip the lower leaves off leaving a terminal pair and use a gritty compost. Leave in a propagator and roots will probably form in 5 or 6 weeks.

 

Hydrangeas can be done as hardwood or softwood cuttings, so this time of year they're softwood. Your location and conditions can often dictate which time of year, will give better results.

Fuchsias can be annuals or woody shrubs, so it may depend on what you have. If they're the woody shrubs, the same method would apply as for the hydrangeas.

 

Thanks for this. My issue with my hydrangea is that it's busy flowering on every single stem! So do I have to wait until flowers die off, or do I choose suitable stems and cut the flower head off?

 

Here's a picture.

 

If there is no non flowering stems, cut just below a leaf joint about four to six inches long, pinch out the flower, remove lower leaves and propagate frpm that. This time of year(July/August) the stems are semi ripe and strike readily in a sandy/gritty rooting medium....probably won't even need any rooting hormone.
This is my preferred method, same with most decidious shrubs

 

Sorry - I went out shortly after that previous post @He who dares

It's as @flounder says tho' - just remove the flower after choosing a suitable stem.

 

Ok
Thanks. I'll let you know what happens.

 

Hope that works well for you @He who dares

Funnily enough, I only got round to watching last week's episode of G's World last night, and there was a little item on taking semi ripe cuttings of shrubs etc, so you may want to take a look at that on iPlayer or catch up on TV if you have that option.
It's pretty much what's been advised on this thread, but it can often help if you see it being done, as opposed to it being in writing

 

Thanks. I'll take a look.