Master these points for hydrangea cuttings and you'll get a high survival rate, with the garden in full bloom next year

Hydrangeas (genus Hydrangea) are mainly large shrubs native to Asia and North America. There are about 23 species, five of which are widely grown in gardens, and many cultivars are available. Most hydrangea cultivars can only be reliably propagated by rooted cuttings.

Preparation

Cleanliness is essential for successfully rooting hydrangeas. Use a cloth soaked in alcoholto wipe the pruning blade. This kills disease organisms and prevents the spread of pathogens.Clean the pots, and after rinsing in clean water, soak the pots in a solution of 1 part household bleach to 9 parts water for at least 5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. Use a rooting soil (for exampleequal parts peat and perlite)to fill the pot to within 2-3cm of the rim. Timing: propagate in mid to late summer, when the flowers have already formed and the stems are still green.

Look for shoots

Find hydrangea stems that have not yet flowered, because flowering reduces the concentration of plant hormones in the stem. This hormone promotes rooting. You can test for the right stem development by bending a green stem.

Cutting

With clean pruning shears, remove the top portion of the stem containing a few leaves. Cut the stem just below a node, which is the area where the leaves emerge. Cut the stem into shorter pieces, each about10CM，and containing three to four nodes. Clean the alcohol-pruning shears between each stem cut from the bush.

Prepare for planting

Prepare a small, clean container with some rooting hormone in it. Never dip the cutting into the whole container, which could contaminate the rooting hormone. If leaves are present, remove the lower two leaves from the cutting. Immediatelydip the base of the stem into the rooting hormone, coating the freshly cut end as well as any wounds created by removing leaves. Cut off the outer half of the remaining leaves to reduce water use by the cutting.

Maintain humidity

You need to keep the cutting until it roots, so it needs a humid environment. Place a large,transparent plastic bagover the cutting, and if needed, take it off the branch and insert the stub into the potting mix. Place the cutting in a shady spot. It will probably root in about a week.

Next year it will look like this:

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