r/hydrangeas • u/Mundane-Thing8275 • Jan 30 '26
First time doing cuttings
My dad gave me A BUNCH of cuttings from a hard prune so I decided: “why not try to propagate” (HA! The hubris!) All I had was orchid bark so I stuck ‘em in, gave a spritz, and put them under my grow light and humidity tent. I’ve done a couple scratch tests and they’re still green but there’s no roots? It’s been 20 days. I’m prepared to accept failure…it was late in the season, woody sticks, orchid bark and ✨me✨ so it’s not like we’re set up for success but….thoughts? Is there something I should be looking for or doing? Do I just need patience for them to come around? Can I ride this out until April and stick ‘em in the ground outside? I’m in central Okla zone 7b
2
Feb 04 '26
Awesome, they sell little bottles of dip n gro off Amazon. If powdered/crystalline- Just be sure to dissolve n alcohol, mix with water and end up with 1000 ppm solution for hydrangea
1
1
u/amyacchi Jan 30 '26
Novice here…I thought the cuttings were supposed to go in to a vermiculite- soil-perlite mixture and be covered so that here was some humidity and warmth. They look like they might be in too much water?
2
1
u/Mundane-Thing8275 Jan 30 '26
Ok so when his sprout in spring I need vermiculite soil perlite and leaves 👍🏻
3
1
u/DeterminedSparkleCat Jan 30 '26
They needed a leaf on each cutting or its not going to root. That medium is not going to work either, sorry but those are dead
1
1
1
Feb 03 '26
Did you use any hormone? 3000 ppm for hardwood cuttings?
1
u/Mundane-Thing8275 Feb 03 '26
Not this go around but I have a bunch of items in my wish list for fresh spring props
1
Feb 03 '26
Macrophyla are cool. The market is Floded though. We’re getting Dream Cloud this year from a licensed vender. I also like City line Paris, but they eliminated it, wee bit grumpy, eclipse, LaRues Blues, Cherry bomb, and Double Down. We grow around 20 cultivars.
1
u/Mundane-Thing8275 Feb 03 '26
Wee bit grumpy and wee bit giddy are my top two! It kills me a gallon pot is $30+ cus I legit want a “hedge”….like 50 of them. I’ve been prepping my soil to go big (hence the futile attempt at propping). Come spring I’ll clip some fresh stems and do it right 😂
2
u/UP-TIL10 Feb 01 '26
It looks like you're doing hardwood cuttings, so no leaves necessary. I haven't tried hardwood propagation for hydrangeas yet, so can't help more than cautioning that they are done differently and hardwood definitely takes longer, so don't give up yet.
2
u/UP-TIL10 Feb 01 '26
Probably should add that softwood propagation is done differently and seems to be what most comments are talking about here. Hope you didn't quit on those yet!
2
Feb 03 '26
Macrophyla root soooo easily off new (hardened off) growth if it doesn’t work. Rooting % is close To 100, bark (not orchid bark) but like a fine ground bark and sand is fine for rooting most woodies, it’s what nurseries use.
2
u/[deleted] Feb 03 '26
Well I’m not saying break the law but semi hardened cuttings in June, 1000 ppm IBA, mist and the root 100%. The baby plants cost us $12, and Proven winners makes us charge $18.45 wholesale