Thank you to Leo who ran this workshop at SOW on 14th October 2026.

There are three ways you can take cuttings:

• Softwood – at the beginning of summer, the soft young growth of shrubs/trees/climbers, can also do tomatoes. Put a bag over and keep moist
• Semi-ripe – late summer into autumn. Eg. Lavender, rosemary. Generally smaller than hardwood cuttings.
• Hardwood – September/October. Anything quick-growing will work. Willow is easy, so is blackcurrant, cranothus, flowering currant, mulberry.

How to take a hardwood cutting

Ideally use “long tom” big deep pots – or you can just put in a trench in the garden, don’t have to worry so much about watering.

• Mix 50/50 (potting) compost and sharp sand (ie with grit in it, not fine sand) – for better drainage and air. If in a trench, jumble sand around with soil to make a nice loose soil easy for roots to grow in.
• Cut to 6-12″. Take several as they won’t all work!
• Willow you can just cut sticks. For ceanothus, currant or similar, pull down this year’s growth off last year’s stem, ripping a bit of bark off – called the heel – nip off the endpoint. That will root more easily.
• Nip out leaves, can leave a couple on top but not necessary this time of year.
• Dip cut end in water then hormone rooting powder – probably helps.
• Bury 2/3 below soil. Put them round the sides of the pot, not in the middle, so roots not all tangled together. Really firm them in, to stop them drying out.

Have to be patient. Leave at least 1-2 months. Either they’ll have worked or died! Some can take much longer (a year or more) and can be tricky to know if they have worked – can grow leaves without roots! Roots growing through the bottom of the pot is a sure sign.

Semi-ripe cuttings

Celled trays are ideal, or do 3-4 in a small pot. Half will die. Cover with a clear plastic bag if it’s hot so they don’t dry out. Cut holes as want it to breathe, not rot because of condensation.