Taking cuttings from hebe 'Nicolas Blush'

How to take hebe cuttings

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Tuesday, 28 May 2019 at 2:28 pm

Propagate new hebe plants from summer cuttings. We show you how.

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Hebes root easily from softwood cuttings, particularly in the summer.

Taking softwood cuttings from your hebes, and indeed any plant, is a useful way of getting new plants for free. You can also take softwood cuttings from plants like penstemons, chrysanthemums, asters and delphiniums.

Once you've taken your hebe cuttings, place them in a propagator or in a tray on the windowsill with a clear polythene bag as a cover. Pot them all up individually when you spot roots poking out the bottom of the pot.

Find out how to take hebe cuttings, below.

You Will Need

Sharp knife or secateurs
Small pots
Multi-purpose compost

Total time: 25 minutes

Step 1

Choose the cutting shoots from a healthy hebe

Choose thick, compact shoots from a healthily growing shrub and snip off with secateurs or a sharp knife.

Step 2

Trim the cutting material

Reduce the cuttings to 8-10cm in length and then remove the lower leaves, leaving three sets at the top. Pinch out the soft tip and trim the base to just below where a leaf has been removed.

Step 3

Insert the cuttings into the compost

Make a hole in the compost with a dibber and insert the cutting. Firm it in, then soak thoroughly with tepid water.

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