Propagation of Herbs: How to Start Herbs With Cuttings

Copyright © 2010 Cherie Kuranko "InkSpot" All Rights Reserved

An inexpensive way to increase the variety of herbs in your herb garden is by propagating with cuttings. If your friend has strong, healthy rosemary plants growing in her garden, then ask for permission to take a cutting to start your own rosemary plant. Propagating with cuttings is a simple process to learn and is an easy, quick way to establish new herbs in your garden.

For best results, cuttings from soft-stemmed herbs should be taken in late spring to early summer and cuttings from woody-stemmed are best taken in August and September. All cuttings should be taken from mature, healthy plants—sometimes referred to as a gardener’s mother plants.

The best time of day to take cuttings is around brunch time—just after the morning dew has cleared and before the hot afternoon sun begins wilting the plants.

Soft-stemmed cuttings may be taken from a branch with new growth. Look for healthy, succulent stems and leaves.  Cuttings should be about 4-6 inches in length and you should snip the cutting off just below a leaf bud (node). Using a clean pair of pruning shears or scissors, snip the stem at an angle. A 45 degree angle is good.

Woody-stemmed herb cuttings should be taken from a mature side shoot taken from the lower base of the stem and be about 9” in length.

Immediately after cutting, remove all flowers and any leaves from the bottom half of the cutting and place the cutting either in a container with water or directly into your rooting medium (soil). Soft-stemmed cuttings will root great in water or soil.  Woody-stemmed cuttings should be rooted in pots.

Water: If you choose to place your herb cuttings in water, you may use a glass container that will allow the lower half of the cutting to be immersed in water. A drinking glass or canning jar works well. Be sure to keep fresh water in the glass. If it becomes cloudy, replace with fresh water. It is best to change the water every 2-3 days.

Place the glass in a semi-shady area.  In a few days, you will begin to see tiny roots forming.  When the cutting has grown a healthy root system you can plant it in a pot of soil.  This normally happens within 7-14 days, but can vary depending on the plant variety you are propagating. You may also plant directly into the garden, but it is best to let the herb establish a good root system in a pot first.

Soil:  If you choose to place your cutting in a pot you should use individual 4-inch pots for each cutting. It is a good idea to dip the cut end of the cutting in a rooting hormone, but many gardeners have had success without doing this with soft-stemmed cuttings. It is advised to use rooting hormone for woody-stemmed cuttings, which can take up to a year to root.

Provide excellent drainage and use sterile soils. Regular potting soil is a bit heavy for herb cuttings, so a mixture of course sand, perlite and peat moss is suggested. Keep the soil well-moistened. You can place your pots on a heat mat at about 70 degrees Fahrenheit if you desire.

After dipping the cut ends in the rooting hormone, poke a small hole into the soil. Stick the cutting into the hole with about half of the stem under the soil. The cuttings should be firmly planted in and kept moist until rooting. Misting frequently the first few days is a good idea. Place in a shaded area with good air circulation.

When your herb cuttings have established a good healthy root system and appear to be growing well they may be transplanted into your herb garden. Keep in mind rooting times will vary from plant to plant. Below are just some of the wonderful herbs you can enjoy in your garden by learning how to propagate with herb cuttings.

• Lavender, lemon balm, lemon verbena, basil, oregano, rosemary, sages, thyme, lemon thyme, variegated thyme, mints, tarragon and hyssop.

Copyright © 2010 Cherie Kuranko "InkSpot" All Rights Reserved