Share the Love, Share Your Cuttings!

by Cameron Shimoda · Published January 31, 2017 · Updated January 31, 2017

Being able to share your bounty with others is one of the greatest joys of gardening. If you’ve ever grown tomatoes or zucchinis, you’ve probably sent guests home with at least a few selections, picked fresh from the vine.
Share Cuttings Blog Tomato Lettuce Fresh BigYellowBag

But what about sharing your flowers or other plants? If you’re new to gardening, you might be a bit nervous to try for fear that you’ll damage what you’re growing. But don’t worry! It’s not as complicated as it might seem, and the payoff can be an absolute delight – for you and your friends! (Though we will recommend that you practice first before you start cutting away at your favourite shrubs…)

One of the biggest advantages to growing from cuttings is that you get full grown plants a lot faster than you do when growing from seeds. Also, it helps you easily add some variety to your garden without too much cost. (Just be sure to ask your friends and family before you grab your shears!)

Before you get started, gather your supplies. You need a sharp knife or pruning shears, containers to plant the new cuttings in, garden soil and optionally rooting hormone.

We recommend that you use BigYellowBag Black Garden Soil for planting new cuttings. The light and fluffy properties of this soil are perfect for plants to take new root. The mix of black loam, peat loam, compost, and manure means that it will have the right balance to achieve enough drainage that your plants aren’t drowning, but enough moisture retention that they aren’t drying out either. BigYellowBag Black Garden Soil is also packed with essential nutrients and organic matter, which gives your plants the “food” they need so they can grow healthy, big and strong.

Time to Share!

The first step is to pick a nice, healthy growth from the plant. Ideally, it should be three to six inches long. Make it a clean cut, so it will be able to develop new roots easily. Clip off the lower leaves. At this point, you can tip the end in the rooting hormone, if you are using it. Rooting hormone can help the plant develop it’s roots faster.

Share Cuttings Growing Pots Plants Green BigYellowBag

Plant your cutting immediately in the soil. Be sure to follow the best watering practices for the plant you’re working with – overdoing it can be just as detrimental as under-watering. Also, keep the cutting warm, but try to avoid putting it in direct sunlight. Finally, be patient. It will take time for your plant to take root; in some cases it can take as long as two months… Don’t try to put it in the ground before it is ready.

Remember that plants make wonderful housewarming gifts. They’re also great for those folks who seem to have everything, because not only are they beautiful to look at, but they are environmentally friendly as well! If you already have an established garden, consider someone you could share some cuttings with if they are just starting out. And speaking of cuttings to share, if you’ve seen for yourself how much larger and healthier your plants grow in BigYellowBag Black Garden Soil, share the tip with your friends! They’ll be happy you did…

We found this great video from Goodful on Facebook. It’s not cuttings straight from the garden, but it’s a great way to start a garden from veggie scraps! Some of the techniques used here (pre soaking, and pruning) can greatly increase your likelihood of success! Don’t forget to “Like” BigYellowBag on Facebook to keep up to date on all our neat ideas!