December is the perfect month to prepare your garden for a bountiful spring. With the colder months approaching, it's time to focus on plant propagation to ensure your garden thrives. Country Living's garden designer, Agata Henderson, shares her top tips for propagating plants in December, along with some essential pruning advice. Here's a breakdown of the best plants to propagate and how to do it successfully.
Propagating Currants (Ribes) in December
Currants are a highly underrated plant in the UK, but with longer and hotter summers, they can produce sweet and tangy garden offerings. Here's how to propagate them:
- Select disease-free, one-year-old shoots with straight, vigorous canes. Avoid thin, spindly growth or very old wood. Take 10-20 cm long, pencil-thick cuttings with 3-6 healthy buds.
- Make a clean, straight cut just below a bud at the base. The top cut should be 1 cm above a bud and slightly angled to shed water. Label the variety and date.
- Plant directly in a prepared bed or 9-12 cm pots. Choose a sheltered spot with partial to full sun. You can dip the cuttings in root grow to support new root formation.
- Insert the cutting so that at least 2-3 buds are below the soil and 1-2 buds remain above. Space them 10-15 cm apart in a bed or plant one per pot. Firm the soil around the stem to remove air pockets.
- Water well and apply a thin mulch of bark or straw to retain moisture and protect from frost heave.
Propagating Grapes (Vitis) in December
Agata recommends propagating grapes in December, especially the Fragola Grape, a dessert variety with a delightful strawberry-like sweetness. Here's the process:
- Ensure the plant is fully dormant and has lost all leaves.
- Select healthy, fully ripened canes from the previous season, at least pencil-thick and disease-free. Make a straight basal cut and a slanted top cut 1 cm above a bud. Label with the variety and date.
- A quick dip of the basal end in Root Grow can improve success, especially in less favorable conditions.
- When planting in a trench, dig a 15-20 cm deep trench and lay the cutting horizontally or at a slight angle, covering at least 2-3 buds and leaving 1-2 above the soil. Space cuttings 20-30 cm apart and backfill.
- For individual pots, plant the basal end 8-10 cm deep in a tall, free-draining pot, keeping it in an unheated, sheltered spot. Water well, mulch lightly, and protect from mice and rodents.
Propagating Hydrangeas in December
Hydrangeas can be propagated in December, but focus on Hydrangea paniculata and Hydrangea arborescens. Macrophylla types root better from softwood.
- Choose straight, firm stems from this season's growth, avoiding flowering tips. Take 15-20 cm cuttings with at least 2-3 pairs of leaf nodes.
- Cut just below a node at the bottom and just above a node at the top. Remove leaves, leaving buds intact.
- Plant in 9-10 cm pots, inserting the cutting half to two-thirds deep, ensuring at least 1 node is buried. Use a well-draining, slightly moist mix.
- Keep in a cold frame, unheated greenhouse, or sheltered outdoor spot. They should root by late spring/early summer.
Propagating Roses in December
Hardwood cuttings are best for shrub roses, climbers, ramblers, and old garden roses, but not for modern hybrid teas, which work better with the soft cutting method.
- Take 20-25 cm sections from dormant cane, choosing mature, firm stems from the current year's growth, around pencil-thick and healthy.
- Make a straight top cut 2 cm above a bud and an angled bottom cut just below a bud. Remove leaves and thorns. Lightly scrape the base to increase the rooting surface and use Root Grow at the basal end.
- Insert two-thirds of the cutting into a pot of gritty compost or directly into a sheltered outdoor bed, keeping the soil moist but not wet.
- Leave them outdoors in a protected spot or greenhouse, and they should root by late spring.
5 Simple Propagation Tips for December
Agata offers these essential tips for healthy cuttings:
- Use clean, sharp secateurs to avoid crushing stems.
- Label each batch to distinguish them in winter.
- Avoid cutting during hard freezes; choose mild days.
- Protect pots from heavy winter rain to prevent rot.
- Don't disturb cuttings until spring.
By following these steps and tips, you can successfully propagate your plants in December, ensuring a thriving garden come spring.
