New Blueberries From Cuttings.

 

If you want to increase your blueberry bushes, why not try propergating from cuttings. At this time of the year, [ late June ], it’s the perfect time to take softwood cuttings. All this means is that the new growth is bendy and flexible, later in the year it will harden, loose it’s flexability and become hard. You would then take hardwood cuttings.

Right back to softwood cuttings. Try to select a new shoot about 5 to 6 inches long, dont worry if they are a bit longer. Pull the shoot gently away from the stem with a small heel of older stem wood. The cutting wants to be flexible and springy, but not too soft. If the top of the cutting feels too soft, it can be removed. Carefully remove all but the top 1 or 2 leaves, if the leaves are very large, they can be cut in half. Prepare all the cuttings in the same way.

I like to root my cuttings in a mix of 50-50 multipurpose compost and grit sand, only use a horticultural sand or grit, the builders type has too much lime.

Fill up a pot, water the compost mix, then place the cuttings around the edge of the pot, covering about half the stem. You can use hormone rooting powder if you wish. Put the pot of cuttings in a warm place out of direct sunlight. I put my cuttings on a shelf at the back of the greenhouse. You could put them in a coldframe or just a shady place in the garden, but protect from pests.

They should root by autumn, you will see new growth on the cuttings, possibly roots out of the bottom of the pot. You can then pot them up and place in a cold greenhouse or cold frame for the winter.

Pic 1. Basic cutting material.    Pic 2. Individual cutting showing heel.    Pic 3. Prepared cuttings.     Pic 4. Prepared cuttings potted up.

 

 

See also  New Tomato Plants from Cuttings.
Helen Fowler
Born in Middlesbrough. Moved to live in rural North Yorkshire in late teens. Moved back to the town in my 30's to live near Stockton on Tees. Then after a divorce and a serious accident I moved back to rural North Yorkshire near Thirsk, where I live now. I am a passionate gardener, a keen amateur photograper, I love travel, music, anything artistic and I have a great love of nature and the natural world. I have gardened since my teens and I lived and worked on a farm for years. I have owned or have experience with most pets and domestic animals. I hope by sharing my own experiences and the personal knowledge I have gained over the years, to help and encourage others to gain the most from their gardening efforts.
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