The Stray Gardener is written by Rudding Park’s Kitchen Gardener, Fiona Slight. Fiona has worked in horticulture for more than 30 years in the UK and abroad, and specialises in growing fruit and vegetables for fine dining. This month, Fiona gives you her top tips for propagating a new plant. 

Softwood cuttings are a great way to get started with propagation and as long as you follow a few simple rules you are guaranteed success.  A wide variety of perennials, deciduous shrubs and some trees can be rooted this way.

Plants such as Osteospermum, Penstemon, Pelargonium, Verbena, Salvia, Fuchsia, Sambucus (Elder), Hydrangea, deciduous Magnolia and more can all be rooted very successfully this way.

Pelargonium

Softwood cuttings are generally taken from spring to early summer, although I have had some success with soft woodcuttings of Penstemon and Pelargonium taken in August or September. They still have time to root before winter and can then be potted on in the spring quite happily.

Try and get your cutting material from young plants, the cuttings will root more easily as they have more natural rooting hormones, however, you can heavily prune older plants, feed and water well, and these can then produce new softer growth that will root more quickly.

When it comes to taking the cuttings, you need to work quickly, soft plant material loses moisture quickly once detached from the plant, so it is important to either get the material into a jar of water or a plastic bag immediately after cutting.  Try and get out of the sun as quickly as possible too, with the early morning or evening the best time to crop from the plants.

It is also important you inspect the plant and chose healthy strong shoots with no evident pests and diseases and preferably no flowers or buds. You need to take off around 10cm of the chosen shoot, although this does depend on the type and size of plant you are working with. Once collected, if you can’t take the cuttings straight away, put them in a fridge to keep them cool.

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When preparing the cuttings, use a sharp knife or pair of snippers, most do best if you cut to the node (found at a leaf joint), as this is where roots will grow from, although some plants such as Clematis do better as internodal cuttings (cut in between two leaf joints), the roots will grow from the internode.

Once you have trimmed to the node, remove the lower leaves and in most cases the tip can then be removed too.  I have found some plants do best if the tip is left in and removed once it has rooted, so it may be worth trying to see if it works for you too! The cutting can then be dipped in rooting hormone powder if you prefer, although a few plants will root perfectly well without it such as Pelargonium.

The cuttings then need to be inserted into a good well-drained propagation compost, make sure the leaves sit just above the compost and do not get buried at all, as this can be a source of rot in the cutting.  Water the cuttings from above as this will settle them in well.

Cuttings in propagator

If you are lucky enough to have a propagator, then place the cuttings into the propagator and keep them semi shaded.  If not, they will root perfectly well placed in a plastic bag that is tied at the top and put on a windowsill out of direct sunlight.  Keep checking the cuttings to ensure they are moist enough, generally three to four weeks is enough to get good roots on a soft woodcutting.  Then it’s just a case of taking them out of the propagator and once you see the roots coming out of the bottom of the pot, get them potted on.

Voila! You have the start of some new plants, have a go, it really is worthwhile.

Five top tips for July:

• Its not too late to plant autumn flowering bulbs such as Nerines, Colchicums and Amaryllis
• This is the best time to prune deciduous Magnolias if they need it
• Feed Tomatoes, Melons and Peppers with a high potash feed for better fruiting
• Damp down your greenhouse on hot days to avoid overheating
• Make sure you tie in climbers and ramblers as they grow to keep them tidy

The Stray Gardener is written by Rudding Park’s Kitchen Gardener, Fiona Slight. Fiona has worked in horticulture for more than 30 years in the UK and abroad, and specialises in growing fruit and vegetables for fine dining. This month, Fiona takes you step-by-step through air layering.

If you’d like to try a different type of propagation this spring, it might be worth having a go at air layering.  Especially effective for plants that don’t root well from other forms of propagation, or don’t have low growing shoots that can be used for conventional layering on the ground, it is quite a slow process and patience is required, but it is well worth it.

Quite a few different plants can be used for air layering, including Acer, Camellia, Chaenomeles, Daphne, Ficus, Hamamelis, Jasmine, Rhododendrons, Lilac and Viburnums.  The best time of year to carry out air layering, especially with evergreen plants, is the spring, but it can also be done in autumn too, where deciduous plants can do equally as well.

A Rhododendron

It is a very simple process.  Choose a one to two year old stem that is straight and healthy and at least pencil thick in diameter.  It is important to get a young stem, as it will be more vigorous and healthy to produce new roots more easily.  Trim off any side shoots and leaves from a 30cm section and make sure not to leave any snags (these can be a source of disease or decay).

Wounding the stem

The stem then needs to be wounded, with a cut at least 2.5cm long and cut through a leaf bud that is angled towards the shoot tip. The best concentrations of natural rooting hormone can be found nearest to buds.  A small matchstick can be used to open up the cut to help add rooting hormone powder to the surface of the wound and a small amount of damp moss (which can be purchased from florists or some garden centres) can be put in to the wound and then wrapped around loosely with black plastic. Black plastic is preferable to use rather than clear or white, as green algae can form and can be another source of disease.

Damp moss is then placed into the wound

The black plastic can then be sealed at one end either with string or with weather proof adhesive tape. Once that is done it is a simple method just to pack in more moss around the wound to ensure it is protected and has enough moisture around it, a thickness of around 7.5 to 10cm should be adequate. The other end can then be sealed up.

After that, it’s just a waiting game, the wrapping needs to stay in place for at least a year, but can be opened and checked occasionally for signs of rooting, making sure it is sealed well again to avoid it drying out.  Once strong new roots appear through the moss, the plastic sleeve can be removed and the stem can be cut through just below the rooted section.

The finished product

The rooted stem can then be potted up in compost suitable for the plant that has rooted.  Don’t try to take the moss off the roots as it could damage them, just add it into the pot too.  Then, water, label and grow on until large enough to plant out in your chosen position.

Air layering does take a little more time and effort, but if you have a plant in your garden you value, and have had trouble propagating from in the past (or a replacement would be very expensive), then this could be a good thing to try.

Happy propagating!

Fiona’s Five Top Tips for May:

1. Bedding plants can start going out at the end of the month, but keep an eye out for late frosts and cover with fleece if any are forecast
2. Try to water either first thing in the morning or in the evening, for the plants to make the most of the water which could evaporate in the middle of the day
3. Divide Primulas once they have finished flowering
4. Put in place supports for herbaceous plants before they start getting leggy
5. This is a good time to coppice Eucalyptus for fresh young foliage and to keep them in good condition

The Stray Gardener is written by Rudding Park’s Kitchen Gardener, Fiona Slight. Fiona has worked in horticulture for more than 30 years in the UK and abroad, and specialises in growing fruit and vegetables for fine dining. This month, Fiona gives her golden rules for growing tomatoes.

I was 13 years old when I grew my first tomato plants, after inheriting a glasshouse when we moved into a new house. I was coached in what I thought was the secret art of tomato growing, by a lovely old man who lived around the corner. In fact, if you just stick to a few simple rules, tomatoes are really easy to grow, and the rewards when the fruit are ready are well worth the trouble.

The golden rules to growing tomatoes:

Don’t sow the seed too early, unless you have a heated glasshouse with lights and automatic ventilators it is far better to wait until late March, early April when they will grow far more successfully. Tomatoes hate getting cold. (They really do sulk!)

Choose between cordon or bush varieties, cordons need to be trained up canes, tied in, and the side shoots removed to stop them branching out and to focus the effort into flowers and fruit. Bush varieties don’t need to be trained and will grow well in a pot or hanging basket.  The seed packet will tell you which they are.

Golden Sun tomatoes

Grow the plants in a good multi-purpose compost, or you can get special tomato growing bags with the compost ready mixed.

Water regularly and try to avoid giving the plants too little and too much water. Tomatoes are very sensitive to fluctuations in moisture.

Feed once a week when the first fruit has set with a high potassium fertiliser. There are some very good organic tomato fertilisers available.

Try to keep the temperature around 16 degrees as tomatoes really do resent being too cold and too hot.

If you are growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, get the doors and ventilators open during the day to encourage in pollinating insects for a bumper crop of fruit. You can also spend a little time in the middle of the day, gently tapping the plants to get them to release their pollen (a very satisfying job, honestly!)

Tomatoes growing in a polytunnel

As mentioned before, cordon tomatoes need to be trained. They can either be grown and tied into canes, or can be grown up string that can be would round the plant as it grows upwards. Both ways work well, and as long as the plants have their side shoots removed regularly, they stay tidy and produce a good number of flowers (just make sure you don’t remove the growing tip as this would stop the plant growing any taller and possibly means you would lose out on more flowers and consequently more fruit).

In most cases, once you reach around six trusses it is worth taking out the growing tip then, to allow the plant to put its energy into fruit production before the weather starts to get cooler and the day length gets shorter. Bush plants are much easier just give them room to grow and they will get on with it.

Multiple varieties of tomatoes.

By the end of July you will start to get fruit ripening and all the hard work will suddenly become worth it. Until I grew my own tomatoes, I would refuse to eat them as I thought they tasted vile. That is when I realised why, they were not allowed to ripen properly on the plant.  A fully ripened tomato picked straight from the plant, that is still warm, is a thing of beauty.

Go on, get sowing!

Fiona’s Five Top Tips for April:

The Stray Gardener is written by Rudding Park’s Kitchen Gardener, Fiona Slight. Fiona has worked in horticulture for more than 30 years in the UK and abroad, and specialises in growing fruit and vegetables for fine dining. This month, Fiona explains the different ways to sow seed.

March is the time of year when a lot of different types of seed can be sown successfully. There is nothing so rewarding as being able to grow a plant from seed and either enjoy its beautiful blooms throughout the summer or reap the rewards of tasty vegetables home grown by yourself. If you follow a few easy steps and quite often just follow the instructions on the packet, you can have success!

So where do you start? It makes sense to choose seed that you really want to grow. Read the packet instructions closely to ensure you can provide the right conditions that germinating seed will need. Most seed will need good light conditions, the correct temperature (usually given on the seed packet) and moisture. It is more than possible to grow and raise seeds on a windowsill. I do it myself every year.

Sweet pea seedlings planted in cardboard tubes.

Seed can be sown in a variety of different containers, for example, sweet pea seeds are best grown in cardboard tubes or root trainers which are tall thin containers to allow the plants a good root run and also minimal root disturbance when planted. Calendula (Pot Marigold) on the other hand, is best grown in a small seed tray or pot to allow them to grow to a size large enough to handle to be pricked out into larger pots. Whichever one you use, ensure it is clean and dry to avoid passing on any pests and diseases to your seedlings.

The next thing to think about is what material you grow your seeds in, the compost you choose is important, depending on the size and type of seed. Generally, shop bought seed compost works very well and is ready sterilised. It is important to ensure the compost is reasonably fine and well-drained. This is especially important for small seed to ensure good contact with the soil for germination.

Firmed down compost

For sowing smaller seed, fill your container with compost, and tap down to remove excess air holes. Smooth the compost off to get a level, flat surface, and then firm down either with another pot or tray with a flat bottom or a specially made wooden tamper. You now have a good surface to scatter your seed onto. Be careful not to sow too thickly as this can cause problems later on. Firm down the seeds to get good contact with the compost, and then, if the seeds requires it, cover with a thin layer of vermiculite, perlite or compost (generally until you can’t see the seed anymore). After that, I prefer to soak the seed from underneath in a tray of water as there is less chance of displacing the seeds and it ensures the compost is fully moist.

For larger seed, such as peas or beans, you can sow them individually or in pairs. Lay the seed on top of each cardboard tube or section of the root trainer and once all the seeds are placed, you can then push them down into the compost, usually a finger nail deep but it does depend on the size of seed. Then cover over the hole with more compost and water in thoroughly.

A variety of seedlings

Keeping the seed packets for future reference is very useful and helps with going on to the next stage of growing. Don’t forget to label your seeds, and if you have too many, share them with your friends.

Happy sowing!

Fiona’s Five Top Tips for March

1. Now is the time to cut back any Cornus or Willow grown for their colourful stems
2. March is a great time to divide congested clumps of grasses
3. Plant onion and shallot sets
4. Divide and re-plant bulbs in the green such as snow drops and winter aconites
5. Pot on Dahlia tubers and place in the greenhouse to start to grow before planting out in May

The Stray Gardener is written by Rudding Park’s Kitchen Gardener, Fiona Slight. Fiona has worked in horticulture for more than 30 years in the UK and abroad, and specialises in growing fruit and vegetables for fine dining. This month, Fiona explains how and why you should plant a tree.

One of the most satisfying things to do in life is to plant a tree, not only is it contributing to helping the environment by providing habitats for wildlife, reducing carbon dioxide in the environment and enhancing your local area.  They are great for your mental health, spending time with trees is a very relaxing and mindful thing to do and you are creating a legacy for generations of people for years to come.

But how do you get started?  First of all, it is important you research your trees well and choose one that is suitable for your site.  My heart always sinks when I see a tree such as the majestic monkey puzzle in a very small front garden, knowing it will never achieve its full life span of a 1000 years as it will have to be taken down long before that to avoid damage to the building it is next to.

Trees are best planted from October to April in the cooler dormant period of the year. This also means you can buy a bare root tree which is cheaper and are only available at this time. You can plant container grown trees too with the advantage that these can be planted pretty much all year round, but it does mean a lot more watering to get them established.

Once you are ready to plant, you need to dig a hole at least three times as wide as the pot or root spread and the same depth. Container grown plants benefit from having the roots gently loosened to help them to get established more quickly. It is a good idea to thoroughly soak the roots in a bucket of water before planting, some people also add a special powder with a fungus called mycorrhizae which can help the roots to establish quicker.

The tree can then be placed in the hole making sure that the point where the roots meet the trunk is level with the surface of the soil. You can use your spade placed horizontally across the hole to check if you are not sure the level is right.

Fastening a tree tie to the stake for stability

Then, it is just a case of refilling the hole, firming well and making sure there are no air pockets around the roots that could cause the root to dry out before establishing. Make sure the stem stays upright as you do this.

You may need to add a tree guard or spiral if you think there is a chance that the stems could get nibbled. Very small trees shouldn’t need staking and will grow better without one. Larger trees that may be top heavy will probably need to be staked to support them until they get established, usually this takes around 2 years. The stake is best put in at a 45% angle and the tree tied with a rubber or jute tie which can be screwed or nailed to the stake to keep it in place. Don’t forget to check the stakes and ties regularly and loosen as the tree grows.

A staked Davidia involucrata tree

After that, water well if conditions are dry and then add a layer of mulch around the base of the tree, making sure not to mulch right up to the stem as they can get smothered.

If you know somewhere you could put a tree, why not have a go this weekend and start creating a legacy.

Happy planting!

Fiona’s 5 Top Tips for February

1. This is the perfect time to start dividing and re-planting snowdrops and winter aconites once they have finished flowering.
2. Trim back Ivy, Virginia creeper and other climbers that are starting to get too big before birds start nesting.
3. If possible, Protect early flowering fruit trees such as Apricots from frost with fleece.
4. Citrus trees can be top dressed with compost or re-potted if required.
5. Start chitting seed potatoes

The Stray Gardener is written by Rudding Park’s Kitchen Gardener, Fiona Slight. Fiona has worked in horticulture for more than 30 years in the UK and abroad, and specialises in growing fruit and vegetables for fine dining. This month, Fiona explains her methods for taking and propagating root cuttings. 

I love propagating plants and over the years I have tried lots of different techniques. One that I have found simple and useful to do is root cuttings. You can do them at a quieter time of year (November to March) when plants are dormant. It allows you to propagate up larger amounts of plants with limited tools and equipment, you don’t need expensive heated propagators or rooting hormone powder.  They are a little slower to root, but you tend to get a much stronger and healthier plant in the long run. As the root cuttings grow, they are less likely to be affected by foliar pests and diseases in the initial stages of growth, allowing them to grow to a good size to be able to fight them off later.

Root cuttings are particularly successful with mint plants.

Root cuttings don’t work with all plants. The greatest success comes from using thick fleshy roots and even more success comes from roots that have a tendency to sucker, such as mint.  Other herbaceous plants to use include: anemone, papaver, echinops, acanthus, primula denticulata and phlox. Some woody plants are also successful from root cuttings, including aralia, catalpa (Indian bean tree), chaenomeles, robinia and syringa.

The process of taking root cuttings is very simple. Select a nice strong healthy plant with a good-sized clump. Dig this up, or if it is very large, try to dig and expose the roots to select the thickest ones. Try not to use more than a third of the root system, and once the roots are selected, make sure you replant very quickly to avoid the plant drying out. I tend to grow mint in containers to avoid it growing everywhere, it is then very easy to take the plant out of the pot and select the roots you want to use.

Fiona plants her root cuttings in trays and pots

Choose young, roughly pencil thick roots (although this does depend on the plant and some, like mint, can still root from thinner roots). Cut them off close to the crown using a sharp knife or secateurs. I then start cutting from the top of the root (the bit closest to the crown). Cut lengths of up to 8cm. To make sure you plant the roots the correct way up, if you cut the top straight across and then make a slanted cut at the bottom of the cutting you know the slanted bit needs to go into the compost first.

Use a well-drained gritty propagation compost and fill pots or trays with it. Make sure the pots you use are deep enough for your cuttings. Then insert the cuttings into the compost so the top is just below the surface (remembering to put the slanty end in first!). Top dress with grit to help keep excess moisture away from the top of the cutting, to avoid it rotting off before it roots. Place the tray or pots in a cold frame or other sheltered place and you should have some plants ready to pot on by the spring. Don’t forget to check them and water if they get dry!

Fiona suggests using a gritty propagation compost

Another technique you can use with thinner roots, is to lay roughly 10cm lengths of the roots horizontally on top of the gritty compost in a seed tray and then cover with grit again.  You will get small plants growing along the length of the root, which can be detached in sections and potted up in the spring.

This really is an easy, cost effective and fun way to increase numbers of your favourite plants. So, if you have a spare couple of hours, just give it a go! 

Fiona’s five top tips for December:

1. Regularly check protective covers for tender plants to make sure they are still intact and in place.
2. Start ordering seed catalogues to get ahead of the game and get your seeds ordered early before they are out of stock.
3. Reduce watering on houseplants to ensure they don’t rot off over the winter.
4. Tie wall shrubs and climbers securely to ensure they don’t get damaged by windy weather.
5. Clean the glass and tidy in the greenhouse ready for next season.

Read More: 

• Stray Gardener: To dig or not to dig?
• Stray Gardener: Putting dahlias to bed