penstemon propagation

B3

I have a penstemon stem that has rooted where it rests on the ground. Roots very shallow at the moment.
Do I remove and pot it now or should I wait a bit? 

Busy-Lizzie

I've just potted one, hope it works. I took cuttings too from a very bushy stem that I pruned off recently. About half look perky and half look droopy.

B3

I hope so too @Busy-Lizzie 😊

Loxley

It really depends how patient you are. If you take it now, pop it somewhere cool and out of the sun for a week or so, it would probably work fine. You could pin and bury some more stems to see if they'll also root later in the season while you're there!

Or you could heap up the soil where it's rooted and let a decent root system develop in situ, then just sever it & move it straight to the final planting position.

B3

I'll take the final option. You've answered another one of my questions about when to cut the umbilical cord.
Thanks @WillDB

Loxley

It certainly saves remembering to water it. You could bend the stem now to 'reduce the circulation' and force it to grow its own roots.

B3

I only started growing them a couple of years ago. I always thought they were difficult to grow and snail food. How wrong I was! I'm hooked on them now. They're dotted all over the garden and all varieties seem to have survived this ,admittedly mild, winter.  And many survived the beast.😀

Lizzie27

I like them too. I usually pin down any longish shoots, put a stone on top and leave it for a good few months, if not longer. Most root very well this way.  I'm also trying a few shoots in water which are just showing tiny white roots.

Hostafan1

I cut them back at this time of year and use them for cuttings. Almost every one works,and it's stuff you're cutting off anyway, so nothing to lose.

B3

Works for gaura too. Another recent discovery for me. 

Lizzie27

Thanks for that tip @B3, I've got some gauras and would like some more.