Taking cuttings from Rhododenron
2 questions - I bought a rhododendron a month ago and it seems to be doing quite nicely in my border.
I'd like to take a cutting off it and grow it out the front next year but I have no clue even where to start!
so how do I take a cutting and when should I take it? I bought some hormone rooting powder at the weekend so plan to use that.
Second question - I have 2 horses so have an endless supply of horse manure - when/where could I use this?
I have umpteen vegetables growing in my greenhouse right now and they will be ready to plant out over the weekend, I have access to a rotavator which I plan to use in the ground before planting them out should I use the manure there?
I have varying stages of horse manure - some 3/4 years old, some 6 years old, some a year old and some fresh - which is the best to use?
I have established borders in my garden would the manure be any use here also?
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Hi indi2015. Always use the oldest well rotted manure. Is your Rhododendron a large leaved variety? Take a non-flowering shoot with a heel below the leaf node and peel off a little of the bark to encourage rooting. Trim off all but the top leaf on your cutting ang cut the top of this final leaf in half to reduce water loss. The other way you can propagate your plant is by layering. If you have a long branch that can be bent down to reach the ground (or a plant pot filled with ericaceous compost), make a diagonal cut through the stem without completing the cut under a leaf node,so that you have a split in the stem. Put your hormone rooting powder on the cut surfaces and peg it down either into the pot or the ground. Make sure the cut is stable and cover with soil.Next year when the shoot shows signs or growing it can be detached from the parent plant and grown on its own. Good luck.