Can You Root a Cut Flower?

Chrysanthemums

• Chrysanthemums can be propagated from cuttings. Cut a 4- to 6-inch stem from a healthy stalk with a clean, sharp knife. Remove all flowers and buds by pinching them with your fingers. Pinch the leaves from the bottom half of the stem to remove them. Insert the cutting into moist growing medium. Cover your pot with a mason jar or a plastic soda bottle whose bottom half has been removed. Place it in bright, indirect sunlight and water it regularly until new growth appears and your plant is ready to be transplanted.

Geraniums

• Geraniums can be propagated with cuttings. Fill a small pot with moist planting medium. Cut a stem from your geranium plant and trim it to 5 inches long with a sharp knife. Strip the stem of leaves and dip the cut end into a commercial growth hormone. Insert the stem into the planting medium at a depth of one inch and cover the pot with a clear plastic bag. Place the pot where it will receive several hours of bright, indirect sun. Roots should form in 6-8 weeks and will be ready to be transplanted into soil.

Roses

• Enjoy more roses from your single cutting. Cut a 6-inch piece of stem and remove the bottom set of leaves. Dip the cut end into a commercial growth hormone powder. Insert the stem into your garden soil to a depth of at least 2 inches. Cover the cutting with a mason jar and water around your jar regularly. New growth should form on your stem in about two months.

Hydrangeas

• Propagate your hydrangea by cutting a the stem without flowers that it is at least 4 inches long. Use sharp scissors or a knife and cut below a leaf node. Remove all leaves except for the the pair at the top. Cut the two remaining leaves in half crosswise. Dip the cut end of the stem into commercial growth hormone powder. Insert the cutting into moist commercial potting soil at a depth of at least 2 inches. Place the pot in a protected area out of direct sunlight. Keep your soil moist. Roots should form in 2-4 weeks.

A Little More Information

• Not all cut flowers can be successfully rooted from cuttings. Experiment with different varieties to discover what works for you. Carnations, as a rule, cannot be propagated from cuttings. African violets can be be started by cutting a leaf and standing it vertically in moist growing medium. New plants will sprout from the leaf. Shrubs and hardwoods are possible to grow from cuttings by stripping the outer bark, buds and bottom leaves from the end of a twig.