Corkscrew Vine Propagation Cutting

Timing

• Corkscrew vine will propagate only from softwood cuttings, so they must be started in spring or early summer just after new growth emerges from the tips of the stems. Flowers and buds will draw the stem's energy away from root production, so it is best to gather and pot the cuttings when the plant is not actively blooming -- that is, no later than early June.

Equipment and Preparation

• The equipment required to start corkscrew vine cuttings is commonly found around most homes. A small plastic pot with drainage holes and sterile medium are vital, as is a large clear plastic bag, a wooden skewer and a pair of clean pruning shears. Make sure the pot and the pruning shears are freshly cleaned before use to prevent fungal or bacterial infections in the cutting. Also, measure out a teaspoon of standard, commercially prepared rooting hormone talc and place it in a clean envelope or vessel. Fill the pot with the sterile growing medium and set it in a shady spot while collecting the corkscrew vine cutting.

Cutting Selection

• It is best to gather cuttings during the cool morning hours while plants are turgid, and this is particularly true of tender, heat-loving plants such as the corkscrew vine. Look for a 3- to 5-inch-long cutting at the tip of a young, vigorous vine with no signs of disease, stress or damage. Inspect the cutting carefully for flower buds and pinch them off, if they are present. Use the clean pruning shears to sever the stem cutting 1/4 inch below a set of leaves.

Rooting Procedure

• Corkscrew vine cuttings wilt quickly, so it is essential to pot them immediately once gathered. Pluck off the lowest sets of leaves so the bottom one-third of the cutting is defoliated, then treat the leafless part of the stem with rooting hormone talc. Pot the cutting in the sterile medium, then liberally spritz the cutting with water to cool and hydrate it. Corkscrew vine cuttings need high humidity to survive the rooting process, so cover the pot with the clear plastic bag held up by the wooden skewer. Healthy corkscrew vine cuttings will root in roughly six to eight weeks if misted daily and kept under warm, bright conditions out of direct sunlight.

Care and Planting

• Once rooted, corkscrew vine cuttings require moderate attention and care to prepare them for life outdoors. The cuttings root in a high humidity environment and must be slowly acclimated to normal humidity and temperatures so they won't succumb to transplant shock. Make a small cut in the plastic bag just after the cuttings root, then begin removing the bag for an increasing length of time each day over the course of two weeks. After the initial hardening phase, move the vine outdoors to a sheltered spot. Acclimate it to direct sun in autumn, then transplant it into a permanent bed with full sun or part shade.