How to Take Cuttings From Vines

Prepare a small pot for rooting the cutting by filling with equal amounts of sand, peat and perlite. You can also use fine gravel for rooting your cuttings. Pour an inch of rooting hormone into a plastic cup and set it aside.

Cut 4- to 8-inch long sections of softwood stems from the vines you wish to propagate. Use a sharp, clean scissors and measure from the stem tip. Softwood is the succulent and soft, current-year growth on the plant. Recommended time to take softwood cuttings is anywhere between the middle of May to mid June.

Remove all the foliage from the lower half of each cutting. Leave a couple of leaves at the top as these keep producing a substance that helps the cutting to produce roots faster.

Insert a pencil at a depth of about 2 to 3 inches in the rooting medium to create planting holes. Dip the base of each cutting into the rooting hormone and plant immediately in individual planting holes.

Firm the soil around the cuttings and water well. Place the whole pot in a large, clear plastic bag. Insert a chopstick in the pot to hold up the bag. Close top with a rubber band.

Place the pot in a warm, bright area out of direct sunlight. Open the bag every three to four days and water just enough to keep the soil moist. Close top after watering. It generally takes a few weeks for the cuttings to produce roots.

Transfer the rooted cuttings into separate medium-sized containers filled with a well-draining potting soil. Let the vines get well established before transplanting to a permanent spot in the garden.