How to Make a Burning Bush

Prepare a small pot for rooting your cuttings by filling with an equal amount of sand, peat or perlite. You can also use fine gravel as a rooting medium for cuttings. Pour about an inch of the rooting hormone into a plastic cup.

Cut 4- to 8-inch long sections of softwood stems from the plant using sharp scissors. Measure from the stem tips. Softwood cuttings are succulent and pliable current-year growth on plants. Recommended time to take softwood cuttings is from the middle of May to mid June.

Remove the stems from the lower half of the cuttings, leaving only a couple of leaves at the top. These leaves will naturally continue to produce a substance that will help with rooting.

Insert a pencil in the rooting medium to create 2-inch deep planting holes for cuttings. Dip the base of each cutting in the rooting hormone. Plant immediately in individual planting holes.

Firm the soil around the cuttings. Water well. Place the entire pot in a large, clear plastic bag and stick a chopstick in the pot to help keep the bag up. Close top with a rubber band.

Place pot in a warm, bright area out of direct sunlight. Open the bag every 3 to 4 days and water enough to keep the soil moist but not wet. It takes several weeks for the cuttings to root.

Transfer rooted cuttings to individual sized pots filled with well-drained potting soil. Let plants get well established before transplanting to a permanent spot in the garden.