How to Grow Arborvitae From Cuttings

Fill a pot with a store bought rooting medium. You also can make your own by mixing together equal amounts of perlite, peat and sand. Pour about an inch of rooting hormone into the plastic cup.

Cut 4- to 8-inch sections of semihardwood stems using sharp scissors. Measure sections from the tip of the stem. Semihardwood cuttings are the partially mature, yet still succulent, current year's growth.

Remove all needles from the lower half of the stem as these will start to rot in the rooting medium.

Insert a pencil in the rooting medium to create planting holes for the cuttings. This minimizes the loss of the rooting hormone when you insert the cutting into the medium.

Dip the base of cutting into cut with the rooting hormone. Immediately place the cutting to the planting hole, inserting it about 2 inches deep. Firm the soil around each cutting. Water well.

Cover the whole pot in a large plastic bag to create a mini greenhouse effect and help rooting. Close the bag top with a rubber band.

Place the pot in a warm area out of direct sunlight. Open the bag every three to four days and water enough to keep the soil moist. The cuttings should root within a few weeks.

Let new plants grow all through the fall. Transplant them into the garden or a larger pot the following spring.