CORVALLIS — Snipping cuttings from the garden this time of year can set you up with a private nursery of plants by spring. Whether you plant the results of your “snip and stick” project or share them, propagating by cuttings is a rewarding process.
Although some sources can make the process feel intimidating, Neil Bell, a retired horticulturist for the Oregon State University Extension Service, has good news.
“I do lots of them at home,” Bell said. “I don’t use a greenhouse or even bottom heat. What that means is that the average gardener can propagate their own plants with nothing more than a tray, a decent medium, a bit of rooting hormone and a place to keep them out of the way.”
You don’t need a greenhouse
Greenhouses help, but they aren’t necessary. Using bottom heat can boost success if you have room to set up a system indoors. Bell keeps his trays of cuttings outside in a sheltered spot and has reasonable success…