Hibiscus Cuttings

For the past few weeks I have been working my way through my stock of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.......... pruning them and using the cut stems of pencil thickness as propagation material.

 These hardwood cuttings are about 12.5 to 15cm or 5 to 6 inches in length and are cut at a 45 degree angle. I use a specific hardwood rooting hormone powder to dip the cuttings in before placing them together in a 14cm pot.

 The propagation mix I use has a large portion of perlite and added coarse river sand.

 Containers, secateurs and knives are all sterilized before proceeding with any of the steps and when taking cuttings from different varieties.

 The sharper the better

 Completed cuttings are kept in a sheltered shady location or in a propagation unit under mist, if you have one, though success can be achieved without.

 Cuttings with well developed root system ready for potting on.

 Trim back any roots which have a kink or twist to them.

Planted out into a 10cm maxi pot (4 inch pot) allows for good root and shoot development