When to take hardwood cuttings — experts reveal the best time to start propagating new plants for free

Wondering when to take hardwood cuttings? It's a brilliant idea if you're looking to propagate new plants.

But before we learn how to take cuttings from Monty Don, we need to make sure we're doing it at the right time of year. Luckily, we're in the right season – so you can start thinking about the best plants to grow from cuttings sooner than you'd think.

We checked in with garden experts to determine exactly when to take hardwood cuttings for the best chance of success.

What you'll need

When to take hardwood cuttings

If you've been wondering when to take hardwood cuttings, you're in the right season: according to garden experts, now is the perfect time.

'The best time to take hardwood cuttings is in winter or early spring, when the plant is dormant,' says Mark Dwelly, head gardener at Audley Villages. 'This is usually between December and February.'

Ideally, you'll take hardwood cuttings just before your plants burst into bud in the spring, but you can take them just after the leaves fall in autumn, too.

'Hardwood cuttings are traditionally taken in autumn and winter,' says Monique Gudgeon, garden director at Sculpture by the Lakes.

Certain hardwood cuttings should be taken in the winter, though. 'Winter is the best time to take hardwood cuttings for roses,' Monique says. Then, you can learn how to grow roses from cuttings.

Monique Gudgeon

Monique and her husband, Simon Gudgeon, founded the park in 2007, fusing their passions for sculpture and nature to create a unique visitor experience. Since then, the park has been internationally accredited as a botanic garden by Botanic Gardens Conservation International following extensive work with global leaders in plant conservation.

As with pruning, you should avoid taking hardwood cuttings when it's frosty outside to prevent frost damage.

Still, that's plenty of time to be cracking on with this garden job – as long as you take your cuttings during the autumn-winter window, you should be well on your way to propagating new plants.

There are, however, a few exceptions to this rule.

'Some willows and dogwoods root very easily at most times of the year,' Monique explains. Generally, softwood cuttings are taken from these shrubs during the summer, though.

'My advice is to experiment,' she continues. 'The more ways you try to propagate a favourite shrub or tree, the more likely you will find a winning formula.'

Just make sure you learn how to clean your garden tools properly to avoid spreading diseases between plants.

What are hardwood cuttings?

Hardwood cuttings are taken from most deciduous plants and trees, and some evergreen shrubs, too. They're collected from the mature, woody parts of the plant.

That encompasses a huge range of plants, from deciduous shrubs like abelia, viburnums and forsythia to fruit bushes and trees like gooseberries and figs. On the evergreen side, holly, cotoneaster and skimmia can also be propagated from hardwood cuttings.

FAQs

Can you take hardwood cuttings in summer?

It's best to avoid taking hardwood cuttings in summer and wait until autumn or winter instead. That's not to say you can't take any cuttings in summer – in fact, it's the perfect season for other types of cuttings.

'Softwood and semi-ripe cuttings are always summer jobs,' says Monique from Sculpture by the Lakes.

How long do woody cuttings take to root?

Hardwood cuttings generally take a little longer to root than softwood and semi-ripe cuttings. Usually, you'll have to wait several months – but there are a few ways to speed up the process.

'Dipping the cutting in rooting hormone is optional but can help to encourage root growth,' says head gardener Mark from Audley Villages. 'Water the cutting well and place it in a cool, light location. Keep the compost moist but not soggy.'

Now that you know when to take hardwood cuttings, you can start thinking about which plants you want to propagate. It's a brilliant budget garden idea.