Taking cuttings at this time of year will also make the timing right for planting your new plants in the spring if they are going outside. This is the right time of year to take cuttings from a wide variety of climbers, such as passion flower, clematis, and celastrus.
This kind of cutting is called a semi-ripe cutting. It is taken from this year’s growth, not older sections. Avoid picking out pieces that are damaged or have unusual growth patterns.
This is especially important if you need to wait to put your cuttings in soil for an hour or more. If possible, take your cuttings in the morning. The ivy plant will have a lot of moisture in it at that time, which can help to keep the cuttings moist.
You can put cuttings in any type of pot, including terra cotta, plastic, and ceramic. However, no matter which you choose, the pots need to have drainage holes in the bottom. [6] X Trustworthy Source Royal Horticultural Society Leading gardening charity in the U. K. providing resources for identifying, growing and caring for flowers and other plants Go to source Putting several cuttings in one pot will cut down on the space required for the cuttings and it will also mean fewer pots to water. Since the plants will need to be repotted once they have rooted, they will be perfectly fine together in one pot for this period.
Leaving the soil below the edge of the pot will allow you to water the cuttings without the water overflowing.
Make as many holes as you have cuttings. You can also use a skewer, dowel, or another small pointed object to make the holes.
This is especially important if your cuttings were gathered longer than an hour or so ago, as the end of the cuttings is more likely to be dried out. Use clean shears or a knife to make these additional cuts.
You can buy rooting hormone in powder or liquid form. It is available at most garden stores and from online retailers.
As you are inserting the cutting, try to keep it centered in the hole so that very little of the rooting hormone is knocked off. However, losing a little of it on the top edge of the hole is fine. [11] X Research source If the cutting is too long or unwieldy to stay in the soil even when it’s pressed around it, you may need to keep it in place with a stake or other means of support. It’s important for the bottom of the cutting to stay put while rooting.
Be careful not to disturb the cuttings too much as you water. Keep the stream of water away from the base of the cuttings so that they stay securely in the soil.
If there are any leaves beside the bottom node, pinch or cut them off. [12] X Research source
Make sure that no leaves drop down into the water, and pluck them out right away if they do.
You will need to check on the moisture level of potted cuttings often, so put the cuttings somewhere you can easily access. Consider putting the cuttings somewhere that you will see them regularly so that you are reminded to care for them. This could be in a room you are in daily or near a door you go in or out of every day.
In many cases, a mister works well to keep outdoor cuttings wet while direct watering works well for indoor pots. However, be careful not to drown the cuttings in too much water either. For example, don’t leave the pot sitting in water.
When in doubt about whether a cutting is dead or dying, err on the side of caution and remove it. It’s best to have fewer healthy plants than to have lots of diseased ones.
If planting outdoors, you can put your young ivy plants in the ground or in a pot. However, keep in mind that a potted plant will need to be watered more often because it will dry out quicker. Allow the new plants establish themselves for at least a few months before repotting them.
