With the warm weather here the increase of garden pests as well as diseases is noticeable.  The secret is to have a wide variety of plants and shrubs which will attract a lot of beneficial insects and wildlife and then a balance between pests and healthy plants is usually struck.  Of course this can prove to be an expensive exercise if you have to buy such a wide variety, but there is an easy and most rewarding way that you can use to increase your own stock and also to produce vigorous and healthy plants which will be able to withstand some of the pests and diseases.  This is to take cuttings of your existing plants, plants you admire in your friends gardens and even to ask your neighbour for a special cutting.

Cuttings from shrubs

These are taken from growth made in the current year once the stems have started to become woody at the base. Remove shoots about 4" long,  leaving a sliver of the older bark, from the main stem or just trim below a leaf joint.  Trim the tail of the heel off and remove the lower leaves.  If the growth on the tip of the cutting is very soft then pinch it out.  Dip the whole of the cutting in a fungicide solution (wear protective gloves) and then dip the base into hormone rooting solution.

Taking the Rootrainer seed tray (either the Original Rapid or the new Compact Rapid) which has been prepared with a mixture containing peat-free compost mixed with an equal amount of vermiculite site the cuttings at the side of each cell.  Cover with the propagating lid and place in a north facing position either in the greenhouse or cold frame.  The cuttings will root in about 6-8 weeks and they can be left in the Rootrainer trays until you are ready to grow on and harden off. This means that they will come to no harm to be left and overwintered.  (Remember if you are leaving them in a cold frame during the winter you must provide some extra protection).  The beauty of using the Rootrainer system is that you can inspect the root progress without disturbing the plant as well as the fact that with air pruning the cutting develops more roots which produces a vigorous healthy plant.

The Hydrangea is a shrub which propagates very easily by removing non-flowering shoots of 3-4" long just above a bud.  Remove the lower leaves and trim the base.  Hydrangeas have large leaves so in order to reduce water loss cut the remaining leaves in half.  Place the cuttings as described above and they will root in about 4 weeks and they can then be potted up or left in the Rootrainers trays.

Cuttings from hedges

After trimming your hedge a lot of the trimmings can be used for cuttings.  Pick out the healthy shoots with sideshoots that are 2-3" long and just becoming woody at thir base where they join the main stem.  Tear them off the larger shoot with a heel of older wood and proceed the same way as for shrub cuttings.

Cuttings from tender Perennials

Fuschias, pelargoniums and argyranthemums produce stronger and fresher plants from cuttings.  Cuttings taken in May will provide plants for flowering well into the autumn.  The process is the same as described above except for the pelargonium which does not need the hormone rooting powder.  Cuttings will root in 4-6 weeks.

Cuttings from Herbs

Herbs such as lemon verbena, rosemary, hyssop, sage and thyme in fact all herbs that tend to become woody nearthe ground. Remove the tips of shoots and trim below a leaf joint to make cuttings 2-3" long.  Dipping in rooting hormone will increase success.  Once again follow the procedure as above and the cuttings should root in 4-6 weeks and can be planted on.