There are many things in gardening that are more easily said than done and whether you are trying to create a compost heap, turn a bulb into a daffodil or take a cutting for next year's garden it always seems to be the simplest things that seem to cause the greatest trouble.
But with the summer months upon us, the time has come to start thinking about making the most of the garden, even if it means facing up to the fact that in horticulture, as in life, all good things must come to an end.
While every gardener must c
ome to terms with the fact that the glorious blooms currently gracing your garden will eventually die away, taking and growing cuttings is one way of raising new plants - and without the hassle of growing from seed. Indeed, it is the ideal way of creating a new generation of plants to look forward to.
However, gardening is not just about growing plants - it's about raising them too. Katherine Kemp, assistant plant manager at Dobbies Garden World in Lasswade says: "People sometimes worry about trying new things in their gardens, but there's no reason to be nervous.
"In fact, if you take the time to learn a few new skills, then it can make all of the difference to your garden.
"You won't have a 100 per cent strike rate at first, but even if half of the cuttings take, that will be 50 percent more than you would have had otherwise."
This summer's wet weather has created the perfect growing conditions for plants and, from late June to early August, shrubs will produce fresh, firm shoots that will root easily when put into damp compost.
Taking cuttings is a simple way to add to your favourite garden plants and hydrangeas, philadelphus and lavender are popular choices. Sub-shrubs such as rosemary and phlomis, evergreen perennials such as penstemon and a huge diversity of tender perennials from diascia to salvia should also do well.
Once you have decided on the plant you would like to propagate, the next step should be to ensure the shrub from which the cutting is to be taken is in the right condition.
In an ideal world this should be done through extra feeding and regular pruning but with summer already here, Katherine advises to go ahead without embarking upon this step.
"There are all sorts of things you can do to get your plants ready in the run-up to taking a cutting," she says. "But if you haven't been able to spend much time in the garden this year, you shouldn't let it hold you back. The really important thing is timing. And anyway, you can easily see which are the best new shoots on your plant."
Once you have chosen a healthy, pest-free and non-flowering new side stem - it should be roughly six to 12 cm long and have between three and five pairs of leaves - the next step is to find the right tool. A sharp knife or a pair of secateurs are ideally suited to the task at hand.
Next, make a straight cut just below a leaf node and remove several sets of lower leaves that would struggle to survive if left behind. Keep only one or two pairs of leaves at the tip. It's worth taking the time to repeat this process, to maximise your success rate.
Many gardeners choose to dip the cut end of their cutting in hormone rooting liquid or powder to maximise the chance of success.
Once you have finished this process, your cuttings will be at their most vulnerable. And, as Katherine points out, it is important that they are looked after in an appropriate manner.
"As soon as you separate the cutting from the plant it is on its own," she says. "To give it the best chance of survival, it must be kept in the right conditions. This is the most important stage of the process."
There is a variety of advice on what should happen next but, to give your cutting the best possible start in life, Katherine's magic ingredients include using an open, well-drained compost, a light, airy position and adequate moisture.
In these conditions most cuttings should root within three weeks. Katherine suggests using a heated propagator if you would like to speed this process up. These are available through Dobbies and range in price - from a Stewarts Small Unheated Budget Propagator for £4.99 to the more high-end Parasene High Top Propagator for £129.
A pot placed on a windowsill with a clear plastic bag, held in place with an elastic band to stop the cuttings from drying out will work just as well, though.
Cuttings should be watered daily as the roots take hold. Hardened gardeners have fancy sensor equipment that will keep cuttings moist with a fine mist, but a cheap hand spray will work just as well. You can check how well the roots are taking by gently tugging at the plants after three weeks to see if there is any resistance - if there is the roots have taken hold.
If your planting has been a big success, you may, of course, find that your roots start to outgrow the pot they are in so, as the young plants grow, they will need to be moved out of the propagator or have the plastic bag removed.
When this happens, you will know your work is almost complete because your plants will now be ready to be moved into larger pots or into the garden to be enjoyed once more.
BEST OF THE BUNCH
AgapanthusThese stunning herbaceous perennials should just about be coming into their own now, their large, exotic, blue or white trumpet-shaped flowers in rounded clusters perched on sturdy, straight stems above strappy leaves.
While the majestic African agapanthus, which prevails in the Channel Islands, may be too tender for this country, there are many other varieties which can flower well here given the right conditions. Stick to the Headbourne Hybrids and you should be okay.
They grow to around 2.5 ft (75cm) and flower between July and September. The smaller A. campanulatus is probably the best to grow in unfavourable situations. Try Isis, which produces lavender flowers, or Albus if you want white blooms. Grow them in pots in a sunny, sheltered spot on your patio in John Innes No 3 and you should enjoy success.
Water well in dry weather but keep almost dry in winter. In late autumn remove containers of evergreen agapanthus from the garden and place in a light, dry, frost-free location such as a cold frame or conservatory.
Hardier species may be left outdoors in milder areas, with the shelter of a wall for protection and avoiding excessive winter wet. Do not place in a warm position as any winter growth is detrimental to the health of the plant and may reduce flowering. Give those in open ground a dry mulch in autumn or early winter.
THREE WAYS TO ... MAKE MULCHES ATTRACTIVE
1. In a contemporary container such as galvanised metal, use large white and slate-coloured smooth pebbles in a symmetrical pattern to create a modern look.
2. Give potted woodland plants or shrubs a theme by adding a mulch of pine cones or conkers, gathered from a walk.
3. If you have a seaside garden, use small shells as a mulch over your plants.
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
• Cut delphiniums back hard to encourage new growth and the chance of a second display.
• Buy cabbage seed for sowing later in the month to provide crops next spring.
• Remove faded blooms of gloxinias and gradually withhold water until the leaves wither, then stand the pots in a dry place where the bulbs can rest until urged back into growth next spring.
• Reduce the length of wisteria tendrils by half.
• Water dahlias regularly and feed fortnightly.
• Peg down runners on strawberry plants that you want to propagate.
• Remove unwanted shoots from the base of rowan and mountain ash to prevent them sapping all the strength of the plant.
• Divide clumps of bearded and other rhizomatous irises and replant in groups of three, five or more.
• Feed late-flowering perennials such as Michaelmas daisies and chrysanthemums with a general organic fertiliser.
• Cut and dry flowers of plants including statice, bracteantha and rhodanthe to use for indoor displays in winter.
• Prune off straggly shoots of container plants which are crowding out other plants.
GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT
Shallots are so easy to grow and so delicious, roasted with other vegetables or placed whole in casseroles.
They need dry, sunny weather to ripen properly, but this month you should be able to lift the bulbs out carefully with a fork when the leaves turn yellow.
If it's sunny - only kidding - leave them on the soil surface to dry out or set up a temporary support of netting or chicken wire tied to four posts above the soil and allow the air to circulate around them to dry.
If rain is forecast, cover them with a sheet of polythene. If it's really wet, put them in a cold frame with the lid on or lay them out in a greenhouse or a shed with good light.
Shallots from sets are quick to mature, producing a further eight to 12 shallots per set. Plant sets in February or March. They take around 18 weeks from planting to harvesting. Good varieties include Delicato, a red variety with a high yield, and Topper, a yellow-skinned type.
