TL;DR
Get garden gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Gardening Know How recommends taking hardwood cuttings in November from seven deciduous shrubs: roses, butterfly bush, dogwood, forsythia, spirea, mock orange and viburnum. The report says cuttings can root over winter, but success is not guaranteed; suitable stems, drainage and winter shelter matter.
Gardening Know How has published a November guide to propagating seven shrubs from hardwood cuttings, a method that can let gardeners grow new plants from existing stems. The report names roses, butterfly bush, dogwood, forsythia, spirea, mock orange and viburnum, while cautioning that hardwood cuttings do not all take root.
The guide says November is a suitable time to take cuttings from deciduous shrubs approaching dormancy. It advises waiting until a plant has dropped its leaves or lost most of its foliage, then selecting this year’s mature growth from the sunnier outer part of the shrub. Pencil-width stems that are firm enough to snap are recommended over soft, flexible growth.
For most shrubs, the report recommends sections about 6 to 12 inches long, with several nodes. Make a straight cut just below a node at the base and an angled cut above a node at the top, so it is easy to distinguish the two ends. Remove any remaining leaves with pruners rather than pulling them off, which could damage the stem.
Plant the cuttings in containers filled with well-draining potting mix amended with grit, sand or perlite, according to the guide. Insert the base end into a hole deep enough to cover about two-thirds of the stem. Dogwood, forsythia, butterfly bush and spirea are described as likely to root without added hormone; the report suggests rooting powder for roses and scoring the base of mock orange and viburnum stems before applying it. It says to keep pots in a sheltered spot through winter.
A Low-Cost Way to Add Shrubs
Hardwood propagation offers gardeners a way to make more plants from shrubs they already own, rather than buying every new plant. That may help people fill a garden on a limited budget or grow replacements and additions from established plants. The approach can also provide an opportunity to share plants, though the guide does not promise every cutting will succeed.
The timing matters because the method depends on using mature stems as deciduous shrubs enter dormancy. Preparing pots now gives cuttings time to develop roots over winter, with the intention of planting them out in spring. Good drainage and protection from harsh weather are practical safeguards against rot and cold exposure, but local conditions can affect results.
Products Worth Considering
Weber Searwood XL 600 Wood Pellet Smoker Grill, 36 inches, Black
Orbit B-hyve XR 16-Zone Indoor/Outdoor Smart Sprinkler Timer
EGO Power+ LB8803-2 Cordless Leaf Blower, 880 CFM, with Two 4.0Ah Batteries
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
How November Cuttings Work
The source report describes this as hardwood propagation: taking mature, leafless or nearly leafless stems from deciduous shrubs and placing them in growing medium. It presents November as the target period because stems are entering dormancy, rather than recommending soft, actively growing shoots.
The guide emphasizes that success varies by plant and says even experienced gardeners do not get a 100% success rate. It distinguishes shrubs that may root readily from those it says can benefit from hormone powder or scoring. Those are recommendations from the report, not a guarantee that a cutting will root under every growing condition.
““not even expert gardeners get a 100% success rate from hardwood cuttings.””
— Gardening Know How
Rooting Results Can Vary
The report does not provide success rates for the seven shrubs or specify how many cuttings a gardener should expect to root. It also does not establish that November is the right timing in every climate; local weather and the plant’s condition can differ. Its guidance to shelter pots from winter weather is general, and the material provided does not give a temperature threshold or a detailed watering schedule for the months ahead.
“Foolproof” is the headline’s characterization, not a guarantee supported by the report’s own instructions. The article explicitly says cuttings do not have a 100% success rate. Readers should treat the method as a practical trial and follow local growing conditions rather than assuming every stem will produce a plant.
Shelter Pots Through Winter
After planting, place containers in a sheltered position, such as beside a south-facing wall, where they are protected from strong winds and heavy winter exposure. The guide says the stems are expected to root over winter and be ready for planting in spring, but gardeners will need to check their pots periodically and judge conditions on site.
Spring is the next intended milestone: assess which cuttings have rooted and are growing before moving them to their permanent positions. The report does not set a specific date for that check or provide a confirmed outcome for any particular cutting.
Key Questions
Which shrubs does the November guide recommend?
It lists roses, butterfly bush, dogwood, forsythia, spirea, mock orange and viburnum as shrubs to propagate from hardwood cuttings.
How long should hardwood cuttings be?
The report recommends sections of about 6 to 12 inches for most shrubs, with several nodes between the top and bottom cuts.
Do all the cuttings need rooting hormone?
No. The guide says dogwood, forsythia, butterfly bush and spirea may root without it. It suggests hormone powder for roses and scoring the base of mock orange and viburnum cuttings before using powder.
Will every cutting take root?
No. Gardening Know How says even experienced gardeners do not achieve a 100% success rate. The outcome can vary, so the article does not guarantee that any individual stem will root.
When can rooted cuttings be planted in the garden?
The guide says cuttings are expected to root over winter and be ready for planting in spring. It does not give a fixed planting date or a precise test for readiness.
Source: gardeningknowhow.com
