The Peegee Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Grandiflora’) is a popular flowering shrub, known for its large, conical white blooms that mature to pink or purplish hues. Propagating these plants allows gardeners to expand their collection without additional cost. This guide outlines how to successfully propagate Peegee Hydrangeas through cuttings.
Understanding Peegee Hydrangea Propagation
Propagating Peegee Hydrangeas offers several benefits, such as generating new plants for free, sharing them, or replacing older shrubs. This provides an economical way to increase their number.
The timing for propagation varies by cutting type. Softwood cuttings are taken in late spring to early summer when the plant is actively growing and new stems are flexible. Hardwood cuttings are collected during the dormant season, typically from late fall to early winter. Successful rooting for both types benefits from warmth and consistent humidity.
Softwood Cuttings for Peegee Hydrangea
Softwood cuttings are taken from the current season’s growth, which is green and pliable but beginning to harden. The ideal time is late spring through mid-July, when new stems bend easily but snap when flexed firmly.
To prepare the cutting, select a healthy, non-flowering stem 4 to 6 inches long. Make a clean cut just below a leaf node, as this is where roots are most likely to form. Remove all leaves from the lower two-thirds of the cutting to prevent rot and reduce moisture loss, leaving two to four leaves at the top. If remaining leaves are large, cut them in half to minimize water evaporation.
For the rooting medium, use a well-draining mix like perlite, coarse sand, or a blend of peat moss and perlite. Moisten the medium thoroughly before inserting cuttings. Dipping the cut end in rooting hormone, while optional, can enhance success and speed root development. Insert cuttings into the moistened medium, ensuring at least one or two leaf nodes are buried, then gently firm the medium around them.
Create a humid environment by covering the container with a clear plastic bag or propagation dome, ensuring the plastic does not touch the leaves. Place the container in a warm location with bright, indirect light, avoiding direct sunlight. Maintain consistent moisture in the rooting medium, keeping it damp but not waterlogged, and mist cuttings regularly to sustain high humidity.
Hardwood Cuttings for Peegee Hydrangea
Hardwood cuttings are taken during the plant’s dormant period, typically from late fall to early winter after leaves have fallen. This method uses mature, woody stems from the previous season’s growth, offering a different approach compared to the softer, newer growth used for softwood cuttings.
Select healthy, pencil-thick stems 6 to 12 inches long. Make a straight cut just above a node at the top and a slanting cut just below a node at the bottom to easily identify the top from the bottom. Remove any remaining leaves. Cuttings can be bundled and stored in a cool, dark, slightly moist environment, such as damp peat moss or sawdust, until spring.
Alternatively, hardwood cuttings can be planted directly into a prepared outdoor bed or pots with a well-draining soil mix. Insert cuttings so at least two-thirds of their length is buried, with only the top few inches exposed. Rooting is slower with hardwood cuttings, often taking several months, but they are more resilient and require less immediate attention than softwood cuttings. Protection from severe winter conditions, like a layer of mulch, aids establishment.
Caring for New Peegee Hydrangea Plants
After several weeks, typically two to eight weeks for softwood cuttings, signs of successful rooting will appear. New leaf growth indicates root development, and a gentle tug on the cutting will reveal resistance if roots have formed. Once roots are established, young plants require a gradual transition to outdoor conditions, known as hardening off.
Hardening off involves slowly exposing new plants to increasing sunlight, wind, and temperature fluctuations over 7 to 14 days. Begin by placing them in a sheltered, shady outdoor spot, gradually increasing their exposure to brighter light and more open air daily. This acclimation strengthens plants and prepares them for transplanting.
Once hardened off, rooted cuttings can be transplanted into larger pots or their final garden location. The best time for transplanting is early spring or fall, outside of extreme temperatures. Ensure the planting site has well-draining soil and adequate sunlight, ideally with some afternoon shade in hotter climates. Provide consistent moisture after transplanting, watering deeply as needed to keep the soil damp but not waterlogged, especially during the first growing season to encourage strong root development. A diluted, balanced liquid fertilizer can support initial establishment and growth.