For the highest chance of success, you must take my cuttings when my tissues are in the perfect state of maturity. This is typically in the late spring or early summer, just after my beautiful blossoms have faded. At this time, my new growth, often called "softwood," has begun to mature and harden off slightly but is not yet the rigid, old growth of winter. You can identify this stage by attempting to bend a stem. If it snaps crisply, it is perfect. If it merely bends, it is too young and succulent; if it doesn't bend at all, it is too old and woody. Taking cuttings at this precise moment taps into my peak growing energy.
Using a sharp, sterilized knife or pruners is paramount. A clean cut minimizes damage to my cells and prevents the introduction of pathogens that could rot the cutting. Select a healthy, vigorous stem from this year's growth, about 4 to 6 inches long. Make the cut just below a leaf node (the point on the stem where a leaf emerges). This node is a hub of meristematic cells, which are undifferentiated and capable of becoming new roots. Immediately after severing the cutting from the parent plant, place it in a damp paper towel or plastic bag to prevent me from undergoing water stress, a critical threat to my survival.
Once in a shaded, cool area, carefully remove the leaves from the bottom one-third to one-half of my stem. This reduces the surface area from which I lose precious water through transpiration. The most crucial step here is to gently wound the bottom inch of my stem by scraping off a thin layer of outer bark with your knife. This slight injury triggers a powerful hormonal response within me, stimulating the production of auxins that rush to the site to initiate callus tissue and, ultimately, adventitious roots. Dipping this wounded end into a rooting hormone powder provides an extra concentrated boost of these root-stimulating hormones, significantly increasing our chances of success.
I require a sterile, well-draining, and low-fertility medium to root. My delicate new roots cannot push through heavy soil and will quickly succumb to rot if conditions are too wet. A mix of 50% peat moss and 50% perlite or coarse sand is ideal. It retains just enough moisture around my stem while allowing excess water to drain away and providing essential oxygen to my developing root cells. Before inserting me into the medium, pre-moisten it thoroughly. Use a pencil or dibbler to create a hole for my stem to avoid wiping off the precious rooting hormone powder as you place me inside.
For me to survive and root, I must be kept in a state of constant, high humidity. Without roots, I have no way to replace water lost through my remaining leaves. Cover my pot with a clear plastic bag or place me in a propagator to create a miniature greenhouse. Place me in a warm location with bright, indirect light. Direct sunlight will cook me inside this humid enclosure. Keep the rooting medium slightly damp, but never soggy. You will know you have succeeded when you see new leaf growth emerging from my tips, a sure sign that my new root system is established below and I am ready to be gradually acclimated to less humid conditions.
