How to Take a Cutting From a Plant

01/14/25

7-8 Minutes Read

Written By Johnsons Team

If you’re looking for a cost-effective way to grow a gorgeous cut flower garden, beautify your beds and borders, or turn your home into a house plant paradise, learning how to take a cutting from a plant is a great skill to have. Propagating plants through cuttings is almost like magic: you can create an entirely new plant from just a small piece of an existing one. And you don’t need to be a gardening expert to do it! Learn all you need to know about taking cuttings and propagating plants with Johnsons. In our step-by-step guide, we’ll take you through everything from choosing the right plant to caring for your new cutting until it develops roots.

When to Take Cuttings

You can take cuttings from plants at any time of year, but summer cuttings (softwood cuttings) are best taken when plants are actively growing, in spring or summer. These cuttings are taken from new growth when plants are young, flexible and full of energy. Hardwood cuttings, however, are typically taken in autumn or early winter when plants are dormant.

Softwood or summer cuttings work well for perennials like lavender plants, while hardwood cuttings are best for trees and deciduous shrubs.

You should avoid taking cuttings when plants are stressed, e.g. during hot, dry periods or when they're visibly struggling. Morning is often the best time to take cuttings, when plants are well-hydrated and before the heat of the day.

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Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

Before you start, you’ll need to gather your supplies. To take a cutting from a plant, you will need:

Secateurs, snippers, or scissors. A clean cut is a must because it prevents damage and infection to both the cutting and the parent plant. If the cutting starts to rot because of damaged and dead tissue, it doesn’t stand a chance.
A propagation medium (optional). We recommend using a 3:1 mix of seed & cutting compost and perlite to allow good drainage for your cuttings. That being said, many plants, like pothos or spider plants, can be rooted in water rather than soil, and some don’t require water or compost at all, like succulents.
Rooting hormone (optional but definitely recommended for shrubs and trees). You can get gels or powders that encourage cuttings to grow roots. With roots grown sooner, a cutting becomes self-sufficient sooner.
Small pots or containers. Prepare small pots or trays for your cuttings before you take them. Make sure they have drainage holes, or the cuttings and their compost can become waterlogged.
A plastic bag. Most cuttings do best in high humidity. A plastic bag placed over the cutting’s pot will keep it high. Try to remove this plastic bag for an hour or so each day to allow fresh air to circulate to your cuttings. Alternatively, you can pierce a few holes in the top of the plastic bag before placing it over your pot.
Labels (optional). If you’re taking lots of cuttings, it can be useful to make a note of which plant they came from (e.g. if two plants have different coloured flowers) and when you cut them.

You can choose to invest in things like propagators, but with experience, you can successfully propagate cuttings with just this cheap equipment.

Step 2: Choose a Plant and Choose a Piece to Cut

There’s no use in taking a cutting from a plant that isn’t thriving because the cutting probably won’t thrive either. Pick a healthy plant as your source: one that is clearly free of pests and disease, which has set down strong roots, and which is generally growing well.

From that plant, pick a healthy, upright, non-flowering stem, ideally fresh and green rather than too old and established. It should have several nodes (the small bumps where leaves or roots grow) since these are the points where roots are most likely to develop. Avoid stems that look weak, overly woody, or dried out, as these are less likely to propagate successfully.

Step 3: Cut the Stem

The key to taking a successful cutting is precision and timing. Make your cut in the cool of the morning so that the cutting is well-hydrated and less likely to wilt. Look for a healthy, non-flowering stem around 10–15cm long, and make your cut just below a node – this is where roots are most likely to develop.

Using sharp, clean secateurs or scissors, make a single, smooth cut to avoid crushing or tearing the tissue. Remove any leaves near the base of the stem, leaving just the top few intact. This minimises water loss while the cutting begins to root and encourages the plant to focus its energy on establishing new growth.

Bear in mind that precisely how you take a cutting depends on the plant:

Soft-stemmed plants (e.g. basil, mint, or coleus) can be cut below a node and placed in a glass of water until roots develop.
Woody plants (e.g., roses and buddleja) benefit from dipping the cut end in rooting hormone before planting in compost.
Succulents can be grown from the leaves, which are first left to callus, then simply left on top of compost to root.
Trailing plants (e.g. spider plants, pothos) produce “pups” or runners that can be removed and rooted easily in compost or water.

If you aren’t sure of the exact method that will work for your plant, look for type-specific instructions for it.

Step 4: Plant the Cutting

Insert your cutting in a suitable growing medium right up to just below the upper leaves, or suspend it in water, depending on the plant.

For soil propagation, use a free-draining compost mix in a small pot. Make a hole with a pencil or dibber, insert the cutting, firm the compost around it, and water it lightly. For water propagation, place the cutting in a jar of clean water, keeping the node submerged and leaves above the water’s surface.

To keep the cutting humid, cover it with a plastic bag or use a propagator. Keep it in a warm, bright spot out of direct sunlight, and check regularly that it isn’t dried out.

In a few weeks, roots should appear, and your cutting will be ready to pot on and thrive!

Shop gardening essentials at Johnsons

Ready to start taking cuttings and multiplying your favourite plants? Head to Johnsons, where you’ll find all the gardening essentials you’ll need. We have a fantastic range of high-quality gardening tools and accessories, from gloves, secateurs and scissors to pots, planters and potting medium. If you’re looking to grow something new, we also stock a great array of high-quality flower seeds and flower plants.

Visit our online shop today to get growing, or visit our blog for more gardening advice and inspiration!