- 1). Pour the sand inside the planter and open the container of rooting hormone. Do not touch the powder with bare hands.
- 2). Select a limb from the hydrangea plant that is not growing blossoms. It is best to use a stem that only has leaves to reduce the stress on producing roots. If there is a bloom, the stem will try to push all of the nutrients into maximizing the bloom and not into developing roots. It is also best to take the stem cutting between April and May when new growth is flourishing.
- 3). Cut the stem you have selected from the mother plant at a length of 6 inches with your pruning shears. It is best to make a 45-degree angle to prevent water collection at the stem tip. This could lead to diseases that give the mother plant added stress. Also, a wider angle allows room for more root growth on the cutting.
- 4). Cut the bottom leaves off the stem, or pull them off at a downward tug with your fingertips. Ideally, you will have two nodes, a place where the leaves were protruding, then the cluster of leaves at the tip of the stem cutting. Also, if there are leaves larger than the others by a great deal, cut them down to mimic the uniform size. This will help prevent nutrients from feeding leaves that are unnecessarily over-sized.
- 5). Dip the end of the cutting, approximately 2 inches inside the rooting powder. Tap the stem against the container to shake away excess powder. Press your finger inside the sand to create an opening for the cutting. Set the cutting inside the sand and press more sand around the stem to steady it. Water the sand lightly until moist, not soggy.
- 6). Place the twig beside the cutting and wrap the planter in the plastic material. Keep the planter in bright light, but not direct sunlight. A kitchen window would work great since it filters out some of the heat. Direct sun could raise the temperatures so high, the plant would simply die. Keep the sand moist and in six to eight weeks the root system should be established well enough to transplant outdoors.
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