This Is the Easiest Way to Propagate Hydrangeas for Beautiful, Abundant Blooms

Hydrangeas are a wonderful addition to any summer garden, captivating gardeners with their vibrant, long-lasting blooms. This easy-to-care-for shrub adds elegance and charm to any space, featuring round flower heads in various colors, including shades of blue, purple, pink, and white.

If you want to increase the number of hydrangeas in your garden, layering is a straightforward propagation technique that even novice gardeners can use to replicate beautiful plants from existing ones. Below, experts provide clear, step-by-step instructions for propagating hydrangeas, ensuring a continuous supply of stunning plants.

What is Layering?

This beginner-friendly method allows you to propagate hydrangeas while they are still attached to the parent plant. "Layering is a simple and low-effort method to propagate hydrangeas by encouraging a low branch to develop roots while still attached to the main plant," explains Rachael Kemery, a botanical grower at Rising Iris Farm. "Once the new roots are established, the branch can be separated and replanted as a new hydrangea." Kemery adds that layering was the first propagation technique she successfully used in her early gardening days, and she still finds it deeply rewarding to grow a new plant from one she already has, watching it take root and thrive.

How to Propagate Hydrangeas by Layering

While layering is an effective technique for propagating various types of plants, it is especially beneficial for oakleaf, panicle, and climbing hydrangeas. If you're looking to expand your hydrangea collection, Kemery provides step-by-step instructions to help you propagate your hydrangeas through layering.

1. Choose Your Branch

In late spring or early summer, after your hydrangea has fully developed its leaves for the season, look for a healthy branch that is flexible enough to bend down to the ground without breaking. Ensure that there is a leaf node—the small bump where the leaves meet the stem—within reach of the soil.

2. Prepare the Stem

Loosen the soil beneath the node. If the soil is compacted, add compost. Then, using your fingernail or a small knife, gently scrape off a small patch of bark on the underside of the stem, just below the node. The area you scrape should be about the size of a grain of rice. This tiny wound encourages the plant to produce roots from that point.

3. Pin it Down

Bend the branch so the scraped part is resting directly on the soil. Use a landscape staple or a piece of bent wire to secure it in place, then cover that section with soil. Leave about 6 to 8 inches of the tip above ground so it can continue to grow while the buried part develops roots.

4. Water and Wait

Water the hydrangea thoroughly, ensuring the soil stays moist as the roots develop. Roots usually grow within six to 10 weeks, although they may occasionally take longer. You can check for root development by gently brushing away some soil to look for white roots near the area.

5. Cut and Replant

After the roots are established, trim the stem about 1 inch above the rooted section. Carefully dig up the new plant, ensuring that you keep the roots and surrounding soil intact. Next, transplant it to its new location, give it a good drink of water, and celebrate your success—you just grew another hydrangea plant.

Expert Tips When Layering Hydrangeas

Now that you know how to propagate hydrangeas through layering, here are some helpful tips from Christina Koether, a garden designer at Nomadica Flower Farm. Her expert advice will guide you in selecting the right branches and ensuring ideal conditions, making the propagation process stress-free, successful, and enjoyable.

• Select the best hydrangea: Choose the happiest, most mature hydrangea in your garden. "If it wilts during the day, has fungus, or is newly planted, the process will be slower and less successful," says Koether.
• Plant it and forget it: If patience isn't your strong suit, Koether recommends marking your calendar a few months ahead and resisting the urge to check on the roots too frequently.
• Move the young plant in the spring: The best time to move the young plant is in spring. After the last frost, and once the buds on the stem start to swell, Koether explains that the spring rain provides a gentle start and increases the chances of survival.