This document discusses vegetative reproduction through cuttings. It defines vegetative reproduction and explains the physiological process by which cuttings form roots and new plants. Various types of cuttings are described, including softwood, semi-ripe, hardwood, root, leaf petiole, and leaf blade cuttings. Environmental and physical factors that influence the success of rooting cuttings are outlined. Specific plant examples are provided for each type of cutting. The learning outcomes and term dates are also stated.

1. RHS Level 2 Certificate
Week 15- vegetative
reproduction by cuttings

2. Christmas Prize Quiz
 Test conditions
 30 minutes
 Ho! Ho! Ho!

3. Learning outcomes
1.1 State the role of physiological factors upon the speed and
success of rooting of cuttings.
1.2 Name the types of stem cuttings.
1.3 Describe the propagation of plants using a range of stem
cuttings.
1.4 Describe the propagation of plants using a range of leaf
cuttings.
1.5 Describe the propagation of one plant using root cuttings.
1.6 State the environmental requirements for successful rooting of
each of the types of cutting in 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5.
1.7 Describe the equipment required to propagate plants by
cuttings.
1.8 Describe the aftercare required for plants raised by cuttings.

4. Seed propagation outdoors
 Used for hardy annuals, hardy perennials and many
vegetables.
 Cultivation – the aim is to produce a fine tilth
 For ornamentals unlikely to need additional fertilizer
 Use of the Stale Seed Bed technique to reduce
competition from weeds
 Sow either broadcast or in drills – the latter makes it
easier to see which are weed seedlings.
 Keep watered and weeded, thin out to final spacing,
provide support and dead head ornamentals as the
season progresses to prolong the display

5. Plant examples
 Hardy annuals usually sown direct into the
ground – Papaver rhoeas ‘Shirley Series’,
Clarkia amoena, Centaurea cyanus
(Cornflower).
 Biennials often direct sown – Verbascum
olympicum, Digitalis purpurea, Myosotis
sylvatica.

6. What is vegetative reproduction?
 growing a new plant
from some part of an
existing plant e.g.
strawberry
 a plant that is produced
in this way is
genetically identical to
the original plant – it is
a clone
 Note - all suitable
subjects are perennials.

7. How does it work?
 Newly produced plant cells
contain all the genetic
information needed to make a
new individual (totipotent cells)
 New plant cells are made by
plant meristems
 They divide and under the
influence of plant growth
regulators become part of plant
organs (e.g. roots)

8. What happens when a cutting is
taken?
 The cutting is taken at a
leaf node or across
vascular bundles, there is
a large area of meristem.
 The cells divide quickly
and form callus
 These callus cells
differentiate under the
influence of auxin and
cytokinin and become root
cells

9. Physiological factors and rooting
success
 Juvenility – ideal cutting material is juvenile
as the PGRs produced in mature tissue,
particularly flower buds, inhibit rooting.
 Turgidity – the cutting materials cells must be
full of water.
 Plant Growth Regulators – Auxin and
cytokinin act together at the base of the
cutting to produce roots. Using artificial
auxin in powder form can assist this.

10. Physical factors
and rooting success
 Material must be healthy and true to type.
 Cut carefully from the stock plant– no snags.
Secateurs are fine here.
 Use a sharp cutting knife or scalpel to
prepare the cutting – to avoid crushing the
xylem and phloem in the cutting stem which
will form the basis of the vascular system of
the new plant.
 Remember that cuttings have polarity – it
matters which way up they are planted.

11. Leaf Cuttings
 Plantlets form from callus that is created at the
cut surfaces of leaf veins, provided these are
touching the compost.
 Various forms of cutting depending on species.
 Two used often are leaf petiole cuttings and leaf
section cuttings.
 Do not leave a snag on the stock plant
 Do not touch the cut surfaces
 No need for rooting powder

12. Leaf petiole cuttings
 Remove entire leaf and petiole from parent
plant
 Trim petiole to 3cm and insert into compost
so the leaf edge is just touching the
compost
 Water and keep warm and relatively humid.
 Suitable for Saintpaulia ionantha,
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, Peperomia
caperata

13. Leaf Section cuttings
 For long leaves, select fully expanded
healthy leaf, remove from parent plant.
 Cut into sections across the leaf, making
shallow chevrons that point towards the base
helps show polarity.
 Discard tip and very bottom section.
 Insert into compost by about 1/3 height of
cutting. Must be the right way up.

14. Other types of cutting
 Semi-ripe cuttings – leafy; taken when the new
growth has started to turn woody. Need less heat
than softwood. Rooting powder used. Shrubs.
 Hardwood cuttings – taken whilst stock plant is
dormant. Rooted outdoors or in cold frame. Plant
the right way up! Trees
 Root cuttings – taken when stock plant is dormant.
Plant the right way up! Herbaceous perennials
 Soft wood or soft tip cuttings – taken from new
growth in spring. Very sensitive to dehydration so
need humidity control, gentle bottom heat often
helpful. Some but not all need rooting powder.

15. After care of a cutting
 To grow a cutting needs the following:
 Moisture Warmth
 Light Oxygen
 Control of transpiration in leafy cuttings is key
to success – humidity, moisture in the
growing medium, shade and air temperature.
 Cuttings compost is low nutrient so once
rooted the new plants need to be planted up
into 9cm pots to grow on.

16. Plants for cutting types (1).
 Softwood cuttings – Lavatera ‘Rosaea’,
Fuschia sp. Many deciduous trees,
shrubs and herbaceous plants will root by
this method.
 Semi-ripe cuttings- Weigela florida;
Ligustrum ovalifolium; Lavendula
angustifolia ‘Hidcote’
 Hardwood cuttings – Salix magnifica;
Populus nigra; Forsythia x intermedia.

17. Plants for cutting types (2)
 Root cuttings – Papaver orientalis; Phlox
panniculata.
 Leaf petiole – Sainpaulia ionantha;
Peperomia caperata.
 Leaf blade – Begonia rex (whole leaf);
Streptocarpus rexii (remove central vein)
 Leaf section - Begonia rex; Streptocarpus
rexii ; Sanseveria trifasciata ‘Laurentii’

18. Learning outcomes
1.4 Describe the sowing and aftercare of a range of seed types
sown outdoors (to complete from last week)
1.1 State the role of physiological factors upon the speed and
success of rooting of cuttings.
1.2 Name the types of stem cuttings.
1.3 Describe the propagation of plants using a range of stem
cuttings.
1.4 Describe the propagation of plants using a range of leaf
cuttings.
1.5 Describe the propagation of one plant using root cuttings.
1.6 State the environmental requirements for successful rooting of
each of the types of cutting in 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5.
1.7 Describe the equipment required to propagate plants by
cuttings.
1.8 Describe the aftercare required for plants raised by cuttings.

19. Term Dates
 Classes start again on the
8th January 2020
 Happy homework!
 HAPPY HOLIDAYS!