How to Grow Elderberries From Cuttings
- 1). Select the shrubs for harvesting cuttings during the summer, since you can observe their growth pattern and overall state of health at this time. Look for shrubs that exhibit uniform growth, bright-green foliage and numerous berry clusters. Avoid shrubs that show signs of pest or disease damage, such as spotted leaves and dead sections of branches. Tie small strings around the healthiest shrubs to help you relocate your chosen selections during the dormant season.
- 2). Take your cuttings in the late winter or early spring before the new growth begins to appear. Snip off cuttings from the outer 10 to 12 inches of branches that contain the previous season’s growth. Remove the leaves along the lower half of the cuttings. Snip off about one-half of each of the remaining leaves to help conserve energy during new root formation. Lay the cuttings between damp paper towels and place them in an ice chest for transportation to their rooting site.
- 3). Choose a sunny location in your landscape that provides good drainage and protection from strong winds. Create a rooting bed in your selected site by combining equal amounts of organic matter with topsoil. Make a row in your prepared soil and place the cuttings about 12 inches apart in the row. Plant them to a depth that allows just the top bud on the tips of the cuttings to remain exposed above the surface of the soil. Gently tamp down the soil around the cuttings to press out any air pockets. Water the new cuttings as often as necessary to keep the soil slightly damp, not soggy. Keep the area weeded throughout the growing season.
- 4). Transplant the rooted cuttings to their permanent site the following spring, after the cuttings are about 12 months old. Dispose of any cuttings that failed to produce roots or that appear weak and spindly, using just the healthiest rooted cuttings to grow as shrubs in your landscape.
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