How to Propagate Hydrangeas: Everything You Need To Know

Looking for ways to grow more hydrangeas without breaking the bank? Learn how to propagate hydrangeas and get more plants for FREE with these easy tips.

Do you love hydrangeas as much as I do?

Seriously, I can’t get enough of them and want to grow more.

Like A LOT more.

And I’ve been thinking about propagating hydrangeas so I can tuck a few more in my flower gardens.

Have you ever rooted hydrangea cuttings or branches before?

If not, these are a few of the methods I’m sharing in today’s post that will help you grow more hydrangeas for free.

All you need is a little patience because it’s super easy to do.

Are you ready to give it a go? Here’s what you need to do.

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What is Propagation and Why Do It?

In general, propagating a plant means we are increasing its numbers or enlarging the population.

There are lots of ways to propagate plants. And some are easier to do than others.

Here is a list of some common ways to propagate plants.

• Leaf cuttings
• Dividing plants
• Layering
• Stem cuttings

Can You Propagate Hydrangea Plants?

Absolutely, propagating hydrangea plants is not hard but takes some time for the roots to form. So patience is key during the process.

Can You Grow a Hydrangea from a Cutting?

The answer is YES!

In fact, hydrangeas are one of the most popular shrubs to grow from cuttings because they are so well-loved and easy to propagate.

It takes little time to do but the roots need time to develop before you have new plants.

When Is the Best Time to Propagate Hydrangeas

When you make cuts, look for current season growth that is mature enough to have a woody base and still have a soft tip.

But the best time to propagate hydrangeas is in the spring when the plant is leafing out to late summer when the leaves are still lush and green.

How Long Do Hydrangea Cuttings Take to Root?

In general, hydrangea cuttings take about 2-3 weeks to root. However, it could also take more or less time so don’t feel discouraged if three weeks go by and it hasn’t rooted yet.

The environment plays a role in how quickly hydrangea cuttings will root.

It’s important to check on them periodically to ensure they look healthy and give a little tug to see if they’ve rooted yet.

How to Propagate Hydrangea Plants Two Ways

Hydrangeas are beautiful plants that can add color and texture to any garden. As pretty as they are, one of the best things about them is how easy it is to grow hydrangea from cutting.

With a few simple steps, you can get more hydrangea plants and grow your garden for free.

Today, we chatting about two different methods for propagating hydrangeas. Wait until you see how easy both are to do!

How to Propagate Hydrangeas From Root Cuttings

Rooting hydrangea cuttings is one of the easiest ways to double your stock.

It’s as simple as cutting branches, dipping them in some rooting hormone, and planting in vermiculite or sterile soil. After a few weeks, you’ll have hydrangea roots and new plants for your flower garden.

Here’s how to do it!

Supplies Needed to Propagating Hydrangeas from Leaves

While you might already have most of these items on this list, here’s what you need to propagate hydrangeas from leaves.

• pruners
• rooting hormone
• vermiculite or sterile soil
• plastic nursery pot
• plastic wrap
• watering can

How to Propagate Hydrangeas From Leaves Directions

In general, here’s how to propagate hydrangeas from cuttings.

1. Choose a branch that did not flower this season and cut a 5-6″ branch.
2. Remove the lower leaves of the bottom two leaf nodes (where a leaf comes out of the branch). This is where most roots will grow from.
3. Cut the largest leaves down to roughly half size.
4. Stick a finger or pencil into sterile soil or damp vermiculite to make a planting hole.
5. Dip cuttings in rooting hormone and insert into a sterile medium or damp vermiculite. Gently close the planting hole.
6. Water well and allow to drain. Soil should be damp but not drenched.
7. Add small stakes and cover with plastic wrap. I prefer to add the stakes before planting the root cutting but you can do it either way.

To give you a visual and go into a little more detail about how to propagate hydrangea cuttings, here are a few more tips as you work.

Make sure you pre-moisten the soil or vermiculite before beginning so you don’t wash out the rooting hormone.

And don’t oversaturate it either or it will be too damp to work. Just lightly water the soil or vermiculite so it’s damp but not soggy wet.

Then make a hole with your finger to make room for the cutting. This will help keep the rooting hormone undisturbed on the hydrangea cutting as you plant.

I prefer to add the rooting hormone to a separate small container so I don’t contaminate the main jar. It is a more sanitary practice than dipping that hydrangea cutting directly in the jar.

Then dip the cutting in rooting hormone.

You might waste a little more of the rooting hormone this way, but it keeps everything clean and sanitary when you go to use the hormone again later.

Quick Hydrangea Propagation Tips for Cuttings

• Keep hydrangea cuttings out of the sun in a bright shady spot.
• To avoid root rot, only water when the top layer of soil or vermiculite begins to feel dry.
• Cuttings should take about 2-3 weeks to form roots. You’ll know it is rooting if you gently tug on the cutting and feel some resistance.
• When dipping the cuttings in rooting hormone, don’t dip it directly in the jar. Pour some rooting hormone into a small bowl and dip from there. This will help prevent the spread of disease in the jar of rooting hormone.
• Use clean containers to plant cuttings.
• Dampen the soil or vermiculite before starting.

How to Propagate Hydrangeas Using Ground Layering Method

Even easier than the root-cutting method of propagating hydrangeas, is ground layering them.

Have you ever done it before?

It takes a few weeks from start to finish for roots to form, but in no time, you’ll have a new hydrangea plant that is ready for transplanting. And it’s super simple to do.

Here’s what you need to do.

Propagating Hydrangea by Ground Layering Supplies

Minimal supplies are needed for growing more hydrangeas using the ground layering method. Here’s what you need.

• brick or stone
• hand trowel

How to Propagate Hydrangeas Using Ground Layering Technique

1. Choose a hydrangea branch that is close to the ground.
2. Remove the leaves where the branch will touch the ground when you gently bend it down.
3. Scrape some bark off the branch in this area. Make sure at least one leaf node will be under the ground. This will help encourage root growth.
4. Keep the branch attached to the mother plant. Do not cut it!
5. Dig about a 2″ deep trench, lower the branch in, and cover it with soil.
6. To keep the branch from popping out of the soil, place a brick or stone on the buried area to weigh it down.
7. When roots form, cut the branch from the mother plant and pot it up or plant it in the garden.

Hydrangea Propagation Tips for Ground Layering

• Occasionally water. I typically let nature take care of this but if it hasn’t rained, I water.
• To determine whether it is rooted, lightly tug on the branch. If you feel resistance, you’ll know there are hydrangea roots.

The ground layering method is my preferred method of hydrangea propagation because you don’t have to closely monitor it and leave the plant to do its thing.

However, if I wanted to grow more than a few plants, then I’d opt for rooting hydrangeas via cutting.

More About Hydrangea Propagation

I am so excited to get more hydrangeas from the plants I already have. I’ve heard you can propagate hydrangea in water too but I’ve not tried it that way before.

Have you? Or have you tried hydrangea propagation before from one of the other methods? If so, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below.

Also, in general, these propagation methods can be used with other plants as well. It’s fun to experiment to see what propagates well and what doesn’t.

Don’t miss joining my Gardening DIY and Decorating Community on Facebook for more chatter. And follow along there and on Instagram as well. There are behind-the-scenes daily things that I share on Instagram that don’t make it to the blog. Would love to see you there too!

If you prefer to binge-watch Bricks ’n Blooms on TV, we go more in-depth with tours and posts on my YouTube channel. Would love to hang out with you there!

And… If you’re catching up on blog posts you may have missed, be sure to sign-up to get my newest posts via email to stay up to date with everything that’s happening here on the blog and more.

Happy Planting!

More About Propagating Hydrangeas

Have you ever propagated a hydrangea before? Do you have any tips you’d like to share? I would love to know more in the comments below.

And don’t miss joining my Gardening DIY and Decorating Community on Facebook for more chatter. And follow along there and on Instagram as well. There are behind-the-scenes daily things that I share on Instagram that don’t make it to the blog. Would love to see you there too!

If you prefer to binge-watch Bricks ’n Blooms on TV, we go more in-depth with tours and posts on my YouTube channel. Would love to hang out with you there!

And… If you’re catching up on blog posts you may have missed, be sure to sign-up to get my newest posts via email to stay up to date with everything that’s happening here on the blog and more.

More Hydrangea Posts You Might Love

• The Complete Guide to Hydrangea Care and Their Flowers
• The Basics of Hydrangea Care
• Pruning Basics for Hydrangeas
• How to Dry a Hydrangea the Easy Way
• How to Divide Hydrangeas
• Why Aren’t My Hydrangeas Blooming?
• Why Aren’t My Hydrangeas Blooming – Update?
• The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Fresh Cut Hydrangeas from Drooping
• Are Hydrangeas Deer Resistant?
• How to Make a Hydrangea Wreath for Free

Garden Supplies I Use

I’m often asked about the garden supplies and tools that I use most. From pruners to deer repellents, here are some of my favorites in no particular order.

• I like to use a good-quality garden soil, compost, and perlite when planting.
• I have used this deer repellent with great success. But now, I’m all about this deer repellent that is systemic instead of topical. This means the plant takes it in as opposed to it just smelling bad. And it repels other animals too. Yay!
• This is my favorite hand-weeding tool. You can use to get underneath roots, loosen soil, and it cuts down on the weeding time because you work much faster.
• But I also love this long, stand-up weeding tool to really get around roses and other plants from afar.
• I use THIS ORGANIC FERTILIZER for roses because the blooms are more prolific and it’s organic.
• You’ll need a sharp set of pruners when working with plants and flowers. I buy a few so I can stash them around.
• Where pest and disease problems are concerned, I generally use this insecticidal soap or neem oil to help control infestations depending on the issue.
• This is my favorite set-and-forget slow-release fertilizer for houseplants, annuals, and container gardens.
• Whenever I stake my peonies or other plants, I generally use these grow-through garden supports because they work really well and keep the blooms upright.

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About Me

Want to learn more about me?

I’m a master gardener who’s been gardening and growing things for over 25 years. With a deep passion for gardening, I enjoy helping others find their inner green thumb with all things plants and flowers, as well as find ways to bring the outdoors inside their homes too.

Get the inside scoop about my background as a master gardener, education, and experience, as well as why I started blogging.

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Do you remember when I divided my hydrangea?

It was a good workout splitting it. Because those roots were tough!