Cuttings Family Style

It’s been cutting season here, and as always, it’s one of those jobs I genuinely look forward to each year. There’s something quite satisfying about heading out, secateurs in hand, and collecting the next generation of plants. This time around, it’s been a full family affair. The girls were roped in to help—one very cleverly positioned herself safely behind the camera, while the other… well, let’s just say she keeps us well entertained out in the garden!

We’ve also had a couple of special projects on the go this season. One is for the South Canterbury Rhododendron Group, where we’re propagating varieties that were bred and registered by local growers. The goal is to grow these on and get them planted into public spaces, so these beautiful hybrids aren’t lost over time. We’re also doing something similar for the New Zealand Rhododendron Association—working
with varieties where sometimes only a single plant is known, and helping get them back into circulation.

It’s meant a big season of propagation, with a huge range of varieties going into trays—and still a few more to collect yet! So far, the cuttings are settling in beautifully, tucked up in their trays with a nice warm bed underneath and regular misting to keep them happy. When I’m out collecting, I’m always on the lookout for the right material—cuttings with a leaf bud tend to strike the best. The challenge this year has been that the parent plants are absolutely loaded with flower buds. Great for the garden display… not so great when you’re trying to find the perfect cutting material! That said, a good side benefit of all this is that regular cutting actually helps keep the parent plants nicely
shaped and tidy—so it’s a win-win really.