Semi-ripe & Hardwood Cuttings

Propagation

Semi-ripe cuttings use firm current-season growth in summer, while hardwood cuttings use dormant woody stems in winter. Both are dependable ways to increase many deciduous shrubs and some evergreens. Semi-ripe material roots under cover; hardwood cuttings are slower but need little attention once set into a sheltered outdoor trench or pot.

How to do it

For semi-ripe cuttings, take healthy shoots with a firm base and softer tip, usually 8 to 12 cm long. Trim below a node, remove lower leaves and insert into gritty peat-free cuttings compost, using a dibber. Keep them humid, bright and out of direct sun. For hardwood cuttings, take straight, pencil-thick dormant stems about 20 to 25 cm long. Make a sloping cut above a bud at the top and a straight cut below a bud at the base, so orientation remains clear. Insert them upright in a sheltered, well-drained outdoor trench or deep pot, leaving one or two buds above soil. Firm, label and keep watered in dry spells.

When to do it

Take semi-ripe cuttings from midsummer to early autumn, after new growth has begun to firm. Take hardwood cuttings from late autumn to late winter, once deciduous shrubs are dormant and before buds open. Avoid frozen, waterlogged ground. Hardwood cuttings commonly root and grow away during the following spring and summer.

Tips

Use clean, sharp secateurs and remove diseased or damaged material from the batch. A heel cutting, pulled with a small piece of older stem attached, can suit some shrubs. Keep semi-ripe cuttings ventilated daily. For hardwood cuttings outdoors, protect labels and check that wind or frost has not loosened the soil around their bases.

Semi-ripe & Hardwood Cuttings: frequently asked questions

How does semi-ripe & hardwood cuttings work?

For semi-ripe cuttings, take healthy shoots with a firm base and softer tip, usually 8 to 12 cm long.

When should I do semi-ripe & hardwood cuttings?

Take semi-ripe cuttings from midsummer to early autumn, after new growth has begun to firm.

What are some tips for semi-ripe & hardwood cuttings?

Use clean, sharp secateurs and remove diseased or damaged material from the batch.

← All seed & propagation guides

General guidance for UK gardens. Page updated 20 Sep 2026.