How to Start Outdoor Plants
- 1). Cut a shoot 4 to 6 inches long from the main stem of a healthy young plant with a sterile sharp knife at a 45-degree angle. Take the cutting early in the morning when the plant is swollen with water, according to North Carolina University Extension.
- 2). Remove any flowers and buds as well as the leaves on the bottom half of the stem, leaving only a few at the top. This will give the stem energy to produce roots and not more flowers. Place the cutting in a bucket of water if you are not done cutting more stems.
- 3). Dip the bottom of tip of the stem into a rooting-hormone powder. Follow the directions on the label for correct usage.
- 4). Prepare a well-drained, low in fertility rooting medium that is one part peat and one part perlite in a container or containers to fit all of your plant cuttings.
- 5). Place one-third of the plant cutting into the rooting, medium spacing each cutting in the container so they will all receive a fair amount of sun. Water the container 3 inches in depth and place a plastic bag over the container. Place in an area outside that is not in direct sunlight.
- 6). Transplant rooted cuttings to a flower pot. Wait until they are larger before planting them in their final home in your landscaped yard.