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Country Living’s gardening report outlines how to propagate seven plants from fall cuttings: rosemary, lavender, geraniums and fuchsia in growing mix, and basil, mint and coleus in water. The method can produce new plants from existing ones, but success depends on rooting and growing conditions; the report does not provide a success rate.
Country Living has published a guide to propagating seven garden plants from fall cuttings, describing how to root four plants in a growing mix and three in water. The advice offers gardeners a way to try producing new plants from existing ones for a later season, though the report does not guarantee that every cutting will root.
The plants recommended for rooting in a soil-free growing mix are rosemary, lavender, geraniums and fuchsia, using methods similar to these plant cuttings. Country Living attributes the advice to Master Gardener Rhonda Fleming Hayes, author of Garden for Life and the Substack The Garden Buzz. For these woody or semi-woody stems, the guide calls for nursery pots, rooting hormone and a mix that drains readily. It cautions against ordinary potting soil for this stage because it can be too dense.
The suggested process is to take nonflowering stems 3 to 5 inches long, remove leaves from the lower portion and trim away most of the top foliage. After dipping the cut end in water and rooting hormone, place the stem in a hole made in the mix, water it and cover the pot to hold moisture. The guide says to remove the cover after about a week and keep watering consistently. Gentle resistance when a stem is tugged after a few weeks can indicate roots are forming, but it is not a guarantee of successful establishment.
Basil, mint and coleus are presented as water-rooting options because of their soft stems, much like these herb cuttings. The report advises removing leaves that would sit underwater and placing the stem in a jar. Once sufficient roots develop, move the cutting into a container of potting mix, keep the soil consistently moist and provide bright light indoors. For both methods, the guide recommends waiting until frost danger has passed before planting outside. It also advises sheltering rooted plants and bringing them indoors if temperatures fall below freezing.
How Cuttings Can Stretch a Garden Budget
Propagation gives gardeners a practical way to try to carry favorite plants into another growing season without buying a separate plant for each new spot. As Hayes puts it, “Think of it as free plants!” The phrase describes the potential to create plants from existing material, not a guarantee: gardeners may still need pots, rooting hormone, growing mix and suitable indoor space.
The guide also distinguishes between two approaches rather than suggesting one method works for everything. Woody and semi-woody stems are treated with rooting hormone and placed in a draining mix, while soft-stemmed plants are started in water. That distinction helps readers choose a method suited to the plants named in the report and understand why cuttings need care before they can be moved outdoors.
rooting hormone for plant cuttings
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Two Methods for Fall Propagation
The advice is timed for the period when gardeners are cutting back faded flowers and preparing beds and containers for the colder months. Rather than discarding every trimmed stem, the report suggests selecting healthy material to try to root indoors for planting in a future spring or summer. Hayes says the season’s end is a time to plan ahead: “The garden may be winding down, but now’s the time to think about taking cuttings.”
For the mix-based method, Country Living says gardeners can use a ready-made growing mix with sharp drainage or make one with an 80/20 blend of perlite and other materials, such as sand or compost. The instructions call for a clear cover to maintain a moist environment during the early stage, followed by consistent watering once the cover is removed. Water-rooted cuttings are instead transferred to potting mix after roots are sufficient. The source does not specify exact root lengths, indoor temperatures or a single schedule that suits every plant and climate.
““The garden may be winding down, but now’s the time to think about taking cuttings.””
— Rhonda Fleming Hayes, master gardener and author
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Rooting Results Depend on Conditions
The report does not give a success rate or say how many cuttings gardeners should expect to lose. Root development and survival may vary with plant health, temperature, light, moisture and other conditions, but the supplied instructions do not quantify those effects. Nor does the article provide a precise definition of “sufficient roots” for transferring water-rooted stems into containers.
The advice is presented for the seven named plants, not as a guarantee that the same steps will work for other varieties or in every climate. The timing for moving plants outdoors is described generally as after the threat of frost has passed. Gardeners in colder areas are advised to keep plants indoors in bright, indirect light, but the source does not specify a temperature range or regional calendar.
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Care for Cuttings Through Winter
Gardeners following the guide can take cuttings during fall pruning, monitor mix-rooted stems for gentle resistance after a few weeks and move water-rooted cuttings into containers once they have developed roots. The next step is to keep the young plants in suitable light and moisture, protect them from freezing conditions and wait until frost danger has passed before planting them outdoors.
The source offers seasonal instructions rather than a follow-up report on results. It remains unknown how well the methods performed for readers or whether Country Living will publish additional guidance on particular climates or cultivars.
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Key Questions
Which plants does the report recommend propagating in fall?
It names rosemary, lavender, geraniums and fuchsia for rooting in growing mix, and basil, mint and coleus for rooting in water.
Which cuttings should be started in water?
The report recommends water for soft-stemmed basil, mint and coleus. Remove leaves that would sit below the water line, then move the cutting into potting mix after roots develop.
Do all seven plants use rooting hormone?
No. The guide recommends rooting hormone for the woody or semi-woody cuttings started in a draining mix. Its water method for basil, mint and coleus does not include rooting hormone.
When can rooted cuttings be planted outdoors?
Country Living advises planting outside after the threat of frost has passed. Until then, keep cuttings in a sheltered or indoor setting suited to the instructions and protect them from freezing temperatures.
Are the cuttings guaranteed to grow into new plants?
No. The source describes propagation steps but gives no success rate or guarantee. Rooting depends on whether the cutting develops roots and survives after transfer and ongoing care.
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