Hebe News – Article 2
GROWING HEBE CUTTINGS IN PERLITE
After reading Gordon’s enjoyable article about taking hebe cuttings, I thought readers might be interested in the method that I have used for many years.
First, I fill a shallow pot; the type used by alpine enthusiasts is ideal, and fill with perlite. I stand the pot in a tray of water and leave, sometimes overnight, but it really doesn’t matter as long as the perlite is eventually moistened right through. It works just as well to douse with the watering can.
I then take suitable cuttings, and in the usual way removing the lower leaves, use a dibber to insert them in the pot, filling it completely and not just keeping to the outside. I don’t bother with rooting powder as I don’t think hebes need it.
These are then put out of direct sunlight, somewhere in the greenhouse usually, and watered when the perlite dries out. No bottom heat is necessary but I think it does speed things up if you wish.
After a few weeks, roots have formed, and you can check this by gently tugging the cuttings or look under the pot. Tease them out of the Perlite or if they’ve all rooted then gently tip them out of the pot, leave any Perlite on that wants to stay on and pot up into a suitable pot like any other cutting. Quick, clean and simple.
At the Arley show at the end of June, Tony Hayter said that he had lost his Hebe ‘Edington’, so on my return home, I took some cuttings. At the beginning of September they were ready for potting on. I also brought home the vase full of hebes that Margaret had used to show the flowers, selected good cutting material from these and filled a pot.
As I write this all the cuttings have taken and are waiting to be potted on, but they don’t seem to mind sitting in the Perlite for a while if I’m not in a hurry.
I must also thank Tony, Margaret, and the other members for their work at keeping the Hebe beds tidy and in good order at the Quinta and for such a good report on the condition of the hebes there.
Sue Bosson, Montgomeryshire
Registered Charity No 801398
