Do you want to know what a cutting is? Maybe you have seen this way of reproducing plants, but you didn’t know the name. Here we explain it all.

If you are interested in the world of gardening, you should learn what a cutting is. This will allow you to multiply your favourite plants in a simpler way and without having to buy new ones. It is a widely used method of plant reproduction that you can extend in different spaces.

To improve the process, you can rely on structures such as the tunnel greenhouse, the straight walls tunnel greenhouse, the minitunnel greenhouse or the MiniWideSpan greenhouse. But before you go to them, learn more about cutting and the best way to do it.

1. What is a cutting?
2. What types of cuttings are there
3. Types of plants that reproduce by cuttings
   • Evergreen trees and shrubs
   • Deciduous trees and shrubs
   • Plantas herbáceas
   • Indoor plantsIndoor plants
4. How to prepare a cutting step by step
5. Advantages of making cuttings

What is a cutting?

Simply put, a cutting is a piece of plant, cut from a small part of the stem and used to regrow. They come from a leaf node, and once the process is done, it starts to create new roots and grow.

What types of cuttings are there?

We already know what a cutting is, but what types can you find? They depend on the plant from which they are cut, but the best known are the following,

1. Woody or hard cuttings: These can be pieces of harder stems as well as woody branches.
2. Herbaceous or tender cuttings: As their name indicates, they come from more tender branches and herbaceous plants, an example is the coleus.
3. Leaf cuttings: You can find them as leaf petiole cuttings, whole leaf cuttings or leaf fragment cuttings.

Types of plants propagated by cuttings

Many plants and trees can grow from cuttings, but some do it better than others. Here we explain which ones.

Evergreen trees and shrubs

Evergreen trees and shrubs should be cut at the tips. These are called stub cuttings. These are new branches that have a piece of way at the base.

Deciduous trees and shrubs

In the case of deciduous trees, cuttings from branches less than a year old are ideal, and should be cut in late autumn and early winter.

Herbaceous plants

Herbaceous plants reproduce very well with cuttings, but you should do it with very healthy , younger branch pieces.

Indoor plants

Finally, there are the indoor plants. These are also easily produced from cuttings, but must be thin and strong stems .

How to prepare a cutting step by step?

We won’t stop at just knowing what a cutting is, but we will prepare one step by step.

1. Check the species of plant: You should check that it is one of the types that can be reproduced by cuttings.
2. Choose a healthy plant: It cannot have pests or diseases because it will be impossible for it to reproduce.
3. Prepare the tools: You will use well-cleaned pruning shears. Also, gloves to protect your hands.
4. Start cutting the cuttings: The bottom cut horizontally, the top cut diagonally, and the size between 5 to 20 cm, depending on the species.
5. Clean the cutting: Remove any leaves on top and remove flower buds.
6. Prepare a rooting container: Here use a moist, loose substrate with nutrients and drainage.
7. Plant the cutting: Insert the cutting into the substrate and press it down a little to fix it in place. Just water to moisten it without forming a puddle.
8. Take care of it while it is rooting: Keep the substrate moist, give it a mild temperature and wait for it to root before transplanting to another site.

Advantages of making cuttings

Taking cuttings has the following advantages:

• Proliferation: There are plants that do not produce seeds, so cuttings are the most viable option.
• Mutants: If the plant mutates, cuttings are made from that part and new varieties are organised.
• Cloning: The same plant is used to create new ones and grow exactly the same. This means that they will look the same, not be a variation.
• Genetic preservation: Cuttings are made from young plants and preserved for when they need to be used.

Now that you know all this, remember that one of the most recommended spaces for planting with cuttings are garden greenhouses. At Fertri there are many options available to suit every space.

Among the models are: Tunnel Greenhouse, the Tunnel straight walls greenhouse, minitunnel greenhouse, MiniWideSpan Greenhouse, among others. Feel free to browse and choose the one that suits you best.