Camp Osceola: Propagating Nikko Blue

It so happens I love hydrangea, and here in the Southeast it does very well. Of course, as always it depends on your species. This mop head classic "Nikko Blue" is one you are going to see in alot of yards. It's the granddaddy of mop head hydrangea, the graft of all those fantastic newcomers like "Endless Summer" , "Blushing Bride", and possibly even "Dooley".

I have two established in my front border, that have done very well except for last year. The plant did OK, but did not bloom. And it is generally a prolific bloomer. I cut it back too hard, I think, and I have no idea what is going to happen this year. We'll see. However, I have been propagating them for several years and my off-shoots DID bloom! I had put one in another border, and the others were still in their containers.

I get so many off the mother shrubs, I end up giving them away. Sometimes around these parts, people will set up a table and sell plants, and I may do that someday, I've got plenty!

So, in case you don't know, here is how I do it. This method works best on mature plants.

Here is a nice healthy specimen that I layered last fall. If you look to the left you will see a light colored branch coming off the mother shrub and going into the dirt, resulting in a new plant! Sometimes I can hit branch with a spade and it cuts cleanly, but yesterday I had to get the pruners. The roots are growing straight down into the soil and supporting the new growth. The plant is tough enough to take all the manhandling (or womenhandling in this case) and after I cut the "cord" and dig up the new growth I divided it into two plants. Hydrangea is dependent on moisture, so I don't leave them laying around for two long with out the support of some nice damp soil in a container. I have several of these that I rooted last fall, and by the time it's all said and done I got 7 new plants, and 6 of them are very healthy. Only time will tellabout the weakling, but I will give it a shot and see how it goes.

But, I'm not done. If you look at the picture you will see several long branches grazing the ground. A few weeks ago when I was pruning these back, I left those long low branches there on purpose. I knew they were going to be my new "propagants".

I take these branches and lay them flat as possible and cover them with dirt except where there is already new growth, particularly at the tip. I have to use bricks on some of them to get them to stay down, and I don't have to bury them too deeply. Just enough soil for those new roots to grab on and go! The bricks will soon be hidden by all the new growth on the mother shrub. Nikko Blue are prolific and they will take over this bed by mid-summer. At some point I will have to trim them from the top so they don't take over my house.

The new offshoots, for the most part will also be covered, which is good, that will serve as a protection from the hot summer sun.

There they are, plus the ones left over from last fall. I usually do this twice a year, spring and early fall. I'm contemplating a "hydrangea garden", so that may be another place to put them.

And then, nothing to do with hydrangea, but I noticed these things while I was ratting around out there....