Hydrangeas are the perfect summer garden staple, but instead of splashing out at a garden centre, one expert has revealed a trick to grow your own at home for free
Hydrangeas are one of Britain’s best-loved plants and for good reason – they’re easy to care for, grow into big beautiful bushes, and burst with bold colours that can lift any garden. But while they’re a gardener’s favourite, they don’t always come cheap with just one plant often carrying a hefty price tag.
That’s why gardeners are loving a clever trick that gets you a whole new hydrangea plant for free. And the best part is late July through to August is the perfect time to do it. One TikToker, @simonakeroydgardener, has shared his simple method to multiply your hydrangeas using a process called propagation – where you take a cutting from an existing plant and grow it into a brand-new one.
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Whether you want to fill out your borders or give one to a mate who needs a little bloom in their life, this hack is well worth trying. Here’s how to do it:
Pick the right stem
First, find a healthy hydrangea with a non-flowering shoot – this is key, as flowering stems use up too much energy trying to keep blooms alive, making them less likely to grow roots.
Trim it down
Once you’ve found a suitable stem, cut a section around six inches long, ideally with three sets of leaves. Then, remove the lower leaves, keeping just one pair at the top. If those leaves are large, snip them in half – this helps reduce water loss through transpiration while the cutting gets established.
Pop it in compost
Next, insert your cutting into peat-free compost, making sure it’s firmed in nicely. Give it a light mist of water and keep the soil moist, misting once or twice a day if needed. With a bit of patience, you’ll soon see roots forming and that’s when you know it’s working.
Once it’s grown strong enough, you can plant it out into your garden or pop it in a pot to gift to someone special. Because let’s be honest, who wouldn’t love a free hydrangea?