Taking Chrysanthemum Cuttings – The Easy Way

One of the easiest ways to get the most for your money is to propagate plants from cuttings. Chrysanthemums are one of my favorite plants to cut. First, you’ll need a cutting or a pre-existing stool that has resumed growth. I know a lot of people get really technical in starting their cuttings indoors under grow lights, but we can easily accomplish the same task outside. 

I begin making cuts around the middle of April, about three weeks before my last frost date. As you can see, this mum plant from last year has overwintered in this pot and has now started to grow. I’ve read online that this new growth won’t produce the best flowers, but rooting cuttings will give us a much better result.

To take a cutting, simply snip a length of new growth. I usually like for my cuttings to be about 3-4 inches long. I snip just below a leaf segment. Then, remove all the leaves from any part of the stem that will be in contact with soil.

Last, I simply push the cutting into a moist potting mix. Good drainage is imperative. I know some people like to use rooting hormone, but I never do. Even without it, I always have nearly 100% rooting success. Now that the tray is full, it will be moved into my small seed starting low tunnel. The combination of warm temperatures and high humidity will produce new plants in about two weeks.