How to Take Pelargonium Cuttings — The Complete Method

Taking pelargonium cuttings is one of the most reliable propagation methods in gardening. A single healthy parent plant can provide dozens of cuttings, each one genetically identical to the parent and capable of rooting within three to four weeks. The process is straightforward but depends on a few important details — taking cuttings at the right time of year, preparing them correctly, and using the right compost to avoid the dreaded blackleg rot.

When to Take Cuttings

The two best times to take pelargonium cuttings are late summer (August to early September) and late spring (April to May). Late summer cuttings root quickly in the still-warm conditions, can be overwintered as small plants, and are ready to grow on the following spring. Spring cuttings taken from plants coming out of winter storage root rapidly in the increasing warmth and light, producing flowering plants by midsummer. Avoid taking cuttings in midwinter when rooting is slow, or in the heat of midsummer when plants are under stress.

Choosing and Preparing the Cutting

Select a healthy, non-flowering shoot tip with three to five leaves. The ideal cutting is about 7–10cm long. Cut cleanly just below a leaf node using a sharp, clean blade or snap the shoot off by hand — pelargoniums root just as well from a snapped cutting as a cut one. Remove the lower two leaves, leaving two or three leaves at the top. Do not use rooting hormone — it is not needed and can sometimes increase blackleg risk. Allow the cutting to sit on a dry surface for 30–60 minutes so the cut surface calluses slightly before planting.

Compost and Pots

Use a free-draining cutting compost — either a proprietary brand or a 50:50 mix of perlite and fresh multipurpose compost. Do not use garden soil or old compost, which can harbour pathogens. Fill small pots or modular trays to within 1cm of the rim. Insert cuttings to a depth of about 3–4cm, firm gently, and water once from below by standing the tray in water for 20 minutes, then draining completely. Keep the stem base as dry as possible throughout the rooting period to prevent blackleg.

Aftercare While Rooting

Place cuttings in a bright spot with indirect light — a greenhouse bench, a conservatory shelf, or a light windowsill. A temperature of 15–20°C is ideal. Unlike many cuttings, pelargoniums do not need high humidity to root and are better without it — a covered propagator encourages blackleg and botrytis. Do not water again until the surface of the compost is dry. Roots typically form within three to five weeks; you will know when the cutting has rooted because new leaf growth begins and the cutting no longer wilts when moved.

Potting On

Once rooted, pot each cutting into a 9cm pot filled with multi-purpose compost. Water in lightly and keep in good light. Pinch out the growing tip at this stage to encourage branching — a small sacrifice of height that pays dividends in the number of flowering shoots produced later. Begin feeding with a balanced liquid fertiliser two weeks after potting on. Plants grown from late summer cuttings will need little water through winter; increase watering and begin feeding again in February as light levels and temperatures rise.