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Love lilacs?
Want more in your garden?
You can grow them from clippings!
Here are 7 easy tactics to get you started.
Let’s brighten up your garden with beautiful lilacs!
Get the Right Cutting
First things first, you need a healthy lilac branch. Look for one that’s about 6 inches long and snip it off just below a leaf node.
Make sure it has plenty of leaves, but not flowers. Flowers might look pretty, but they’ll just waste energy that could go into root development.
Also, try to cut in the morning when the plant is full of water.
Prepare Your Cutting
Now that you’ve got your cutting, remove the leaves from the lower half. You don’t need any fancy tools for this—a simple pair of scissors will do.
Next, dip the cut end in some rooting hormone. This step is optional but can really help speed things along.
Rooting hormone is like a magic potion for plant roots!
Plant in Soil
Grab a small pot filled with potting soil to plant your cutting. Make a hole in the soil with your finger or a pencil and stick the cutting in.
Firm the soil around the base so it stands up straight. Give it a good drink of water but make sure not to drown it.
The soil should be damp but not soaking wet.
Create a Mini Greenhouse
Lilacs love a humid environment when they’re starting out. You can create a mini greenhouse by covering the pot with a clear plastic bag.
This traps moisture inside, making it a perfect setting for your cutting to develop roots. Just make sure the bag doesn’t touch the leaves!
Prop it up with sticks or straws if needed.
Place in Indirect Light
Put your mini greenhouse in a spot with indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight can be too harsh and might fry your cutting.
A windowsill with filtered light or a bright room will work great. Check in every few days to make sure the soil is still damp.
If it starts to dry out, give it a little water.
Wait and Watch
This is the easiest but hardest part—waiting. In about 4 to 6 weeks, you should see new growth, which means roots are forming.
To check progress, give the cutting a gentle tug. If there’s resistance, congrats!
You have roots. If it comes out easily, give it more time.
Transplant to Garden
Once your lilac cutting has developed strong roots and some new leaves, it’s ready for the big world. Pick a sunny spot in your garden with well-draining soil.
Dig a hole, place your new plant in, and fill around it with soil. Water it well to help it settle in, and watch it grow into a beautiful lilac bush!