Daily gardening tip · Northern hemisphere · Wednesday 14 October 2026 · mid autumn
Take Hardwood Cuttings from Blackcurrant Bushes
Mid autumn is the ideal time to take hardwood cuttings from dormant fruit bushes to grow extra plants for free.
15 minuteseasypropagation
Select straight, pencil-thick stems that grew this year.
Cut the stem into 20cm lengths, cutting just below a bud at the base and above a bud at the top.
Insert the cuttings halfway into a pot filled with well-drained compost or directly into a quiet nursery bed.
Firm the soil around the stems and water them well.
Leave them undisturbed in a sheltered spot until next autumn when they root.
Why it works
As fruit bushes enter dormancy in autumn, their growth slows down, but the stems hold stored energy. Inserting these mature stems into cool, moist soil allows them to slowly form roots over winter without losing water through leaves, resulting in established new plants by next year.
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