Propagation success.

A followup to my "Propagation" post from May, when I layered a number of shrubs.

Most of them have rooted.

Azalea

I will leave them attached to the parent plant, where the new roots will continue to grow over the winter.

Deutzia

Before replanting in the spring

Viburnum 

This is a simple and rewarding way of increasing your desirable plants.

Hydrangea

Last year the Gypsy moth caterpillar denuded trees of leaves.

Thereby starving the tree to death.

This year, tent caterpillars proliferate. I have cut them out of Cherries, Weigela, Willows, Mulberry, Apple, Redbud, Birch, Hydrangeas and Pear.

Cut out the infested branches ( the tent can prevent sprays and/or predators from reaching the caterpillars) and place on a vegetation free surface and burn. A gravel driveway is ideal.

I use a propane torch.

You will find the dead caterpillars will soon disappear.

After all, who doesn't like flame grilled caterpillar?

I also use the flame torch to kill weeds, not by burning them to a crisp (they will grow back from the root) but by wafting the flame over the weed just enough to wilt the leaves, which in turn will dehydrate and kill the whole plant. Especially in this current heat wave.

Propagation

I layered this oak leaf hydrangea last fall. over the winter the stem has produced roots and new leaf growth has emerged. I will leave it attached to the parent plant  until winter dormancy and then cut the old stem, dig up and replant.

This Spring I have layered several choice shrubs, including the Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple". First find a stem that can be bent to the ground without damage, then wound the stem by scraping away the outer layer of bark to expose the green cambium layer.

Scrape a channel in the soil, bury the wounded area of the stem, cover with soil and weigh down with a medium size stone, or other similar weight.

Other shrubs that we are layering.

Duetzia

Duetzia, right foreground

Rosa Rugosa

 worth propagating for its fragrance.

Viburnum horizontalis

Here past its best, but still an exceptional shrub.

Weigela

Sometimes no assistance is required, if the stem is resting on the ground it will produce roots as with this Cotinus.

This self sown seedling is of a different Wigela cultivar, but it may not come true to type.

These seedlings from the spirea back center may also show variations from the parent plant

At first I thought this must be a seedling from the parent rose

But it is an off shoot from a root. I've never seen this before on a rose.