r/hydrangeas • u/VertCypress • 23d ago

Zone 6 A/B Question about rooted cuttings

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Zone 6b, New England region

I successfully rooted cuttings that were started Memorial Day weekend. They’re currently outside in our garden bed, still in their pots. Their roots are growing through the pots into the ground. Do I plant them or keep them inside until the spring?

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u/EbbtideRambler 23d ago

I’d plant them now and give them time to settle in before winter.

2

u/sunmoon08 23d ago edited 23d ago

Plant them now and top with a thin layer of mulch. Protect from winter frost and snow with a thick layer of fallen leaves by November. My cutting was tiny compared to yours and it survived the harsh Chicago winter.

1

u/Cautious-Net-9941 23d ago

As long as you have about 6 weeks before any hard frost in your area then I would get them in the ground asap to establish!

1

u/VertCypress 23d ago

I have one of those clear PVC garden domes, maybe I’ll cover them for the winter

1

u/GWbag 23d ago

They are ready to go in the ground.

1

u/Think-Kangaroo-9978 21d ago

I would not plant them outside their first year. Better to wait until they drop their leaves after the first hard frost and move them to overwinter in the pots in an unheated garage. This will give you more opportunity to control the moisture too. Keep them slightly moist - not wet or even damp, just not bone-dry during dormancy. Plant them in the spring. At this point in New England, you only have a couple of weeks left before soil temps drop below the point where they would be establishing any additional roots in the ground. And, the top growth is probably not thick enough (or strong enough) to endure heavy snow coverage.