By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- Azalea cuttings
- Mixture of 50 percent peat moss and 50 percent horticultural perlite or vermiculite
- Flats
- Clear polyurethane bags
- Mixture of 60 percent peat moss and 40 percent perlite
- Azalea food
Step1
Take cuttings from existing plants from mid-July to mid-September. Make the cuttings in the morning when the plants have the most moisture.
Step2
Take the cutting from a pliable shoot that has mature leaves. Bend the shoot between your fingers and look for it to bounce back. If the shoot breaks, it is too young or too old.
Step3
Make the cut 3 to 6 inches long. Pull off any blossoms and leave only one set of leaves at the top of the shoot.
Step4
Dip the end of the shoot in rooting hormone powder. Shake off the excess powder. Use an antifungicide if desired.
Step5
Place the cuttings in a flat planter that contains 4 inches of 50 percent peat moss and 50 percent horticultural perlite or vermiculite. Choose a pot that drains well. Place a tent of clear polyurethane plastic over the flat, making sure that no plastic touches the cutting.
Step6
Place the flat in a shaded greenhouse or in a window sill. Do not place the plant in direct sunlight.
Step7
Water the plant with room temperature water. Rotate the flat twice a week so that the light is evenly distributed. The shoot should grow in about 6 weeks.
Step8
Transplant the rooted azalea to flats that have a mixture of 60 percent peat moss and 40 percent perlite. Fertilize the plant one time a month with azalea flower food.
