How to take a lilac cutting?

When to propagate lilac?

The best time to propagate your lilac is just after its flowering, between April and June. Take advantage of pruning the bush to take cuttings from its shoots.

Necessary equipment

To propagate your lilac, you will need:

• pruning shear
• plant hormone powder
• large pot
• sand
• potting compost
• stick
• lilac branches

How to propagate lilac using a crossette?

To propagate your lilac, proceed as follows :

• with your clean, disinfected pruning shear, cut ends from young healthy ramified shoots ;
• leave on each a lateral shoot 15 to 20 cm long, leaving part of main shoot at its base. Cutting forms a T or crozier.

Diagram showing preparation of lilac cutting in crozier form

• remove all leaves except 4 at upper end to reduce evapotranspiration (loss of water through leaves) and prevent cuttings drying out.
• dip heel of cutting in a little plant hormone powder for propagation by cuttings, tap to remove excess powder.
• in a large pot, make an equal-parts mix of sand and potting compost. Make a hole with a stick and insert cutting halfway. Repeat operation as many times as required. Water.
• place cuttings under cloche (to create humid conditions) and leave outdoors in a sheltered, shaded spot.
• occasionally remove cloche for 10 minutes to air and water a little if needed.
• in November, pot up cuttings individually into pots filled with good horticultural potting compost and leave under cold frame all winter.
• following spring, sink pots into garden and grow on like this for 2 or 3 years before final planting.

Note that some books recommend using turf instead of potting compost but given ecological disaster caused by turf extraction, better to use as little as possible.