Growing shrubs from cuttings is a wonderful and affordable way to add to the beauty of your garden. Exchange cuttings with your neighbours and you’ll soon be rewarded with a host of new plants.

Here’s your step-by-step guide to growing new plants from cuttings:

• Choose healthy, established plants to take cuttings from. Cut off branches measuring roughly 30-60cm in length.
• Use a sharp, clean pair of secateurs to cut the branches into sections of about 10cm each.
• Each cutting should have about 2-4 leaves at the top and 1-3 growth nodes beneath the leaves. Cut the cutting about 2mm below the lowest node.
• Dip the bottom end of the cutting into water and then into hormone rooting powder. The bottom 2mm of the cutting should be coated in powder.
• Fill a clean seedling tray with river sand and plant the cuttings in the tray. Water well.
• Place the seedling tray in a sheltered, shady position and water every second day.
• In spring, transplant your cuttings into pots to get them established, before moving them to the garden. Alternatively, give away the potted cuttings as gifts.
• Good plants to take cuttings from: daisies, fuchsias, pelargonium, osteospermum, lavender and salvia.