How to take dogwood cuttings
Find out how to grow beautiful dogwood from hardwood cuttings.
Dogwood, Cornus sanguinea, is typically grown for winter colour, when its red, leafless stems shine like beacons in the bare winter garden. It looks fantastic when planted with evergreen shrubs, and among spring flowers. However dogwood also makes a fantastic wildlife shrub and can be grown into a hedge alongside other wildlife-friendly plants such as hawthorn and hazel.
How to take dogwood cuttings
Take dogwood cuttings in summer so they can root outside in a cold frame and put on enough growth to be planted the following autumn. Choose strong shoots of the current season's growth and push them into gritty, moist compost. Keep them in a sheltered spot such as a cold frame and check them regularly, watering them occasionally to keep the soil moist. Plant the rooted cuttings out just over a year later, in autumn.
You will need:
A sharp pair of secateurs is the right tool for this task. If you're looking to update your kit, our experts have been busy testing the best secateurs, so you can buy with confidence.
In a hurry? Here are some of the best buys from this tests:
Watch our video, above, where Joe Swift demonstrates how to prune and take hardwood cuttings from dogwoods. And follow our step-by-step demonstration, below, for detailed advice on taking dogwood cuttings.
You Will Need
- Secateurs
- Dogwood
- Clean, sharp knife and cutting board
- Multi-purpose compost with horticultural grit added
Step 1
Cut the strongest shoots of this season’s growth and immediately put them in a polythene bag to protect them from moisture loss.
Step 2
Make each cutting with a bud at the base and the lower leaves removed.
Step 3
Fill a pot with gritty compost and insert the cuttings around the edge. Water well before placing in a sheltered spot or cold frame, and keep just moist.
Festive subscription offer
Save 51% on the shop price. Subscribe to BBC Gardeners' World Magazine today and get 6 months of free seeds for Spring 2025.
Year Planner 2025 on sale
Starting to plan your gardening year? The Year Planner 2025 is packed with expert advice from the Gardeners’ World team, to ensure you have your best gardening year yet.
Discover our new digital travel brochure
Whether it's a thrilling Arctic cruise or a charming getaway to historic Bath, our NEW travel brochure has exciting options for everyone.
Discover Dangerous Plants
From witchcraft to murder mysteries, uncover the power of plants in the new BBC Gardeners' World Magazine podcast series.
