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Question – I have been told that some plants can be increased by means of root cuttings. Is this true? If so, when is the best time to take the cuttings and plant them?
Answer – Yes, there are numerous plants which can be propagated vegetatively by root cuttings. Among them are perennials such as the Japanese anemone, horseradish, and phlox and woody plants such as bouvardia and bottlebrush. The cuttings usually are 1- to 3-inch pieces of root. Ordinarily these are obtained in the fall and placed horizontally 1 inch deep in a flat of sandy soil; this is kept in either a cool green-house or a coldframe. Oriental poppies, which can be transplanted during August, can also be propagated by means of pencil-thick roots cut to 3 inches and inserted in 3- or 4-inch pots filled with sandy soil. The cuttings should be planted right side up; in order to insure that they are planted this way, make the top cut square across and the bottom cut diagonal.*
