How to Clone Your Best Plants from the Garden (and Why) - Ep. 273

Whether you live in a climate that allows for a veery long growing season or you’re like me and need to cram as much growing into a shorter season as possible, cloning is a shortcut to making the most of our best plants. In some cases it even makes sense to overwinter some of those plants so next season starts off weeks ahead of schedule. So, today on Just Grow Something, we’re talking about the importance of cloning plants as a strategic shortcut to enhance gardening productivity. I’ll explain the key differences between cloning and seed saving, and the various methods of cloning, including water propagation and the use of rooting hormones, and the layering method. We’ll also talk about how to overwinter plants effectively and which ones are worth the effort, troubleshooting common issues, and the best practices for maintaining plant health during the winter months. Let’s dig in! Key Takeaways: Cloning allows gardeners to replicate successful plants for the next season. Seed saving can lead to genetic reshuffling, while cloning preserves the exact traits of a plant. Water propagation is an easy method for cloning many herbaceous plants. Rooting hormones can significantly improve the success rate of cloning woody plants. Layering is a method that allows plants to root while still attached to the parent plant. Overwintering can help maintain productive plants for early spring planting. Different plants require different care when overwintering, including light and temperature adjustments Resources: Download my free cloning guide at https://justgrowsomethingpodcast.com/clone