Cuttings from low-growing alpines such as arabis will root readily in just a few weeks
Many plants are easy to grow from cuttings, especially spring-flowering, creeping alpines and low-growing rock-garden plants such as arabis, aubrieta, aurinia and alyssum. Now that they’ve finished flowering, their young shoots make ideal cuttings. Look for strong shoots with foliage in good condition. Snip off your selected shoots and put them straight into a polythene bag with some moisture to keep them fresh. If you need to delay planting until the following day, put them in the salad draw of the fridge overnight.
Trim the stem to about 3-4cm long and if there are already some tiny roots sprouting from it, keep those, as they’ll help to speed up establishment. The cuttings should root in quickly and may be ready for potting on or planting out in as little as four weeks. They like a spot in full sun with free-draining soil. If planted on a sloping rockery or on top of a wall, they’ll create a vibrant flowering cascade.