Propagation of shrubs

Hi Folks,
I want to make sure I have this right before I whack all my forsythia’s for propagating.
I cut about 6 inches off, strip the lower four leaf sections, remove the bark/skin about an inch from the bottom, pour rooting compound on the stripped section & plant them in a loose soil.

If that is right my next questions:
1: Do I cut them from my new shoots or the older branches?

2: Can I cut the new shoot down 6 inches and cut another 6 below & continue on to get two or more from one shoot or do you only use the top portion with the tip of the shoot.

3: I have older ones that I transplanted. They got chowed but this year a bunch of new little leaves came out on them. They don’t have new long shoots like my other ones do. These have thick stems and branches. Should I cut these down to 2 ft to start over and can I use the pieces I cut off with the thick stems to root somehow?

4: Would it be best to plant them right in the ground or put them in a cold/hot frame I’m building & keep them over winter to get bigger then plant them in the ground.

Same with the common lilac. Can I sever off shoots from the bottom of older big lilac shrubs and put rooting compound on the severed part & plant them. Some of these shoots are four feet high. Do I cut them down to 2 ft when I sever them.

Thanks again folks.

Joel.

Joel,

I've not done a lot of propagation from shurbs. Let me introduce you to the Propagation forum here on Daves. I'm sure someone can answer your questions.


http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/propagation/all/

Thanks Brenda,
Man, there is a section for everything on this site. I need to start reading other sections. It seems I only stay in the Michigan forum thinking this will be the best as all info would apply as we are in the same State.

I did check on that Milorganite today. You cannot get it in bulk. Well yes you can but it is out of this world cost wise. They can get it for me but I have to buy a minumum of 30 tons and have it shipped from Wi. to Ludington via the car ferry Badger. Thats a lot of $@!t
I bought 6 40lb bags from them and thanked them for their time.....

Why don't we have (Detrorganite) Detroit sewage in bags or by the ton. I guess Milwaukee, Wi. has been producing it since 1929.

30 TONS NOW THATS A LOT OF POOOO :0)
Gloria

Forsythia is very easy to propagate.
Take several branches and weigh them down so they are touching the soil. They will root themselves into the soil. When well rooted, snip the exposed stem and dig up and replanr.

Yep, that's a lot Gloria. Wonder if 30 tons would keep the deer away :}

Thanks Paul. I do have a few of those rooting as we speak. I'm trying to get a hedge going. The branchs that have not been eaten are layed down with a rock. I would like to propagate a hundred or so. I'm trying to research the propagation methods along with the cold/hot frames but have a few questions that I haven't found the answers to yet.

You can "stretch" that Milorganite. Deer have super noses so it doesn't take much to deter them. Just get a scoop and kind of broadcast it over your beds. Six bags should put enough down on your beds to keep the deer and rabbits from nibbling. There are other animals who nibble on plants too. Our neighbor across the road shot two porcupines who were chewing on his apple tree trunks. Nasty animals. One threw quills all over his dog and cost him a vet bill.