When we moved here, this was the size of a sleeping cat and covered in flowers in season. Now, 23 years later, it's the size of a Shetland pony, and straggly and hardly flowers at all. I think this is lack of light, we let the shrubs to the west grow huge because of an incredibly nosy neighbour. I have taken cuttings with a heel, some in compost, some in water, too soon to know if any luck. I saw one berry on it today; what is the best time and method to try germinating it, please? I can't find anything in my books, or here, and I'd quite like to keep a form of this shrub, as the scent is wonderful. Any other thoughts on the propagation of Daphnes? Would cutting this one back hard rejuvenate it, or kill it? I'd rather have a back-up plant before I do anything rash, hence the cuttings. My garden is really small, and plants have to merit their space, which this is no longer doing. I bet something eats the berry before I can get to it. Thank you!
We root them from softwood cutting, taken just after bloom, under mist. I haven't been able to grow D. retusa from seed, but have had success with D. tangutica (sometimes listed as D. retusa var. tangutica). Collected the berries when ripe, sowed in flats, left outside for the winter, some germinated the following spring. I have cut back Daphnes fairly hard, right when they are pushing new growth, with great success.
Mist propagation isn't really possible on a kitchen window sill, but at least I was right about the softwood cuttings. I'll just have to see how it goes. Not all the leaves have fallen off yet. So I'll cut it back when it's really annoying me. All at once, or in thirds as for rejuvenating other shrubs? And I'll put the seeds somewhere where the cat won't knock them over. Thank you for confirming that I was more or less on the right lines.
