16 Plants To Propagate In The Fall For Double The Blooms

When the fall months arrive, you're probably thinking about putting your garden to bed for the winter. Many of the flowers and crops are done growing for the year, but your work in the garden doesn't need to be paused just yet. Save yourself a trip to the garden center (and a lot of cash) by propagating flowering plants, bushes, and bulbs in the fall. You'll get more blooms next year without buying more seedlings from the store. Plants that you can propagate in autumn will either be set to establish themselves in the ground over the cooler months, or be ready to plant out in the spring.

The primary ways you can propagate plants in fall are via cuttings, sowing seeds direct, and division. Some plants absolutely love being divided or sown by seed during fall. Others can be propagated by cuttings at various times of the year, but fall isn't too late to do some last-minute propagation and provide yourself with free plants.

Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) is a deciduous shrub that produces colorful flowers. Bloom colors include pink, purple, blue, and white, and the bushes can grow between 6 and 12 feet high and 4 to 15 feet wide, so this shrub can make a big impression in your garden. Butterfly bush is grown as a perennial in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, however, it's considered an invasive species in many areas, particularly along the east and west coasts. Determine if it's invasive in your area before propagating it.

Late summer or early fall is an ideal time to propagate your butterfly bush through cuttings. Choose a stem without flowers, and leave just two to three upper leaves, removing the rest of the foliage from the shoot. The cutting should be between 4 and 6 inches long. To encourage the shoot to grow new roots, place it in moist compost, ensuring it stays warm and moist indoors through the winter. It'll be ready to plant outdoors in the spring.

Salvia is a group of flowering plants that includes several different species and cultivars, including the various types of sage. It's possible to prune salvia for endless blooms all summer, but you can also get more of the tubular flowers from your plants by taking cuttings in the fall. Semi-ripe cuttings are optimal in autumn, while softwood stems allow for spring and early summer propagation.

Firm side shoots are ideal for propagating salvia via cuttings. Aim for a piece that's 3 to 4 inches with the lower leaves and flower buds pinched off the stem. Root the cuttings in equal parts perlite and peat-free compost — rooting hormone isn't usually necessary since salvia roots well on its own. Water the cuttings, and use a clear plastic bag to retain the moisture. The salvia cuttings need a spot to overwinter where they won't be exposed to frost.

When you think of poppies (Papaveraceae), you probably picture a distinct ornamental garden flower, but the family includes over 760 species. A few recognizable options include the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), common or corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas), and Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale). No matter which variety you plant, the best method of propagation is growing poppies from seed to fill your yard with blooms. Sowing the seeds late in fall lets them go through freezing and thawing cycles — a key to effective germination.

Seed pods form on poppies once the flowers are done blooming — usually in the late spring or summer. Hold off on collecting the pods until they're dry — if you hear a rattle in the pods, they're dry. Save them in a paper bag or another container that keeps them dry until fall. Shake the pods over the ground to sow the seeds. Daily watering until the seedlings show helps the poppies grow. And if you didn't think to save seed from previous poppy plants, simply sow store-bought seeds in fall, following the same method. 

Another flowering plant that's easy to propagate in the fall via seeds is the columbine (Aquilegia), ideal for hardiness zones 3 to 9. They don't typically perform as well when sown in the spring, and propagating through division can be tough going. Bell-shaped flowers offer a distinct look in your garden, and there are many species suited to different growing conditions and in a variety of hues. They grow well in shade and help bring bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to your yard, so it's natural to want to spread the flowers throughout your landscape.

Fall is the ideal time to direct sow columbine flower seeds for gorgeous blooms — calculate the date that's six to eight weeks before the first expected frost for your location. After sprinkling the seeds over moist earth, place a light layer of soil over them. The new columbine plants should flower in the second year.

The allium genus includes a variety of onion-like plants, including some species that are purely ornamental, suitable for zones 4 to 9. They're recognizable by large rounded clusters of purplish flowers atop long stems, which bloom in late spring and continue into the summer months.  Different allium varieties grow to different heights, typically ranging between 1 to 3 feet tall.

Allium plants may eventually stop blooming when they're ready to be divided. Propagating them through division not only gives you more blooms but also helps keep your existing plants strong and healthy. The very best time to plant allium bulbs in your garden is in the fall. After a few years of growth, the allium bulbs will create smaller bulbs or offsets, which you can separate and replant. It's helpful to mark your allium plants since the foliage may be gone by the time you want to divide the bulbs in the fall. Allium bulbs should be planted after the first frost but before the soil freezes for the winter.

Dogwoods (Cornus spp.) include anywhere from 30 to 60 species of both trees and woody shrubs, giving you variety in your landscape for uses including screens, individual plants, and accents along borders. While flowering dogwood trees are popular, there are also a variety of dogwood shrubs that add attractive displays throughout the year. Once the spring flowers fade, the bushes grow attractive fruit and foliage during the summer months, leading into brilliant fall leaf hues, typically red. Some varieties also display reddish bark.

Fall propagation works best with woody stems from first-year growth. Place the cuttings in a mixture of sand and soil that you keep moist. By the following spring, the cuttings typically display buds and leaves. Placing a bag over the cuttings protects the moisture levels. 

With roughly 100 species, the fuchsia genus offers a range of options that fit various climates and growing conditions, but they're typically identifiable by the downward-facing, bell-like flowers. Blooms usually appear from spring into fall, although hot summers can slow the flower growth. A common option that you'll find in landscapes is lady's eardrops (Fuchsia x hybrida) — it usually reaches 1.5 to 3 feet tall with a spread of 1 to 2 feet. If you want more fuchsia blooms next year, propagating through cuttings helps you achieve that.

While you can propagate fuchsia with seeds, cuttings are typically easier and more successful, especially for hybrids. It's possible to take cuttings in both spring and fall — spring cuttings may root more rapidly, but both seasons are good options. For late autumn cuttings, look for woody stems covered in brown bark — green stems could rot in winter weather conditions. Cut a 4-inch stem beneath a pair of leaves, and pinch off all of the leaves on the lower portion so only the top two pairs remain. Place the cuttings so half of the stems are in the rooting compost, and overwinter them in a frost-free area.

Deciduous hydrangea bushes grow distinct clusters of brightly colored flowers typically in hues of blue, pink, or white, depending on the soil pH, and are winter hardy in zones 3 to 9. These shade-loving perennials appreciate rich, well-drained but consistently moist soil. They can grow several feet high with minimal care under those preferred growing conditions

While you can take softwood cuttings in late spring or early summer, it's not too late to take semi-ripe cuttings in early fall or hardwood cuttings in late fall. The fall options may take longer to root than softwood cuttings, but gardeners often have a little more time in the fall for propagation. Take a 4- to 6-inch cutting from a non-flowering stem, if possible, and get rid of the bottom leaves that are growing from the lower leaf nodes. Dip your cut edge into a rooting hormone if you're using it. Place the cutting deep enough in the rooting medium to cover the exposed lower leaf nodes. Keep the soil moist, covering it with plastic to help retain moisture. The cuttings should root in about four to six weeks.

Camellias are a type of flowering perennial shrub, ideal for partial shade areas. The most common option you'll find is the Japanese camellia (Camellia japonica) — it's an evergreen shrub that typically grows 6 to 12 feet high and 6 to 10 feet wide. It's suitable for zones 7 to 9. For privacy, camellias are used as hedges and screens, but they also work well as foundation plantings and accent plants.

Propagation through cuttings is an effective way to add more camellias to your landscape. Semi-ripe cuttings are an option in mid to late summer. If you wait until fall, you can take hardwood cuttings clear into late winter. Cut off a stem tip that's about 3 to 4 inches long, leaving two or three leaves at the top. After dipping the cut end in rooting hormone powder, place it in the rooting medium about 1 inch deep. High humidity, shelter from the wind, and soil warmth (between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter provide ideal rooting conditions. Cuttings can take three months or longer for it to root.

Viburnum is another flowering shrub that produces fragrant, showy blooms often with green foliage as the backdrop. However, there are several varieties, including both deciduous and evergreen shrubs, that range in size, foliage color, and flower appearance. Most viburnum options are versatile, growing well in a range of soil types and a mix of sun levels. Because of the dense growth, viburnum can be used as a screen or hedge — and propagating the shrubs through cuttings can help you expand the living privacy structure affordably.

For autumn propagation, choose semi-ripe or hardwood cuttings from the shrub. Semi-ripe cuttings work from mid-summer to autumn. As it gets later in the fall and the shrub's leaves are gone, hardwood cuttings are suitable. Cut a section about 10 inches long and about as thick as a pencil. Pinch off the lower leaves of the cutting. Apply rooting hormone to the end, and use a mixture of sand and peat as the rooting medium. A peat and perlite mixture also works.

Most people can easily spot an iris when they see it, despite there being thousands of cultivars that come in many different colors and flower shapes. To enlarge your iris bed, division is a common propagation method, particularly for types that form clumps or grow from rhizomes. The plants continue to develop additional rhizomes, which can cause crowding. Eventually, they can stop producing more rhizomes, and you'll notice the irises aren't blooming or growing well.

Dividing the plants every three to five years helps them continue growing well without becoming crowded. Waiting until the flowers go dormant is essential to minimize the risk of bacterial soft rot. That typically means late summer is a great time to divide the clumps. However, if you miss the earlier window for dividing iris plants, you can still add it to your list of fall care tasks for irises that will keep them healthy all year long. Get rid of the older rhizomes that aren't healthy or no longer push out flowers, and replant the smaller, new rhizomes, allowing the tops to remain exposed.

Often grown as annuals, zonal geraniums are usually only hardy in zones 10 and 11. However, you can keep these colorful blooming plants going year after year by taking cuttings in the fall rather than buying new plants each spring. The cuttings take up less space than moving the entire plant indoors for overwintering. 

Cuttings from Pelargonium geraniums are flexible — softwood cuttings are possible from spring through fall. Look for newer, softer growth rather than the woody stems. Cut a section that's 3 to 4 inches long, and remove the lower leaves. Add a little rooting hormone if desired, and place the cut end into moist soil. You can also use vermiculite or combine some perlite with sphagnum peat moss for the rooting medium. Adding a dome over the cuttings can also help. The cuttings need six to eight weeks to root and should stay indoors in a sunny spot until you plant them outdoors in spring.

Known as a flowering shrub that's easy to grow, forsythia (Forsythia spp.) is available in a variety of cultivars that can range from 2 to 10 feet tall and 2 to 12 feet wide. Early spring yellow blooms are the hallmark of this shrub, which you can plant individually, in groups, or as a screen in your yard. The flowers actually bloom before the leaves pop on these deciduous bushes. Forsythia grows rapidly, allowing you to add height and color to your landscape easily.

Cuttings offer an effective way to expand your forsythia screen or introduce new groupings without spending more money. You can take cuttings from late spring through winter — until early summer, take softwood cuttings. Semi-ripe cuttings are suitable for summer to early autumn, and hardwood cuttings are an option from mid-autumn to winter. Wait until the shrubs drop their leaves to take hardwood cuttings. Since hardwood cuttings take longer to root, you'll want to wait to plant them out for a year until next fall.

Lavender (Lavandula) is a widely recognized aromatic perennial with tiny purplish blooms that grow in clumps in the summer. There are many brilliant ways you can use lavender from the garden around your house, including scented oils, drawer sachets, and wreaths, which makes it a popular addition to the garden. It's possible to propagate lavender using seed, but cuttings and layering are faster methods. Instead of buying young specimens from the garden center, you can propagate the lavender plants you already have during fall.

Lavender is a flowering plant that you can propagate in early spring using softwood cuttings, but late summer and early fall give you another opportunity for propagation by taking semi-hardwood cuttings. Choose a plant that's at least 2 to 3 years old for your cuttings, and snip a semi-hardwood section below a leaf node. Remove the leaves from the bottom third of the cutting, allowing the leaves at the top end to remain. Place a 2 to 3 inch cutting about 1 inch deep in sandy soil, keeping it moist until roots grow.

Beardtongue (Penstemon) is a low-maintenance border plant that comes alive with bright, tubular blooms in the summer and into fall. These flowering plants love a sunny spot with well-draining soil and are readily available at garden centers. However, you can save yourself money and double the penstemon blooms in your yard by taking cuttings in the fall. 

For this flowering plant, cut a 2 to 4 inch section from a semi-ripe, non-flowering stem, being sure to cut below a node. Then, remove the lower leaves from the cutting to expose one or two node pairs. You can use rooting hormone powder on the cut before placing the cutting in 3 to 5 inches of a mix of sand, perlite, and vermiculite. Let the cuttings root in a warm, humid area with good air circulation until roots develop, when you can then repot them in a soil mix until they're ready to plant outdoors.

Hardy in zones 3 to 9, coneflowers (Echinacea) are easily identifiable based on the large, prickly centers of the ray flowers, with petals that grow downward. Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is a common option, producing pink-purple flowers from early summer to mid-fall on perennial plants that can grow 3 to 4 feet tall. When left to grow on its own, coneflowers can become overcrowded.

Collecting and planting seeds is one budget-friendly trick to grow more coneflowers every year, but you can also divide the plants during fall to prevent crowding. Wait to divide until late fall, after the plant is done flowering. After digging up the root ball, cut the clump in half, ensuring each section has at least 3 inches of roots. Replant the coneflower and water it well.