Take Cuttings From These 7 Outdoor Plants Before September Ends & Thank Us Later

For many plants, growing season is starting to wrap up. The first frost is on its way, and your spring and summer plants are probably preparing to enter their dormant stages (or move to the greenhouse for the rest of the year). Before that happens, though, it's a good idea to take cuttings from some of your plants in September.

Not all plants are hardy enough to survive the winter, but that doesn't mean you need to resort to buying brand new ones every year. Cuttings are more compact to overwinter, and can save you a trip to the nursery next spring. Even if you're mostly dealing with perennial plants, taking a few cuttings means you can have an even fuller garden for free.

From fuchsias to hydrangeas, we've compiled seven plants that you should consider propagating now for a bigger garden next year. In fact, September might be your last chance to do so before your plants go dormant or are no longer suitable for cuttings. Plus, each of these plants are easier to propagate than you might think (many of them even made our list of 20 gorgeous plants you can propagate from cuttings).

Geraniums (Pelargonium spp.) are perennials, but you'll need to carefully overwinter them inside to help them survive until next spring. Taking cuttings not only gives you a bigger selection of flowers to plant next year, but also ensures you have spare plants to replace any full-sized ones that don't survive. Take a cutting that is at least 4 inches long, and snip below a node. Plant your propagation in soil, and you'll have a fully grown plant that's ready to bloom by springtime.

Fuchsias are known for being easy to propagate. Before fall frost sets in and the weather gets cold, take a cutting or two from your fuchsia. These propagations can be used to fill out your hanging baskets or as new plants for your garden next year. Simply snip a section from a stem that is at least 5 inches long. You can start the cutting in water so you can see its roots grow, or place it directly in soil. Remove the cutting's bottommost leaves before planting it. Need somewhere to put all these cute little cuttings? Why not create a DIY propagation station out of an egg carton for a sustainable option?

If you haven't yet propagated your camellia, there's still time. These plants are best propagated between late summer and fall, ideally just before their stems harden in mid-autumn. Cut off a section of stem that is at least 4 inches long with no flowers. Each cutting should have a brown stem that is still flexible. Strip the bottom leaves and a small section of bark at the base of the stem to help the new roots grow. Your cuttings will take a couple of years to flower.

During the summer, you might have been more focused on taking lavender (Lavendula spp.) for drying instead of propagating, but September is a good time to take a few cuttings. It's best to take lavender cuttings during their growth season, which is over after September; you got to enjoy your plants' blooms all summer, but can still propagate more before next year. Take at least a 4-inch cutting with nodes. Strip your cutting of leaves so it's ready to plant in fresh soil.

It's not recommended to grow hydrangeas from seed, so if you don't want to spend money on a potted plant, it's time to get propagating. While these plants are also great to propagate during spring, September is your last chance to do so before they turn to hardwood. Look for younger growth that is still bendable, and cut off at least 4 inches to plant in soil. The roots can take some time to develop, and it will could be up to two months before they're ready to repot after the roots are formed.

There's no guarantee that your verbena plant can survive the winter, which is why it's grown as an annual in most areas of the United States. Take your cuttings before the first frost arrives, so you can rest assured that you'll get to enjoy its fresh scent the next year. September is generally going to be your last opportunity to grab a softwood cutting of your verbena, so make sure all the cuttings you want are in soil before the end of the month.

The butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii), named for its ability to attract pollinators, so you can really never have too many of them in your garden. September is your last chance to take your butterfly bush cuttings, and, once planted, they'll likely root in under two months. Take a cutting of at least 4 inches with no flowers. If you take your cutting before October, it will be ready to plant in your garden next year.