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Has anyone ever tried to grow elderberry from cuttings, and if so, what is the preferred technique?
(In water,soil etc.)
I'm currently giving the backyard an overhaul,and I want an elderberry shrub too..

You're leaving it a bit late now, elder cuttings are best done in the autumn or late winter. When the tree is dormant cut a minimum of about 30cm/1 ft length to a node (nobbly bit the leaves grow from) at the top and bottom - so just above and below a bud. The top cut should be slanting so you know it is the top.
Put into a mix of sand and soil in a pot or a vermiculite mix. Water from the base (i.e. water the tray the pot is on, not the pot) three to a pot, pop in a cold frame over winter. Alternatively cut a length in the same way and push it in where you want it to grow.

You could try now but it might not take.

Might be worth a bash if you are very quick Scrap, I stuck some trimmings from my summer rasps in the ground with some water last week and noticed (when I accidently pulled one out!) that there were already little roots forming.

I know elder is a different species, but it is very hardy and this time of year everything just wants to grow!

Certainly worth a bash. Take the cuttings as per Dave and stick 'em in a pot. My experience with elder is that it's difficult to stop it rooting and growing. I've cut them down to the ground before now and, lo and behold, a few weeks later they're throwing up shoots again. They're tough buggers. Do you realise what you're letting yourself in for?

Mike

Thanks all,I'll just give it a go then

@Mike
So far I've had experience with grapevines,fig trees,Fatsia Japonica,bamboo and Hedera.
I prefer the machete-pruning technique,and anything that refuses to stay down can expect to get his rootstem split with a few strips of copper,topped with vinegar every week...

Most of the new fruits and berries will be planted in a raised border,lined with large rectanggular plastic cement tubs,so digging out old roots isn't going to be that hard.

Many thanks y'all,truly appreciated
Frank

I just gave it a go, and took two 2 feet cuttings.
One was plunked in a bottle of water with a little rooting powder,and the other I just shoved in the plant-border.
The one in the bottle is already showing signs of sprouting roots.
The big surprise was the cutting I had placed in the border.
After a couple of hours it hung there limply,And I was positive it was withering.
The next day it had raised up it's leaves again,and it looks like it's growing as normal.

Tough stuff indeed,Bonniethomas06

for anything thats difficult to propagate,or maybe the time of year isn't right, try air-layering. Best wishes.

Thanks Oldjerry.

Did a quick WiKi on the air-layering method.
Doesn't look complicated,it's one to remember for sure.


BTW, both cuttings are still looking healthy and at it.

I'm having a giggle at this because I have so many of the darn things springing up all over the place from seeds via bird droppings. Very irritating when they get lodged in amongst stone steps or under your rose bushes - also have the same problem with walnuts coming up through roses (though that is down to the pesky red squirrels).

If they don't work I can send you some seeds - well they are currently in the freezer as fruit but they at least have had their period of 'cold'.

I bought soome American Elder seeds the other day, apparently they flower and fruit later so you get a longer picking period with a mix. ( As recom by Martin Crawford!)

Millymollymandy wrote: If they don't work I can send you some seeds - well they are currently in the freezer as fruit but they at least have had their period of 'cold'.

Thanks for the offer,but I wanted to start with something more substantial than seedlings.
(That border looks way too empty now... )
But uhm... don't elder seeds need to pass trough a (bird's) digestive system in order to germinate properly?

"Package from France...what's that smell,you ordered cheese or something?"
"Uhm...,no, Sir?''


@ Boboff
Is this the one you got?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sambucus_canadensis

Even worse, we had some in crumble yesterday so they are currently passing through my digestive tract!

...You are not getting my address.

hee hee, don't worry they have been and gone. Oh hang on, I had more crumble last night and there's enough for a couple more days....... *evil grin*

Well,if you do a strict crumble diet for a couple of weeks you could start an online shop,
selling elderberry starter kits.