Other articles by John P. Begeman:

: Mother Nature dials up the heat in May : Only tough plants can handle summer sun : Bulb plants brighten spring and summer Searching for perfect tomatoes? Grow 'em: Get a jump on summer with heat-tolerant flowers : Get some great ideas from tour Saturday Early spring insect pests now abundant Gardening By John P. Begeman: March outside and start plantingGardening By John P. Begeman: Well-suited to desert: That's agave: Lift a glass to local wines

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Starting new plants from cuttings is one of the easiest and least expensive ways of obtaining new landscape plants.

During the monsoon season, both softwood and semi-hardwood cuttings are available from many types of shrubs and ground-cover plants. Softwood cuttings are taken from new growth spurts that come with summer rains. They are generally green and pliable. Semi-hardwood cuttings are taken from the current year's growth. They snap like green beans when bent.

Regardless of the type, take cuttings in early morning. Remove the 4 to 6 inches of the stem ends with a sharp knife or hand pruners. Cut vigorous stem ends free of flowers. If that's not possible, trim off flowers or flower buds, as they draw energy away from new root and shoot formation. Immediately place the cuttings in a bucket of cool water to keep them moist.

Prior to "sticking" cuttings in rooting media, remove the leaves from the lower half of the stem. If the cuttings are from large-leafed shrubs, such as hibiscus, cut the remaining leaves in half to reduce moisture loss.

Cuttings are best rooted in perlite, vermiculite or a light-weight potting soil. Any tray or container that's deep enough to hold the cutting upright can be used. The bottom portion of the cutting will be inserted into the media. Be sure at least one leaf node (where the leaf previously attached to the stem) is inserted into the media. Roots will form from these nodes, the cut end or both.

Some species of plants are more difficult to root than others. So it's good to apply a root-promoting hormone, available at most garden centers, to the cuttings.

Do not stick cuttings directly into the jar of rooting hormone — this contaminates the supply for later use. Just place a small amount of hormone powder in a paper cup. Stick the cuttings in the hormone powder, covering the portion of the stem you previously stripped of leaves. Discard any leftover powder.

Moisten the rooting media prior to inserting your cuttings. Keep the media moist at all times. A gentle spray of water from a misting bottle is best.

Finally, locate the cuttings in a shaded location, covering with a clear plastic tent to hold in moisture. Gently tug cuttings every week or two to test for new root formation.