- 1). Choose a healthy 4- to 6-inch side shoot from a bay tree in early spring right after new growth begins. Take the cutting by tearing the shoot off of its parent branch, pulling away from the tip of the parent branch. A bit of bark will come off during this tearing. Alternatively, cut into the parent branch to remove the cutting. This is called a heel cut and will help the cutting root more easily.
- 2). Strip the leaves from the bottom part of the cutting, leaving at least two to four leaves toward the top. Dip the base of the cutting into a rooting hormone, following the directions on the package.
- 3). Fill a small pot with a clean mixture of 1/2 sand and 1/2 peat. Stick 1/3 of the cutting into the soil, including two or three nodes out of which new roots will grow. The nodes look like small swellings on the stem; they are where the leaves were once attached. Press the soil down around the base of the cutting to give it support.
- 4). Water the cutting deeply and thoroughly and place a plastic bag over the top to increase humidity. Place the cutting in a warm, dark area. To increase your chances of rooting, place a heating pad or heated propagator underneath the plant during the day.
- 5). Check the soil daily and add water when necessary. The soil should be damp but not soaking wet in order for the cutting to root.
- 6). Transplant the cutting into a larger pot when it starts to grow on its own and nurture it until it is strong enough to plant outside. The cutting may root in as little as six weeks, but can take up to a year.
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