1. Wait until the early spring after the shrub has experienced its first flush of newly grown shoots.

2. Make sure the shrub is free of disease and has been acclimated to proper environmental conditions.

3. Select a freshly grown lateral shoot as the cutting. Take a terminal cutting at about 10-15 cm with a sharp, sanitized edge. Make the cut slightly below a node, and remove the bottom leaves, leaving two or three leaves at the top. To maximize turgor, take the cutting in the early morning and temporarily store it in an opaque container, free from sunlight exposure.

4. Prepare the media, ideally a washed sandy soil. The media should have good drainage characteristics.

5. Dip the cutting in a talc based IBA. 1500-3000 ppm Hormodin works well for this and can be purchased at your local garden supplier.

6. Place the cutting in the soil about 4 cm deep. Compact the area around the base to ensure stability.

7. Water in the media and allow for sufficient drainage.

8. Once the cutting is in place, use direct contact techniques with a polyethylene film. Wrap in in the film to minimize water loss from evaporation. Misting and fogging systems work well for this too, if applicable. Remove the film on humid, foggy days and routinely check for pests and dryness.

9. The cutting should root in about 7 weeks. Once rooting takes place, transplant the new plant to a new potting media which can be bought from your local garden supplier. Maintain the polyethylene cover, removing it on cloudy humid days to harden it off. When 3-5 successive cloudy days persist where cover is not necessary, your new lilac will be ready to be added to your landscape.