I've always used the tip, with the eventual roots at the 3rd or 4th nodes. Not tried to take cuttings except in spring.

Assuming you're propagating from a bush on your own property, you might like layering. That is when you bend a branch so that part of it is contacting the soil and hold it in place with a brick, rock, or u-stakes, with the growth tip sticking out. Once in a while, pick up the brick and see if there are any roots growing yet. When you decide it's ready, snip the branch away from the mama, shovel up the new root ball, place in new home. The ones I start early in the spring make roots much sooner (ready to be relocated in about a month) than branches pinned later after the flowers come out. If the branch isn't long enough for that, try pinning it to a pot of soil next to the bush.

The pics should give you a ton of ideas for this plant and more.

Here is a link that might be useful: google search of layering propagation images

Thank you for your response Purpleinopp. I also have had success with layering. And yes, it is much faster and success is greater. I use landscaping pins to hold the branches down. But I'm hoping for about 25 cuttings and I don't see that many coming from layering.
Thanks again!
Jm

You're welcome. I hope someone with knowledge/experience with taking the kind of non-tip cuttings you asked about will chime in.

Hydrangea are one of the easiest to start from cuttings. I do not bother with using a cutting mix, but start directly in a well drained(no peat)potting mix. I start all summer without bothering to tent the cuttings. Tip cuttings are easier because the leaves are smaller and the tip growth remains. If you don't use the tip, new growth will need to start from the buds in the leaf axis. The leaves are so large they will need to be cut to no more than about an inch. I like no more than two leaves. During the summer just keeping them in the shade is enough, in the winter young starts will need to be moved into the greenhouse, kept above 50 degrees. Al

The only problem I can see with rooting now is that you will cut off next year's blooms. Hydrangea bloom on old wood, so if they have already set buds you will lose those blooms next year. The forsythe method works well for me tho.

Here's a link:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/propa/msg0910334716621.html?6

Hope this helps,
Linda

I did do some cuttings today of paniculatas so no concern about removing next year's blooms. So now my next question is what do I do with them when frost threatens? Do I leave them outside and let them go dormant or do I bring them into the garage? Thanks again for your replies!
Jm

I don't like to start deciduous cuttings this late in the year, as they will be going dormant before roots are well established, and they may not survive. Al

Hey all!
I was wondering if anyone has done air layering on hydrangeas? I have done it on a number of different bushes and shrubs and have had great success. I have a number of bushes that will be ripped out in the coming years for a renovation and am hoping to get as many bushes out of them as possible prior to that point. (so i don't mind air layering and then having to cut apart the parent plant..... Any thoughts?

Here is a link that might be useful: Envi Sci and FshyPlnts