cuttings from heliotropes

[leona]

i lost a couple of plants over the winter so want to make sure there is no risk of it again this year. i wandered what is the best time, part of the plant etc for cuttings.
thanks

[PAULW]

Heliotropes may be propagated either from seed, or, as commonly, by means of cuttings of young growths taken an inch or two in length. Cuttings when sufficiently ripened, are struck in spring or during the summer months; when rooted they should be potted singly into small pots, using as a compost fibry loam, sandy peat and well-decomposed stable manure from an old hotbed. The plants soon require to be shifted into a pot a size larger. To secure early-flowering plants, cuttings should be struck in August, potted off before winter sets in, and kept in a warm greenhouse. In the spring larger pots should be given, and the plants shortened back to make them bushy. They require frequent shiftings during the summer, to induce them to bloom freely.

[leona]

thanks so the fresh green bits rather than old wood stuff. bit specific the potting medium, will multi perpose compost do? il add grit for the initial cuttings but once rooted i mean.

[nick the grief]

Multi purpose will be fine with either Sharp sand, Vermiculite or perlite added about 50:50 and yes it's the soft new groth you're looking for just like Fuchsia's