It’s an old gardener’s cheat. Buy one plant and propagate it via slips so you have three or four.
Well, not only is it too cold to put things out, but frankly, prices have skyrocketed. So I’ve resorted to an old trick of fast propagation via slips. I’m using the delay in setting out to propagate some plants that have become leggy, waiting.
You cut your slip at a bit of an angle. Dip them in rooting hormone and plant them in some seed starting mix. With many species, roots will start to develop within days.
I’m doing this with impatiens, thurnbergia, lantana, and one or two others. When the climate is agreeable to put things out, I’ll have at least three or four plants to set out for the one I bought.
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That’s not cheating, Lou! That is smart gardening.
I’m no gardener, but even I know there ain’t no such thing as cheating in gardening — it’s more like fighting fire with fire! Husband has propagated some plants (he also lets some things go to seed then collects, dries and plants those), and others propagate lilac slips, but I have at least split a hosta and then more, and then more, and now one initially-expensive-at-the-time plant rings our house pretty well.
If I remember correctly, you are here in New England…we’re a crafty bunch of thrifty gardeners here.