'As well as making new plants, taking cuttings keeps existing ones neat and woody varieties productive without a lot of bare stems in their center,' says Ruth Hayes, gardening editor for Homes & Gardens. 'Another bonus is that the young plants you propagate can be used  to replace old, overgrown and unproductive ones.
'Also, in the midst of winter, a stagger through the elements to snip a few herbs from your garden to throw in a recipe isn’t an inviting prospect, so having a few cuttings that you can grow on close to the kitchen door is a bonus.'