Many plants can be propagated from cuttings, rooted in soil or water. With so many propagating methods to try, you’ll likely spend a lot of time at your propagating station. Keep surfaces tidy to prevent pests from settling in and make sure you clean your tools frequently. Whenever you feel the urge, head over to the station to get growing.

Set up your station

A dedicated space to propagate, whether kept indoors or out, can make the process much quicker and more exciting.

Testing

Slip cuttings of cacti into a test tube so that the node of the shoot is lightly in contact with the water. In a few weeks, roots will grow from the node. When the roots have grown in size and strengthened, transfer the cutting to the soil.

Ways to propagate

Choose a shoot about 5-10 cm long that looks healthy. Cut from the mother plant above the node. Shorten the cutting to the next node to provide a good basis for the formation of roots. A good cutting should have two or three leaves, depending on the plant. The lowest leaves can be removed so they do not rot under the soil or water. Do not cut flowering shoots (or simply remove the flowers), so that the cutting does not use its strength for flower growth but for rooting.

Double your stock instantly by dividing. This is especially suitable for plants that form a lot of side shoots. When dividing a houseplant, remove it from the pot, cut and divide the roots with a sharp knife. Plant the divisions to the former depth in new soil.

Propagating plants

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Air Plants

Tillandsias, one of the most popular air plants, make pups at the base of the mother plant after flowering. The new plant can be detached from the mother plant after developing roots to grow on its own.

Succulents

Succulents are incredibly easy to propagate. Simply remove a couple of leaves, allow the ends to dry out for a few days, and lay on top of the succulent soil mix. Within a few weeks, you should see plantlets forming at the base.

 

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A version of this article was originally published in the Garden&Home January 2023 printed magazine.

Feature image: Unsplash