How To Propagate Houseplant?
It is relatively inexpensive and generally easy to find mature indoor plants, so why do people go through the trouble of trying to propagate them?
In general, plants are cheaper to propagate than to purchase, even at times when they are cheaper to purchase. This is also a very simple process.
Here we look at each of the propagation methods and how to choose the one that works best for you. It doesn’t matter if you’re increasing your own plant stock, giving them away to family and friends, or simply wanting to start fresh with your own version of an “old friend”, we will show you how to create elegant houseplants.
The Basics
The following are some basic rules to keep in mind when dealing with this topic:
- A cutting or a newly sprouted plant will typically require more attention than a fully grown one.
- It could be difficult to succeed if you neglect some aspect of your attempt, such as failing to keep the compost moist (or, on the other hand, making it too wet).
- You should always root using fresh compost (if you are using soil) or fresh water (if you are using water).
- The rooting hormone is a good way to increase your success rates, but is not essential.
- You should ensure that all of your equipment, from the cutting knife down to the container your plant will grow in, is clean.
- Also, do not expect to succeed 100% of the time, but equally, do not let failure discourage you from trying again.
Don’t forget the golden rule – all houseplants love to be propagated. There’s no need to try to force them into doing something they don’t want to do (unlike shoving your dog into the rain to do its business!) so don’t be afraid to give it a shot.
Propagation Equipment
Many people ask us if special equipment may be needed to ensure successful propagation. In the majority of circumstances, the most basic tools will suffice. The only tools you might need are some kitchen scissors (and some compost if your roots are in soil), and a small pot for your plant.
Having said that, you’re more likely to succeed if you use Rooting Hormone Powder and a heated propagating mat. The combination of these two things will cause roots to form much more quickly than if you let nature do its thing. In addition, both of them aren’t expensive, as you can easily buy them together for less than $20 / £15 easily.
The price of these things is really not worth it if you are only going to propagate one plant. Despite this, if you plan on doing it often (or have a fondness for gardening outdoors), they’re something to seriously consider because you’ll get your money’s worth in the long run.
If you are not certain, or this is a brand-new topic to you, please scroll down the page and choose a method that is most suitable for the plant you want to propagate. You can often propagate each houseplant through a number of different methods, so there are a number of choices.
Methods Of Propagation
Offsets
Plants will sometimes form offsets near the base of the plant, usually around the base of their roots. As with any method of removing a miniature plant, this can be tricky because you have to remove the offset carefully, so that as many of the new roots as possible are removed with the majority of the miniature plant. If the roots are too small, the “baby” will not survive.
Offsets growing near the base of the Urn Plant If you would like to attempt this, make sure you choose an offset that’s reasonably mature / large and has been growing for at least a few months. If it’s very small, wait a while until it grows larger. Once it is mature, use a sharp knife to ensure maximum accuracy, then pot into ordinary potting compost and treat as you would have the adult plant.
Plantlets
A plantlet appears at the end of a long flowering stem with some houseplants. They are basically miniature adult plants that can leave their parents and start living on their own once they have developed a reasonable amount of leaves and roots.
It’s easy to propagate both of these Spider Babies, even though one has more roots than the other. You just need to remove the plantlets and pot them up in a standard soil mix, water them well, and within a few weeks you will see new growth. This process is the most common way to propagate a houseplant, and the Spider plant is the most popular.
Stem and Cane Cuttings
Stem and cane cuttings can be used to propagate many houseplants. Pick non-flowering stems and take the cutting in the spring or summer if you are going to use a stem cutting.
After cuttings from the main plant have been inserted into the compost, they should be gently pressed into the soil. If you use cuttings from cacti or succulents, ensure that they are allowed to dry out for a few hours or a day, this helps to seal the raw “cut” and reduce the likelihood of rot setting in.
The Yucca Plant grows from a cane cutting. Cane cuttings are recommended in cases where the cane’s leaves have fallen off, the crown has died or the plant has a tall but leggy appearance that you wish to resolve by encouraging lower-growing shoots.
Cut the cane into pieces 2 to 3 inches long (how many canes you get per cane therefore depends on how long it is to begin with) and push it upright into the compost. It must be pointing upwards to mirror the way it grew when attached to the main plant.
Leaf Cuttings
A leaf needs to be gently pulled or cut from the stem, allowed to dry slightly (a few hours to a day) and then potted up in a free draining compost mix with the raw edge going in first.
Leaf Cuttings of Snake Plants Some plants, such as Sansevieria, have massive leaves, which, although they appear more drastic, can easily be cut into smaller pieces.
The best way to plant is in the direction of growth, keeping the majority of the leaf above ground to prevent rotting and to allow photosynthesis, which in turn creates new growth. The leaf only needs to be a few centimeters deep in the soil, just to provide a holding ground. Maintain a warm environment and water sparingly.
Seed Sowing
When propagating new house plants, seeds are usually the most affordable method and attain the best value (ask any outdoor gardener). There is the drawback, however, that very few indoor plants will bear seeds you can use for this.
A clear disadvantage is that it takes time for seeds to germinate and even more time for them to grow to a respectable size. It doesn’t hurt to try, and if you have some seeds from a house plant, there is nothing to lose in growing them from seed.
To encourage germination of seeds, use fresh compost and keep temperatures at the correct level. This kit will be incredibly useful if you cultivate your plants in a greenhouse or propagator. The seedlings, once they’ve germinated, must be protected because they’re so small that they’re prone to damage once they are exposed to the environment.
Layering
Almost all climbing house plants produce “runners” that produce stray, exploitative vines or stems that will grow into new soil if given a chance. When establishing new plants without taking the greater risk of a standard stem cutting, this is called “layering” and is an extremely reliable method of doing so. There are a few downsides, the most significant of which is that rooting takes quite some time, as well as the fact that the propagating happens right on top of the new growth, i.e. beside the parent.
Having selected your stem(s), pin them into the compost in a small pot by using a hairpin or some flexible wire. Ensure the stem is pushed slightly under the soil surface as roots must form when there is contact with the soil.
As the plant grows, the parent will continuously feed the stem until it has rooting. At this point, you will notice new growth and can cut the stem free of the parent to create a new, self-contained plant in the smaller pot.
Division
You can divide your houseplant if one of your plants grows too large or spreads so that it can be reduced in size and you can create new plants at the same time. It is possible to divide the plant into two, or even into several smaller “pieces” or “clumps” if you want to grow several plants at once.
Congested houseplants can be divided to create new ones. It is usually very simple to divide plants, as all you have to do is take out the pot and gently pull apart the roots. If we don’t remember that each “piece” or “clump” must have its own root ball, it will be easy for the plants to dry out.
While you may be able to do this outside with a spade, this is not recommended for plants indoors as they may not be accommodating of really rough treatment, so just use your hand (or a sharp knife if it’s too difficult) to do it.