How to Propagate Plants
Easy on the Wallet: There are so many ways in which plants are unlike us, and thank goodness for that. Imagine if we, wanting to make clones of ourselves, needed to cut a limb just below a joint to grow a whole new human? And yet that’s exactly what happens in the case of plants. Unlike seeds, which may or may not grow true to their original, propagated plants are exact duplicates of their mother plant. And all it takes to propagate are scissors or clippers, water or soil, and, if wanted, powdered or liquid rooting hormone. –Propagation may just be the cheapest and easiest of all aspects of gardening. It’s hard, after all, to beat an activity that takes only a few minutes and nearly zero dollars. Plus, it’s also very, very close to magic.
When to Propagate: Late September is an absolute opportune time to make plants for free. Why? Because for many plants, propagation takes best via semi-hardwood cuttings. These are stems that are partially mature, with a woodier base and soft, greener tips. Late summer and early Fall have plants in just such a state a-plenty.
How Exactly to Cut a Cutting: So you’ve gathered your clippers and you’re outside. Now where exactly do you make the cut? First find a plant in a semi-hardwood state. Avoiding the woody base, travel up the length of the stem until you encounter branching stems that have lost their brown woodiness. Follow that stem out until you come to the first set of leaves. All leaves on plants emerge from leaf nodes. Prior to leafing out, these nodes both look and feel like small bulges. When cutting, snip just below a leaf node, being careful not to nick the node. The roots will sprout from leaf nodes that are below the soil line if planting in soil, or the water line if in a vase. If you leave stem on the plant below the bottom-most node it’s not the end of the world, but it won’t root there and essentially only acts as a possible entry point for fungus and bacterial disease. Snipping off just below the node takes away that risk.
I’ve Snipped my Cutting: Now What? Once you have your cuttings (take cuttings from non-flowering stems), slip them immediately into a plastic bag or container. Once a plant is cut it immediately starts to lose moisture. Sealing it inside a container or bag helps the cutting hold onto its water reserves until you can plant it. After you’ve collected your cuttings, it’s time to plant. Many plants will root absolutely successfully in water. Others do better in soil from the beginning. Most all will do best to eventually be planted in soil, even if they have first rooted in water, as transplanting can cause some plants undo stress. The choice is up to you: part of the fun of gardening and plant care is curiousity and experimentation: seeing what works. If you’d like to try the zero-dollars water-propagation method, give it a whirl! If after a few weeks there are no roots to be seen, you can always take another cutting and plant it in soil.
Whether rooting in water or soil, you want to give the plant the absolutely best chance of putting its resources and energy where they are needed most: making roots. To that end, strip off all leaves except for a few at the top. This alleviates the plant’s burden of sending energy and nutrition there.
Choosing Water: If you choose to root in water, simply place your cutting in a clear or colored glass container so that the node/nodes you would like to root are below the water line. Change the water every 2-3 days to replenish the oxygen supply and help stop any bacteria from getting a foothold. Water rooting is immensely satisfying, as it’s so simple to watch the roots appear. It may take a few days to even weeks for roots to emerge (different plants will have different rooting speeds) so patience is key. But you will soon be rewarded. Wait until the roots are at least 1-1.5” before transplanting in peat-free potting soil.
Benefits of Soil: The primary benefit of rooting in soil lies in avoiding any transplanting shock and stress that can occur. This is a significant benefit, as a wide range of plants are quite sensitive to transplantation. Unless growing in a clear-sided pot, you won’t have the immediate satisfaction of watching the roots emerge and grow, but the plant will let you know when it has rooted, anyway: if you see new growth on your cutting, your plant has rooted.
Solo, or with friends? Should you root one cutting per jar or pot? For cuttings in water, I’ve found that one plant per container works best, as the delicate young roots of multiple plants can become easily entangled, leading to even greater chance of root injury or stress when later transplanting into soil. For soil-rooted cuttings, using a square container, simply place one cutting into the soil (covering the leaf node/nodes) at each corner of the pot. If using a circular pot, just place 2-4 cuttings equally spaced along the edges of the pot. In both cases the pot’s edge acts as support for the growing cutting.
What About that Rooting Hormone? Using rooting hormone is not necessary. But it does give cuttings potted in soil extra oomph and verve to root well. Everyone seems to have their favorite, but for me powdered root hormone takes the cake: just dip the end of your cutting into the powder and then directly into the soil. The powder clings well to the cutting, which is key. That’s it: In this complex world, isn’t it nice to have something so easy?
Water your soil-planted cuttings immediately. Covering the potted cuttings with a plastic bag (placing the bag over the plant and the pot, both, and securing with twine or a rubber band) is an ideal way to help retain moisture in the soil, aiding healthy rooting. Just poke a hole or two in the bag to help circulate air and accommodate gas exchange.
Whether rooting in water or soil, enjoy the propagation process. It’s quick, simple, straightforward…and is literally creating many exact-replica plants right before your very eyes.
Magic.