I've recently become obsessed with plant propagation. It's been an easy and calming way to care and nurture my houseplants while learning more about them. It's also been a great way to curve my plant buying compulsion while rescuing plant babies at the hardware store.
Plant propagation is the process of growing new plants from cuttings. It has several benefits and is a fun and easy process to do and get started with. Most plants can easily be propagated from cuttings, including the easy to find plants at local grocery and hardware stores.
To start propagating you need to things, a mother plant or cutting and a vessel to contain the cutting and water. Other propagation methods are more involved but water propagation is the easier more straight forward process. Here are a few easy to find plants that are super easy to propagate.
Snake plant
This plant is pretty much a set it and forget it situation. If you already have a thriving snake plant just cut a nice and healthy leaf of split it into three to four two-inch sections. Get your new pot ready with soil that's been well-watered soil. Slowly but surely you'll have a brand new snake plant to enjoy.
Pothos
Pothos are great plants, they are easy to care for, low maintenance and grow well depending on how much sun they're receiving. Propagating them is just as easy and requires just a little bit of water. With pothos just cut a nice long stem with four or more leaves. Cut the stem between the leaves and set them in water. Within a week roots will start to grow. Then it's up to you, pot them into a beautiful bouquet or marvel at the roots growing in water. If so just make sure to change the water periodically.
Photo by Ashlyn Gulbranson on
Succulents
I have yet to successfully propagate succulents but I haven't given up. It's not because it's hard but because succulents take time to grow so it's a test of patience with and consistency. You can propagate the leaves from an existing succulent or do what I do and rescue the fallen leaves on the racks at the hardware store. This minimizes risk because if they fail the investment was very little. Just place the leaves flat in fresh soil in a sunny spot and spray with water every day or so. Continue this for months until the mother leaf dies of and re-pot. Not much work but quite a time investment.
Photo by Al Kawasa on
Herbs
I say herbs because it includes mint, basil, thyme or whatever you fancy. Find a nice healthy stem and cut just below some of the lower leaves. Peel the rest of the leaves of the cut stem leaving a couple at the top. Use the trimmed leaves as usual and place the cut stem in a vessel with water. I've seen my basil grow nice strong roots and I keep multiplying the plants for a constant supply.
Bamboo
Bamboo seems daunting at least it did to me, but it propagates very easily. To multiply your bamboo just cut a leaf at the base of the stem and place in water. Bamboo is rewarding because it may go a few weeks without any change and suddenly grow an inch overnight. Bamboo is water-loving so you can enjoy it growing in water or pot it for gifting or sprucing up a bookshelf.
I hope this got you excited about all the possibilities when it comes to propagation. It's really fun to clone your plants and watch them grow. It can also be a great way to save plants that may be in their way out. So grab your scissors and get to snipping.
