If you haven't tried your hand at propagating, or "making more" indoor plants from another plant, then you are missing out! We have been doing this for years, and are absolutely in love.
Propagating through stem cuttings is like a form of cloning because the new plant will be an exact match to the parent plant. That's not always the case with the other popular way to propagate plants—collecting seeds, germinating them, and planting. Many hybrid plants produce seeds that don't "grow true" to the parent plants, so rooting stem cuttings is the most reliable way to propagate hybrid plants.
You can root most plant cuttings in soil, but it's always fun to try your hand at rooting in water so you can watch the process. Be careful though, as the water method can cause the roots to be quite fragile, and some plants resist rooting in water altogether. We have found plants like begonias have such fine roots, they propagate much easier in soil.
Easiest plants to propagate in water:
- Tradescantia
- Philodendron
- Pothos
- Syngonium
- Aglaonema
- Calathea
- Sanseveria (though this takes a while)
How to cut:
- Stem cuttings can be taken and rooted at almost any time, but the technique is more successful when the plant is not in full bloom.
- Make sure the cutting includes at least one growth node (a bump on the stem from which leaves or flowers sprout) that can be buried in the growing medium (water). Roots will sprout from this node, as well as from the cut end of the stem.
- It's not uncommon for some attempts at propagation to fail, so it's best to take at least three cuttings to ensure success.
- Remove the leaves from the bottom node of the stem cutting. Usually, you can simply snap off the leaves. Make sure to retain at least three to four leaves on the stem cutting.
- As an optional step, apply a powdered or gel rooting hormone to the trimmed end of the cutting and to the area where the leaves were removed. (Many plants will root successfully from cuttings without the use of rooting hormone, but using hormone can speed up the process, and it might be essential for some hard-to-propagate plants.)
How to grow:
- Grow in an area with indirect light/shade. This is the perfect plant for darker areas of your home where you'd like a plant!
- When you see that new leaf growth is developing along the stem of the cutting, it usually means that healthy new roots are established. Once you feel resistance when slightly tugging on the cutting, it means the roots are sufficiently developed. At this point, you can transfer the cutting to a new pot with fresh potting soil.
- Remove leaves that turn brown or black as the stems are rooting. Discard any cuttings that turn soft or show other signs of rot or fungal disease.
Propagating is SO much fun, and we love dabbling in it any chance we get! One of our favorite things is to create a propagation bouquet - several different cuttings all in one vessel. It's beautiful, and even makes a great gift!
Please always feel free to reach out with any questions!
Candi Scheiderer & Jillian Bryant
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