How do I propagate?
Are your plants growing very well but you’re running out of vertical space, maybe it’s time to cut them up a bit and create baby plants (also called propagations). These cuttings can be used to fill up the pot with some more plants of the same species to create a more lush look. They can also be amazing green gifts for your plantloving friends and family. Creating a propagation is super easy and straightforward and the perfect solution for plants that have outgrown their given space in your house. Let’s run you through the process and get you some free plant-babies:
Materials:
To propagate your favorite plant you need a couple of things: your plant you’d like to multiply, some sharp scissors, a clean glass jar with water and eventually a pot with drainage holes and soil.
Steps:
You’re going to do great! If you follow these steps you’ll succeed as an amazing plant parent. To help you we made some pictures of the process with some of our own outgrown plants in the greenhouse. As an examples we’re showing Monstera Pertusum ‘Little Sister’, but the same steps apply to most Monstera, Philodendron, Syngonium and Epiphrenum species. Please follow along and good luck!
- Locate the node(s) you’d like to cut.
First we need to find the right place to cut the stem. Let’s look for some growing nodes, these are points where new roots and leaves start to form. The nodes typically look like tough little bumps on the (under)side of the stem and they may or may not have started forming aerial roots. Preferably you’d like to cut right under these nodes, so they can start producing roots to support your new babies. Count 3 leaves down from the top of the plant. It is important for your cutting to have at least some leaves to sustain energy-production after being initially cut.
- Cut the stem.
Now that we have located a cutting point, it is time for the dreadful moment of actually chopping it up. This is the most stressful part, but trust me, both you and your green companions will be fine. On the spot we just discussed, place your sharp and clean scissors on the stem in a slight 45° angle. Now give it some force and do a clean cut in one go.
- Heal the wound.
What is that plant smell? Your plant will probably give off a bit of a tropical smell, this is normal as the cut releases plant sap which is filled with nutrients and hormones that were traveling through the stem. This sap is loved by bacteria and fungi, so before we do anything to the cutting we need to let the wound heal and dry up to avoid infection. 24hrs should do the trick, after which we go to the next step. (Healing the wound is optional but greatly improves your chances of success)
- Rooting in water.
When the wound has dried, we can put the propagated piece in a glass jar filled with water. Make sure the jar is clean and doesn’t have any soap residue. Put the cutting node-down in the container and make sure the leaves are not in the water, as this would hinder photosynthesis and transpiration. If the water stays relatively clean, you don’t need to refresh it because the plant will produce a rooting hormone which can help speed things up during the rooting process. BUT if the water turns a little murky, please do refresh the water in the jar because bacterial accumulation has begun which can make your new plant sick. The rooting hormone will be lost, but this will not kill the plant like bacterial infection would. This process of rooting in water can take a couple of weeks depending on the species and environment.
- Potting.
After a couple of weeks your new cuttings should have developed some roots at its growing nodes. Healthy roots look white and sturdy, but are still very sensitive. You can now plant this propagation. Take a pot with drainage holes and fill it with soil, then make a small hole that will fit the base of the plant and its little bundle of new roots. Put the plant inside and gently cover the roots with soil. Compact the soil just a little bit around the cutting and tadaa. You did it, this freshly planted propagation is now ready for developing further in the pot. Take care of it by following our watering and other plant-care tips.
As you can see, propagation is an easy and straightforward way to multiply your favorite houseplants. I hope you learned something today! Good luck!
Senne Note, Plantlovers' biologist.