How To: Propagate Your Plant Babies
Hello.
I'm not sure if anyone else experiences this, but sometimes in the winter (especially if you live somewhere where it's cold a good portion of the year) our plants will start to wilt or not look so good. Or sometimes a cat will rip a plant out of its pot.
When I notice one of my plants is beginning to die, I instantly snip off a piece and begin to propagate. It's been a great way to keep my plants so that I'm not wasting money and it's kind of cool to see a plant rebegin its growing cycle.
I want to share with you all how I've been able to propagate my plants and hopefully that will inspire you to propagate yours to either create more plant babies or maybe gift it to a friend!
Step 1: Find a Jar or Container to Put Your Clipping in
This propagated lovely here is a Golden Pothos. She has been vining like crazy and I thought it might be nice to propagate her so she can vine in other areas of the house.
Finding a jar to propagate your plants doesn't have to be anything fancy. Most of my propagation jars are reused. This one here I got when I went to the Renaissance Festival and was able to buy local honey. I thought it would be great to use for whatever purpose I needed!
I will say in my experience, I noticed that some jars or containers work better than others. Let me explain:
Taller and skinner bottles or containers often work better in propagation as the roots are able to grow more freely.
Lightly colored bottles tend to work better than dark. I also noticed glass seems to work better as it's able to reflect more sunlight.
Using rain or filtered water works better in trying to grow the clipping as tap water can have harsh chemicals that may make it difficult for the plant to grow.
Care for a Golden Pothos:
Bright, Indirect sunlight
Water once a week (it doesn't like to be too dry or too wet)
Warm climate, 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit
In the warmer months, add some fertilizer or new soil to the top to gain nutrients
Step 2: Clipping Size and Where to Clip
Now that you've found your container, it's time to clip your plant.
Every plant is different so it may be hard to know where exactly you should snip it at for the best success of propagating your plant!
On most plants, there will be a part called a Node which typically looks like a brown or dark green stem sticking out. That is where you'll want to clip. You can find the node where the leaf is attached to the stem.
In my experience, I also tend to find that smaller clippings generally work better. I usually clip 3-4 inches and then place them in the container. Your plant should begin to see roots about 2 weeks after you clipped it and put it in water.
Not every clipping will root. Sometimes things happen and it's okay! It's usually best if possible to grab 2 or 3 clippings so you can have the best chance of it rooting. It's also important to remember that not every plant will propagate this way. Many succulents like a Moonstone do better when you take a leaf off and place it flat on soil. But for most house plants, this method should do the trick!
Do's & Don'ts
DO: Take it out after you see roots that are long and healthy. Leaving your clipping in water too long will make it less likely to do well once it's in soil.
DON'T: Take the clipping out of its container too early, the roots should be about 3 or more inches before placing it in a pot.
DO: Refill the water in your container as water evaporates and your plant is drinking the water (rain or filtered water is best).
DON'T: Clip from the middle of a stem, it will likely not propagate and thus starting over from another clipping.
Step 3: Place the Clipping in a Pot
It's finally time to put your propagated plant baby in its new home!
This is the most fragile step of the whole process. Once your clipping has roots that are about 3 to 5 inches long, go ahead and find a pot that you like. Usually with clippings, I try not to put it in a pot that's too big or too small as it could shock the plant. In the picture above, the clipping was about 4 inches tall and I put it in a 6 inch pot.
Once your clipping is in its pot, make sure to not over water it. Gently spray the top with water and then leave it for a couple days in a spot the plant likes best. With clippings, I like to put the clipping next to its parent plant as I know it likes that spot!
I would also recommend not repotting it for a while. Even though it may start to grow and get bigger, it may shock your plant too much. I would leave the clipping in its home for a year before thinking about putting it into a new pot.
TIP: If your pot does not have a drainage hole, make sure to put a layer of rocks on the bottom (about an inch or two high) so the plant will properly drain. Without it, your plant could have root rot and not survive.
Now that you're equipped with the information to propagate your plants, it's time to get to clipping!
Keep Exploring :)
