Get to proppin’

In honor of our FIRST EVER plant event (a clipping exchange) being announced today, I want to talk about propagation.

What is propagation?

The google definition is the breeding of specimens of a plant by natural processes from the parent stock. Or to put it simply, growing a new plant from a piece of your mother plant. There are so many ways to propagate plants. You can grow in lots of different substrates, and grow from several different forms of the plant. We’ll touch on all that, but I’ll mainly be focusing on my favorites and what I feel is most popular amongst plant parents.

Benefits of propagation

There are lots of pros to chopping up your plant. Although, at first glance, it just seems like a cool way to double up your plant collection, did you know it's actually beneficial for your plant? By cutting your plant you’re actually activating other growth points throughout the plant. It reminds me of the Hydra, in Greek Mythology. When you cut off one of its heads, two grow back in its place. It's the same way with plants. I’ve noticed in my personal collection, that usually 2-3 growth points are activated once I've made a cut. Growth points are places where your plant can put out new leaves, resulting in a fuller plant and even more chances to propagate. 

Finding the perfect piece

There are different ways you can propagate, but you can’t cut just anywhere. You have to propagate from a stem with an active node or growth point. If you cut off say, a petiole, and put it in a substrate, it will not root. There are no nodes on a petiole so there is no opportunity for growth. I have seen in some social media groups, people who have successfully rooted cuttings from petioles (although there is debate around it), but again it will not produce new growth. It will simply live out the leaf(s) life cycle, or 9 times out of 10, rot. You could think of it like a flower you have in a bouquet, it will last some time but eventually, live out its life cycle with no new growth. 

Now if you find yourself in any plant discussion group or BST (buy, sell, trade) you may hear a number of terms used to describe plants for propagating like

Wet stick

Chonk

Node

Butt cut (or top/mid cut)

These all circle back to the stem of the plant in different forms. I won't go into detail about those, as I feel it can be easy to overload with information and make this whole process intimidating when it really shouldn't be. Lets focus on the basics. 

You want a piece with a node, that's where you’ll find new growth. It's a bonus if the cuttings you take have aerial roots. Aerial roots are roots that grow above ground on the stem of your plant. They can grow in substrate once placed there. This just gives your cuttings a leg up, because it already has a head start on root growth.

Potting up

Okay, you’ve taken your cutting. What should you do with it now? There are so many ways in which to actually grow your cuttings. Sphagnum moss, soil, water, coco coir, stratum, pearlite, some people use air stones or bubblers in their water props. The list goes on. I feel as though sphagnum moss, water, and soil are the most popular.

Let’s start with water. This is definitely the most aesthetic option. You can buy a cute little propagation station, or use fancy jars, and seeing the roots grow in their full glory is an added bonus. When propagating in water all you need to do is make sure the growth is submerged in water. Make sure your water is clean. I’d change out the water at least once a week. Check it daily to make sure it's staying healthy. The water will evaporate, so you want to make sure the root growth is always in water and not drying out, it may need to be topped off. 

Next, we’ll talk about soil and sphagnum moss. A lot of the same basic principles apply so I'll group them together. I've seen several people experiment with their propagations, growing multiple of the same plant in different substrates. Soil seems to always be the most successful. Growing faster than all the others by quite a bit. Same concept as water when it comes to place. Make sure the root growth will be covered by the soil or moss. You want to keep the soil/moss moist, not soggy, and don't let it dry out too much. You can achieve this by using a spray bottle. I also recommend using a clear pot or container so you can monitor root growth. You can also place another cup/clear pot on top of the cutting to boost humidity. 

Regardless of which method you choose you to want to make sure the plant is getting its lighting needs. I also recommend applying a rooting hormone to the cuttings to give them a better chance of growing and growing quickly. This step is optional though. You’ll also want to closely monitor your new plants. At such a vulnerable stage, they can be more susceptible to rot. That's another perk of clear containers. You can keep an eye on everything that's going on. Make sure all your tools throughout this process are clean and sanitized. 

When is my cutting considered a full-plant?

You want to make sure enough roots have developed and that it's properly acclimated. The roots should have developed secondary roots, and be at least several inches in length. If you end up transferring your cutting into another substrate, you’ll want to give your plant time to adjust. They can lose some of their new roots in the process. If your plant now has active foliage and root growth, you’re good to go! 

It's always good to remember mistakes happen. The greatest learning tool at your disposal is trial and error. It's what makes a skilled plant owner. Research, and try again. Sending you all the luck with your propagation. I’m looking forward to seeing you all at the Clipping Exchange! Happy planting!