As we saw last week, a plant may grow to an extent that it becomes difficult to manage, which means we might be able to propagate it! In partnership with @plantpositivity I am going to teach you the fundamentals of propagation, so you can multiply your plants! A unique feature of plants is their ability to clone themselves with a seemingly small part of the whole plant. In nature, propagation can happen naturally as pieces of a plant may break off, take root, and grow a whole new plant. There are different methods of propagation and different plants are better suited to one or more of these methods. Below, I’ve outlined four different propagation methods including best practices on when to use them.
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1) The easiest type of propagation is stem cuttings rooted in water. This works for most vine-type plants (pothos, philodendron). Simply cut a piece of the main vine, ensuring that it includes a node (the place where roots can form), and put it in water. In a few weeks, when new roots form, transplant it to soil.
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2) Sometimes a plant will grow pups – small versions of itself, like the Pilea. Once the pups have reached about a third of the size of the mother plant, you can cut them apart and pot them into their own pots.
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3) Leaf propagating is typically done with succulents – where you lay the leaf onto a shallow dish of soil and new plants grow out of the old leaf.
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4) Air layering, which is the method used for propagating woody shrubs or very large plants, is a more advanced propagation technique. You make a cut halfway into the stem and affix a small plastic sheet into the cut to prevent the wound from healing on itself. Surround the wound with sphagnum moss and cover it with a plastic wrap. In a few weeks, roots may form at the cut and the entire stem can be severed and planted into new soil.
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