This is my Watermelon Snow that I started propagating on May 3rd. I am SCARED TO DEATH to separate the pups. I have watched a MILLION vids but still don't know how to determine WHERE to make the divisions. This is an extremely rare variety and don't want to screw up. Please help me.
by Dry_Witness_7406
2 Comments
I was the same way but I found the easiest way is to rinse off as much of the soil that you can and look at it from the side. Good light helps. You will be able to see little clusters together. I took a bamboo skewer that I sliced at an angle. I use this to gently slice thru the joined stems till I get to the roots hanging down. I then gently pull the roots apart. You will lose a few small leaves sometimes but it won’t hurt them at all. They are strong little buggers. Just keep a good set of roots attached as you go. You’ve got this ! I also use the skewer to gently scrape off little leaves that appear as suckers as they grow.
https://preview.redd.it/hml1gytxbjpf1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=62ed3ef370bb8e1cf1cc4c99a06541d160ccdd2f
Ok first off if you DO manage to ‘screw up’ you can always prop more leaves. You have plenty.
I’ve done it a few times now and when you take it out of the container you can pretty easily see where small groups of leaves are coming from. They will want to come off pretty easily as a group. I just wiggled with my hands and made sure any leaves in that group were untangled.
Compare it to separating broccoli florets just gentler. Then you’ll carefully tuck each one in damp soil. Don’t bury the stems too deep. Ideally you want a plant stem to go into the soil but you don’t always get that.
I had a pot with what looked like 2 crowns and it turned out I had almost 10 potential babies! I didn’t keep them all.
Your cup seems pretty small so it’s hard to say how much is in there. But you can do it. They are tougher than they look!