One of the joys of gardening is growing your own plants from cuttings so that you can have more in the garden or house, or share them with friends and family. Many plants are very easy to grow from a cutting (sometimes called a slip) including daisies, succulents, many indoor plants, salvias, geraniums, hydrangeas, many native plants and woody herbs. The process of growing plants from cuttings is known as propagation, and for many gardeners, learning how to propagate plants is a joyful process.

Wondering how to get started with plant propagation? All you really need are clean, sharp secateurs, a healthy plant to provide cuttings, some propagating mix (available by the bag at your local Flower Power Garden Centre - we recommend Supersoil Professional Seed & Cutting Germinating Mix), rooting hormone gel or powder (optional and available from your local Flower Power Garden Centre) and clean pots - these might be recycled from your last plant purchase, or bought new from your local Flower Power. Also include a label so you can add a plant name and propagation date for each pot of cuttings.

 

When to take cuttings for propagation

Cuttings can be made throughout the year, but autumn is the ideal time for semi-hardwood cuttings (mature growth) while winter is perfect for hardwood cuttings. In spring, take soft tip cuttings (new growth). Always take cuttings from healthy plants that have been well-watered. Once you know how to propagate plants, you'll be off and running.

Rosemary is a popular plant for propagation.

 

How to propagate plants

Step 1

Take lengths of healthy stem that include several nodes (the points where leaves join the stem). Remove any flowers and trim the base just below a node, so the cuttings are around 10-15cm long.

Step 2

Insert the cuttings into clean pots of moist seed-raising, potting or propagating mix. Several cuttings can fit into one 15cm or 20cm pot known as a ‘community pot'. Seedling trays can also be useful here. Insert each cutting's base (the cut end) into rooting hormone and then into the propagating mix so there are one to two nodes below the surface of the mix and several above. Water with a seaweed solution - Flower Power recommends Seasol. To avoid disturbing the cutting, use a watering can with a fine rose.

Step 3

To encourage the cuttings to form their own roots, stand the pots in a foam box and cover with a sheet of glass or plastic. You can also cover individual pots with polythene bags. This set-up forms a mini greenhouse to keep the root area warm and to protect the shoot area from drying out.

Step 4

Mist cuttings from time to time to increase humidity, water as needed to keep the soil moist, and keep them out of direct light. Hardwood cuttings don’t need this type of protection as they don’t have leaves that wilt. If the plants wilt and the cuttings fail, simply try again.

 

A seedling tray is a useful item for propagation.

 

Step 5

Once the cuttings begin to form roots and show signs of new growth, they can be taken out of the community pot (do this carefully to avoid damaging the delicate young roots) and moved into small individual containers until they are large enough to be planted in the garden or a larger pot.

If you get addicted to growing from cuttings, invest in propagation aids such as a heat mat, plant rooting hormones and a small greenhouse.

 

This marble pothos cutting has been propagated successfully, and now has strong roots ready for planting.

 

Propagation tips for popular plants

  • Roses: Many roses are grafted, but will grow readily from hardwood cuttings taken in winter.
  • Succulents, including snake plant and jade plant: All can be grown from leaf or stem cuttings at any time of the year. Use a very free-draining propagation mix.
  • Fiddle leaf fig and rubber plant: Can be grown readily from a cutting with several nodes. Cut large leaves in half to reduce water loss.
  • Indoor plants including monstera, pothos and peperomia: Most indoor foliage plants will grow readily from a cutting, even in a jar of water. Take a growth tip with several nodes. Peperomia can also be grown from a single leaf cutting.
  • Zanzibar gem/ZZ plant: Although these plants have rhizomes and can be grown by division, they can also be grown by taking a leaf cutting.
  • Spider plant: Spider plants are among the easiest of all indoor plants to propagate as they naturally form plantlets. To grow, simply detach a healthy plantlet and place it in potting mix – hold it firmly in place so the base of the plantlet contacts the mix.
  • Hydrangea: This is one of the easiest hardwood cuttings to grow, and a good plant to begin to train your skills at propagation. Select a pencil-thick stem during winter.
  • Rosemary: This woody herb also grows well from semi-hardwood or hardwood cuttings.

 

Succulents are among the simplest plants to grow by propagation.

 

Propagation shopping list