Effective Ways of Plant Propagation

Did you know that one plant could be reproduced into many more plants? It’s the art of plant propagation.

It’ll take a little work on your part, of course.

Plant propagation is the process of creating new plant babies by growing them from a cutting of a leaf or stem. You can also propagate plants by separating roots through a process called division, but I’ll get more into that a little bit further down.

I’ve had a bit of success with each of these propagation methods and now my house is filled with tiny plants. Most of my propagation efforts started from simple succulent leaves.

Let me introduce you to some of the easiest and most effective ways to propagate your plants and how to achieve your own mini garden as a result.

Plant Propagation Method: Stem Cutting

Stem cutting is the perfect method for leafy plants like rubber plants and succulents. By following this method, you can promote root growth from a stem by putting the end of the stem in water or soil.

Step 1:

Find a good stem to cut on a mature plant. Make sure you don’t create any holes in the mother plant if you still plan on keeping it after propagation.

Tip: I like to (gently) bend the stem back before making any cuts to see what the current plant would look like without that piece.

Step 2:

Find where the plant node is. The node is the spot where the stem or leaf connects to another stem. If you can’t remember the official name, you could also call it an elbow or knee – most forums will know what you’re talking about.

Step 3:

Cut the stem two to three inches below the node.

If you’re doing this with smaller plants, you can basically cut the top of the plant off. On succulents, I like to cut in a spot where the leaves are starting to get sparse.

Step 4:

Clean off any leaves that prevent you from planting.

You’ll want to make a “trunk” for the propagated plant where new roots can grow. Make sure you leave enough room for the roots to fully develop. I like to leave 3 inches or more of water or soil – plenty of room for those roots to stretch out.

Step 5:

Get a container ready for your new plant – pre-filled with dirt or water. 

Take your finger and make a spot for your plant to go in the potting soil.

If you want to propagate in water – fill a clean jar/container with enough filtered room temperature water to submerge the first few inches of the bottom of the plant.

Tip: You can also add a hormone powder that can promote root growth before adding your stem to the soil. This will help your new plant sprout healthy roots quicker.

Step 6:

PATIENCE!

The propagation process can take weeks – sometimes months.

And I can’t stress this enough: don’t keep pulling the plant from the soil everyday to check on it. Trust the process.

A lot of people prefer water propagation because you can watch the roots grow before your eyes. Once you see little roots growing out, wait until they reach about a half an inch in length before you take it out and put it in soil. In some cases, you may never need to move a water-propagated plant to soil. Some plants can be kept in water permanently!

Plant Propagation Method: Leaf Cutting

This method is very popular with the snake plant or peperomias.

Step 1:

Find a leaf that won’t cause bald spots in your plant’s overall look.

Step 2:

Cut the leaf off from the plant.

With snake plants, you’ll want to have enough of the leaf for it to stick out of the soil or water a bit, so I’d recommend cutting at least 3+ inches off a larger plant.

For leafier plants like the peperomia, I would cut right below where the stem meets the base of the leaf.

Succulents are easy to grow this way as well. You just simply place the leaf on top of soil and it will sprout roots and pups from the mother leaf.

Step 3:

Place your leaves upright with your fresh cut sticking right down into the soil or water.

Step 4:

PATIENCE!!

Leaf cutting takes just as long as stem cutting (sometimes even longer), so it’s going to take some time before you see new growth as you propagate plants.

Special Plant Propagation Method: Division

Division propagation can’t be done with every plant, but the process involves taking a plant with multiple stems or bulbs from soil and dividing them into various planters.

Hoyas or ZZ plants are the perfect plant examples for this method. Since the they have multiple stems, they usually have a full root system for each shoot.

Step 1:

Find a good stem with strong roots to remove from the plant without causing any gaps in your plant’s appearance.   

 Step 2:

Since this approach involves a fully-grown plant, you’ll may need to pull the whole plant out of the planter. (Don’t worry – it can take it.)

Once you pull the plant out, you’ll notice that there are several root systems. Carefully detach the selected stem(s) from the mother plant.

Detangle the roots without breaking them as much as possible. On an older plant with a well-established root system, this may be a bit more of a challenge.

Step 3:

Place the separated plant’s root ball into soil or water and watch her grow!

Since the stem already has roots, the plant should get cozy in its new home pretty quickly.

Successful Propagation

When I first started out in the plant world, I was scared to propagate plants. Just the idea of going in and essentially ripping off stems and leaves to create new ones.

But once you get the hang of propagation and have some success, you’ll be dividing and concurring in no time!

Propagating is really going to test your patience, but give it some time and it will happen. My telltale signs that propagation is working are when new leaves are popping up or when I can see that the roots are getting more established. When either of those occurs, I know my plant is happy in its new home.

Have you ever propagated anything in your collection? Which methods have worked best for you?

Check out the video below on few things that I’m propagating!