The Truth Behind Plant Propagation

It often happens that you will have a plant that you want to propagate but aren't sure if you can or how to go about it. You may want to duplicate a plant that is a little different from the rest or you may want to fill in an area in your yard, but don't have the extra money to go buy the number of plants you will need. Depending on what the plant is, plant propagation can be very easy to do. There are three different basic methods available to the home gardener. What you want to clone will determine what method will work best. The three basic methods for plant propagation are stem cuttings, root cuttings, and leaf cuttings. You won't need any expensive equipment to propagate a plant, just a basic understanding of how to do it and some rooting hormone will normally do the trick.

You can purchase rooting hormone at just about any nursery or store that sells gardening supplies. It comes in powder, liquid, and gel forms. The most common type is indole-3-butyric acid or IBA. Two of the most popular brands are a powder called TakeRoot by Schultz and Rootech which is a gel.

The first method is called Stem Cutting. This can be done two different ways. The first involves actually cutting the stem from the plant and rooting it. You should always make your cut from fresh growth. Make the cut at an angle to expose as much of the bark as possible. Dip the end in your rooting compound and place in either a pot filled with potting soil or in the ground where you want the new plant to grow. Either way you will want to cover the cutting with a clear plastic 'tent' to keep the humidity in. An important point to remember no matter what type of propagation you are doing is, until the new cutting takes root it will adsorb all its moisture and nutrients through its leaves. So to prevent wilting you will need to provide a humidity chamber and some shade. When you see new growth you can remove the dome as your plant has produced its new roots. Willow and Blackberries respond very well to this type of propagation. A second form of stem cutting is to simply bend a branch over till it is touching the ground. Cover the area that is touching with soil, trying to bury a leaf node. Secure in place with a couple of pieces of wire bent into a u shape. Forsythia will reproduce very easily with this method.

Many perennials with thick roots will respond well to root cuttings. This is where you take a section of the root, place it in a baggie with rooting powder and shake well to cover the root. Place the root in moist planting soil in a pot. Cover the pot with plastic to keep the moisture in. When you see new growth emerging from the soil you can remove the plastic. Water the plant till it is large enough to transplant into your garden. Aster's are just one of many perennials that respond well to this type of propagation.

The final method is using leaf cuttings. Many of your indoor plants such as Begonia's and African Violets can be propagated with this method. First using a razor blade or sharp scissors cut off the leaf where it meets the plant stem. Next dip the cutting end in your rooting hormone. Place the cutting in moist potting soil and cover with plastic to keep the humidity in. Another way that works well is to place the end of the cutting in a small glass with water and a liquid rooting hormone. Mist the leaf with water and change the water mixture in the glass daily. In one to two weeks you should see roots forming on the sides of the stem in the water. Remove from the water when the roots are about one half inch long and carefully plant in a moist potting soil.

So there you have it. Now with a little practice you can reproduce just about any plant you have, saving you money. But more importantly then that is having the satisfaction of propagating your plants to fill your garden or your house with the never ending beauty and joy your plants provide.