How to Propagate a Plant: Part 2
How to Propagate a Plant: Part 2
By Haley Fox - Indoor Plant Specialist
I am so excited to share the results of my propagations with you all. It’s been a few weeks since I started some cuttings in water. Let's take a look at how things have progressed.
MONSTERA PROPAGATION
I want to show off my Monstera’s first and foremost. I have a few different cuttings I’ve been working with.
As you can see, my Monsteras have propagated beautifully, they have grown pretty substantial root systems.
I ended up removing the larger leaves once I saw new growth sprouting as they were not as healthy as I would have liked.
This is one of my favorite times to propagate. If you ever have a plant that seems to be declining and you’ve having a difficult time narrowing down what the cause is, propagation is a great way to hit the reset button. In extreme cases you won’t always have successful results, however, it’s a great way to salvage piece of a plant you just don’t want to part with.
Each of my cuttings have already produced a new shoot of growth. They were also quick to push roots. You can see from this image the volume of roots these produced in just these few weeks. It is at this point I would go ahead and think about potting this plant up in soil.
PHILODENDRON BRAZIL & SWISS CGEESE
My Philodendron Brazil was a little slower in pushing roots but did unfurl a new fourth leaf. I’ve been keeping this in a lower light location which I believe may be contributing to the slower development rate.
I have also been rooting a Philodendron Swiss Cheese plant. I had this in a low light location as well and similarly, I’ve seen a much slower rate of progress. Safe to conclude bright light is an important factor for success in your propagations
Each plant will push roots in a different amount of time, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t see results right away! Some plants like Pothos can root very quickly, while other’s like Sansaverias may take months.
With any water propagation I would encourage you to change the water every 2-3 days. I’ve had the most success in doing this, along with a very bright location!
The next determination is, when to plant?
You want to wait until your cuttings have strong roots. I usually wait to pot mine up until I see new growth. That’s an indicator to me that my plant is healthy and strong and once the new leaf unfurls, I will give them a potting up.
When you feel ready, choose a pot that isn’t too much larger than the container you’ve been using to propagate. Regular potting soil will work just fine.
Something to note is that the roots plants develop in water are different than the roots they grow in soil. When growing in water, plants will grower smaller and more delicate roots as they have no trouble finding water. Therefore, you’ll want to ensure that your plant has a strong root system prior to the transplant. Once you’ve got it potted up , be sure to keep it well watered as this is what your plant has been accustomed to. As I regularly warn, moist should not be confused with soggy , as you don’t want to root your new cuttings.
I hope you are having great success in all your propagation's. As always, thank you for taking this time to read my blog, I will see you next time!
A Haley Fox Blog