The Art of Propogation

PROPAGATION. It sounds confusing and complicated, but this process is actually extremely simple! For those of you wondering what the heck it is, here’s a quick, simple definition:

Propagation is when you make new baby plants from a parent plant. 

Methods

There are a few different ways to propagate, but the easiest way is to take cuttings from a parent plant and put them directly into water. It’s that simple! Although there are other ways, most species and varieties of plants can propagate in water. For this post, we are going to focus on the process of water propagation. 

Let’s use the Golden Pothos as an example! It is loved for its easy care and trailing effect, but sometimes it can just get too long for the space in our house. This is the perfect time to take a cutting.

Pro Tip: Taking cuttings also helps your house plants fill out and become more lush because they will have less leaves and stems to send energy to. 

How to take a cutting

When taking a cutting, use clean scissors and cut the place right before a leaf begins. This is called a node. You may see little bumps developing or aerial roots. These will develop new roots in the water (yay!). Remember to take off any extra leaves that will be submerged and place the stems in clean water. 

 

Caring for your new cuttings

It is important to refresh the water weekly (filtered or distilled is ideal) and make sure that all nodes and new roots are fully submerged in water. Keep them in a bright room, out of direct sunlight. Filtered or dappled sunlight is perfectly fine as long as they are not in the direct sun for more than 2-3 hours of the day.  It can take anywhere from 4-12 weeks to begin to see roots on your new cuttings. It is a great thing to do in the spring as the roots will grow faster! Trust us, the patience is definitely worth it!

Benefits

This simple process to propagate your plants at home also comes with added benefits!

• You can share them with your friends and family
• It will improve the health and growth of your houseplants 
• You can make arrangements with the cuttings and use them as accents on shelves
• It is an easy way to get new plants without buying them 

Before you know it, you will have your own little plant nursery full of propagating plants. Looking for other tips on plant care? Check out our blog post on Houseplant 101.

Our Top 5 Favorite Plants for Propagating

• Golden Pothos
• Heartleaf Philodendron
• Snake Plant
• Split Lead Monstera
• ZZ Plant

 

Show us your cutting progress by posting it on instagram and tagging us @floralfetes!

Have questions about propagating other species of plants? Send us an email to hello@floralfetes.com with any questions.