Grow Your Plant Family Through Propagation
If you’re a house plant lover, you may have trouble determining when you have too many plants (if there is such a thing).
A new house plant is a great investment in your mental and physical health as well as the beauty of your home, but you may be looking for an easier and more cost-effective way to increase the amount of plants in your space. Luckily, such a method exists, and it’s called propagation.
What Is Propagation?
Plant propagation is, in short, a method of creating new plants from existing ones. There are a few different ways in which plants procreate. Propagation involves the process of removing part of a “parent” plant and replanting so it can grow and become its own plant.
Ways to Propagate House Plants
Plant propagation will look different depending on the method as well as the location. For example, propagating garden plants will likely vary greatly from propagating house plants.
Here are a few easy ways you can propagate your house plants to create new blooms for your home or even create gifts to give away to loved ones.
Cutting the Stems
If the plant you’re propagating is multi-stemmed, you should have success with the stem-cutting method. Cut off a small piece of a branch of your house plant, stopping slightly below where the stem meets the leaf. Plant this stem in new soil, using pebbles or other items to prop it up if need be.
Cutting the Leaves
Leaf-cutting is one of the simplest forms of house plant propagation, and it works particularly well for snake plants. There are multiple methods, but one of the most common is cutting off a healthy leaf (including a short piece of its stem), dipping it in a rooting hormone, and placing the stalk in a moist propagation medium.
Soaking in Water
If you don’t have a fresh pot of moist soil handy, you can still have success with house plant propagation using a glass of water. Place your cut stem into a cool glass of water and watch for new roots to form. This will give you some time to get more soil ready. Transfer the new plant to the soil once the growing roots have reached roughly half an inch long.
Division of Rhizome
Similar to stem cutting, rhizome division is a great propagating method for multi-stemmed plants. Remove your plant from its soil and carefully pull apart the rhizomes, which are the underground stems that grow horizontally. Each half should still have some stems, leaves, and roots intact. Replant both rhizomes independently and provide them with as much light and water that the plant requires.
Filling Your House with Propagation
Some plants are easier to propagate than others, but with a little effort, you can have success through your chosen propagation method. Propagation can be a great way to grow more of your already favorite house plants.
At the same time, if you want to beautify your home to the max with plant life and add new greenery, visit us today at Plants on Broadway and check out our inventory.