You may have lovely trailing houseplants you'd adore sharing with friends, but the thought of getting the scissors makes you a little anxious to begin chopping away and propagating. Not to worry; we've all been there. Taking care of a plant and then chopping it up can seem quite terrifying at first, but if you follow some of these tips and tricks, you keep the healthy plant you've been nurturing and have enough to share! Before you know it, you'll be a pro at propagation by following these guidelines!
Some of the best trailing indoor plants that do not mind being cut and propagated are Philodendron, Pothos, Peperomia, and Hoya. There are several ways of propagating trailing plants but the stem-cutting method is the most recurrent and simplest.
First, identify the correct position or area of the stem to be cut. Cut a section with at least 1-2 nodes and some leaves since it is at the nodes that the new roots will develop from. Do not take off more than 25% of the overall foliage of the plant so that the plant still has ample foliage to recover.
Select the trailing stem with the nodes and sanitize it using the trimmers. Then you cut a stem right below the node. The length of cutting may be about 4 to 6 inches. Once you get the cutting, then you should put the cutting very gently in water or potting soil. If it is going to be planted directly into the soil, always use the pot to fill in new fresh soil. Use a finger or any other object to create a planting hole and place the cutting. Also, make sure you use a drainage hole pot, so that excess water drains out, preventing it from rotting or decaying because it's too wetly moist.
Here's how you can propagate your favorite trailing plants in just a few easy steps.
Some of the popular vine plants suitable for propagation are pothos, string of hearts, and philodendrons. These plants have relatively soft stems and can produce roots in both water and soil, but it is best to choose a more mature plant that is healthy since the chances for success will be higher.
You only need a few things to start propagating. Get hold of a sharp pair of scissors or pruning shears, clean glass or jar, potting soil, and small pots for planting. Adding a rooting hormone can hasten the process but isn't required in most cases.
Find a part of your trailing plant with at least 2-3 good leaves. Cut just below a node small bump on the stem where the leaves grow. This is very important because roots develop from the nodes, so ensure that your cutting includes at least one or two of them.
One of the most basic methods is to root your cutting in water. Take a plant stem and make a fresh cut; put the cutting in a jar with water, making sure to get its nodes into the water. Place the jar in a spot with indirect light and change the water every few days to aerate it. After two to four weeks, you should see teeny-tiny roots.
If you'd like to anchor your direct-cut stem in soil, only the cut end should be coated in rooting hormone, which you may or may not use, and anchor the stem in a pot with moist potting mix. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Sow the pot in a warm spot where bright indirect light will be received, and begin sprouting roots in a few weeks.
Once your cuttings have developed their roots either in water or soil, it's time to transfer them into separate pots. You can transfer water-rooted cuttings to moistened well-draining soil. Give your plant some water and watch how it settles into its new surroundings. You can also repot your plant if it outgrows its container. For aftercare fertilize your trailing plants and let them thrive!
Immediately after transplant, the care for your new plant should be as you did for the original; keep it in the sun. You can water it regularly but not excessively, and feed it during the growth season with balanced fertilizer to encourage luxuriant growth. So follow these pruning tips for pro gardeners and let your plants grow!
You are now licensed for a full-scale nursery with an extensive inventory of landscaping trees, fruit trees, palm trees, and the largest houseplant collection. If you want to enhance your curb appeal or turn your porch into a class act, Eureka Farms can guide you on how to do it all, from topiary trees and hedges to everything in between. You can rest assured that we will handle the shipment with the utmost care across the country so that when your plants reach you, they will be as fresh as new. These indoor plants require less upkeep, improve home air cleanliness, brighten moods, and provide essential touches of the natural world to the work-from-home office. Happy Planting!
