How to Propagate Common Household Flowers by Cuttings? Detailed Guide to Ten Flower Cutting Methods
Plants placed in the home can both beautify the living space and purify the air. However, houseplants are not simply bought and left as they are; when growing flowers it is best to understand their growth habits. Watering, light and soil are the most important things, and in addition propagation by cuttings is also very important. Below are the cutting methods for ten common household flowers.
1. Spider Plant
Cutting time: spring, summer, autumn
Cutting temperature: 15-25°C
Spider plant cuttings are very easy to take at any time of year, but spring, summer and autumn are the main seasons.
1. When taking cuttings, simply cut off the clustered stems and leaves on the spider plant's runners; this is in fact a new young spider plant, with leaves above and usually aerial roots below.
2. Plant it directly into a flowerpot, water it thoroughly and place it in a cool spot to grow.
Note: When taking cuttings, be careful not to bury them too deeply, otherwise the heart is prone to rotting.
2. Ivy
Cutting time: April-May, August-September
Cutting temperature: 15-28°C
Ivy can be propagated by cuttings once it enters the growing season, but it goes dormant during high summer temperatures, so cuttings should not be taken then.
1. Cut off woody stems of the current year and cut them into cuttings about 15-20 cm long.
2. Remove the leaves from the lower part of the cutting, keeping only 2-3 leaves at the top.
3. Insert the cutting into a loose, airy medium, water thoroughly and place in a cool spot.
4. After cutting, be careful to keep the soil moist often; the plant will take root in about three or four weeks.
3. Pothos
Cutting time: April-August
Cutting temperature: 15-28°C
Pothos cuttings are probably familiar to everyone; they can be rooted in water or in soil. Pothos can be propagated by cuttings all year round, but April-August is the best time.
1. For water propagation, first leave tap water in the sun for 24 hours, cut a 10-20 cm cutting, remove excess leaves and keep two to three leaves, then place it directly in a water propagation container. Change the water once every two to three days, and new roots will grow in about ten days.
2. For soil propagation, use a 15-30 cm cutting, remove the leaves on 1-2 nodes, choose a loose, airy sandy loam, and be careful not to damage the aerial roots when inserting. Keep the air humidity relatively high, and roots will form in about three to four weeks.
4. Geranium
Geranium cutting time: spring, autumn
Cutting temperature: 13-18°C
Geranium cutting method:
1. When taking cuttings, select a tip cutting about 10 cm long (vigorous growth makes rooting easy)
2. Cutting medium: a loose, airy sandy loam is best.
3. A freshly cut cutting can be left in a cool place for a while, and once the wound has healed, take the cutting, so as to prevent the wound from becoming infected and causing rot.
4. Keep the cutting temperature at around 13-18°C, and roots will form in about two to three weeks.
5. Kalanchoe
Cutting time: spring, autumn
Cutting temperature: 15-20°C
The best time to take kalanchoe cuttings is May-June or September-October each year. Cuttings can be taken together with pruning after flowering.
1. Choose a robust fleshy stem and cut it into 5-6 cm cuttings, then insert the cuttings into the medium
2. Do not bury the leaves, then water thoroughly and place in a cool spot. In later care, water so that the soil dries and is moistened alternately; better dry than wet, so as to prevent the fleshy stems from rotting.
3. When the weather is dry, you can cover with a bag to keep in moisture, and keep the room temperature at around 15-20°C.
4. Roots will form in two to three weeks, and after about a month they can be potted up, after which normal care and management will suffice.
6. Moss Rose
Cutting time: spring, summer
Cutting temperature: 15-28°C
Moss rose is definitely a beginner-level flower and is easiest to propagate by cuttings during the growing season.
1. When taking cuttings, cut off 4 to 5 cm cuttings
2. Insert the cuttings directly into the soil (there are no strict requirements for the cutting medium)
They will take root in one to two weeks, and afterwards will form buds and bloom; the sense of achievement comes quite quickly.
7. Hydrangea
Cutting time: plum rain season
Cutting temperature: 13-18°C
Hydrangea cuttings are best taken during the plum rain season:
1. Cut off young tip branches into sections of about 20 cm.
2. Remove the leaves from the lower part of the cutting, keeping 2-3 leaves at the top.
3. The cutting medium must be loose and airy, mainly peat and perlite.
4. After cutting, be careful to maintain humidity, and roots will form after about two weeks.
8. Scarlet Sage
Cutting time: July-August
Cutting temperature: 15-28°C
Scarlet sage is generally propagated by sowing, but the cutting method also works~
1. Cut robust branches free of pests and diseases as cuttings, 7-7 cm long, with at least two nodes.
2. Remove all the leaves at the base of the cutting, keeping only the upper leaves.
3. Insert the cuttings into river sand or vermiculite.
4. Water thoroughly and place under a shade net or in a cool spot, always keeping the soil moist. Scarlet sage will take root in about 15 days, and once rooted it should be potted up immediately.
9. Peperomia
Cutting time: early spring, late autumn
Cutting temperature: 15-28°C
Peperomia is a common small indoor green potted plant, and not only is it easy to care for, it is also especially easy to propagate.
1. Cutting medium: materials such as river sand, peat and perlite can be used.
2. During the peak growing season of peperomia, cut off leaves or stems and, after letting them dry, insert them into the medium.
3. Water thoroughly and place in a cool spot to wait for roots to form.
10. Verbena
Cutting time: May-June
Cutting temperature: around 15°C
1. Take woody branches of verbena and cut them into cuttings about 5-6 cm long
2. Insert the cuttings into a wet sand bed or flowerpot, then shade them immediately
3. After cutting, they can be exposed to a little morning and evening sunlight after 2-3 days, to promote rooting
After about two weeks, verbena will take root and sprout, and when the cuttings have grown 5-6 true leaves they can be planted out.