Detailed Guide to Common Household Flower Cutting Propagation Methods

Spider Plant

Cutting time: Spring, Summer, Autumn

Cutting temperature: 15-25°C

Spider plant cuttings are very easy to do and can be carried out in all four seasons, but mainly in spring, summer and autumn.

1. When taking cuttings, simply cut off the clustered stems and leaves on the spider plant's runners; this is essentially a new young spider plant, with leaves on top and usually aerial roots below.

2. Plant it directly into a flower pot, water thoroughly and place in a shady spot to grow.

Note: When taking cuttings, be careful not to bury them too deep, otherwise the center is prone to rot.

Propagating spider plant by cuttings

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 it is not suitable for cuttings at that time.

1. Cut current-year woody branches into cuttings about 15-20 cm long.

2. Remove the lower leaves of the cuttings, keeping only 2-3 leaves at the top.

3. Insert the cuttings into a loose, breathable medium, water thoroughly, and place in a shady spot.

4. After taking cuttings, keep the soil consistently moist; the plants will take root in about three to four weeks.

Ivy cuttings that have rooted

Pothos

Cutting time: April-August

Cutting temperature: 15-28°C

Pothos cuttings are surely familiar to everyone; they can be propagated either in water or in soil. Pothos can be propagated by cuttings all year round, but April to August is the best time.

1. For water propagation, first let tap water sit in the sun for 24 hours, cut 10-20 cm cuttings, remove excess leaves, keep two to three leaves, and place them directly into a water propagation container. Change the water every two to three days, and new roots will grow in about ten days.

2. For soil propagation, use 15-30 cm sections as cuttings, remove the leaves on 1-2 nodes, choose a loose, breathable 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.

Pothos in water propagation

Pothos rooted in soil

Geranium

Geranium Geranium cutting time: Spring, Autumn

Cutting temperature: 13-18°C

Geranium cutting method:

1. When taking cuttings, select terminal cuttings about 10 cm long (vigorous growth, easy to root).

2. The best cutting medium is a loose, breathable sandy loam.

3. Freshly cut cuttings can be left in a shady spot to dry for a while, and propagated after the wounds have healed, to prevent infection and rot.

4. Keep the cutting temperature at around 13-18°C; roots will form in about two to three weeks.

Geranium cuttings

Geranium cuttings being propagated

Kalanchoe

Cutting time: Spring, Autumn

Cutting temperature: 15-20°C

The best time for kalanchoe cuttings is May-June or September-October each year. Cuttings can be taken together with post-bloom pruning.

1. Select healthy fleshy stems, cut into 5-6 cm cuttings, and insert the cuttings into the substrate.

2. Do not bury the leaves, then water thoroughly and place in a shady spot. In later care, water with alternating dry and wet periods, and err on the side of dryness rather than wetness, to prevent the fleshy stems from rotting.

3. In dry weather, cover with a bag to retain moisture, and keep the room temperature at around 15-20°C.

4. Roots will form in two to three weeks, and after about one month they can be potted up, after which normal care and management will suffice.

Cuttings

Propagating by cuttings

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 4 to 5 cm cuttings.

2. Bury the cuttings directly into the soil (there are no strict requirements for the cutting medium).

They will survive in one to two weeks, and then buds and flowers will appear; the sense of achievement comes quite quickly.

Cuttings

Propagating by cuttings

Hydrangea

Cutting time: Plum rain season

Cutting temperature: 13-18°C

Hydrangea cuttings are best taken during the plum rain season:

1. Cut terminal tender branches, about 20 cm long.

2. Remove the lower leaves of the cuttings, keeping 2-3 leaves at the top.

3. The cutting medium must be loose and breathable, mainly peat and perlite.

4. After taking cuttings, keep them moist; roots will form in about two weeks.

Cutting hydrangea cuttings

Preparing the cuttings

Inserting the cuttings

Scarlet Sage

Cutting time: July-August

Cutting temperature: 15-28°C

Scarlet sage is generally propagated by sowing, but cuttings also work.

1. Cut healthy 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 cuttings, 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 shady spot, always keeping the soil moist.

Scarlet sage will root in about 15 days, and should be potted up immediately after rooting.

Peperomia

Cutting time: Early spring, Late autumn

Cutting temperature: 15-28°C

Peperomia is a common small indoor potted foliage plant; not only is it easy to care for, but propagation is also especially simple.

1. Cutting medium: River sand, peat, perlite and other materials can be used.

2. During peperomia's peak growing season, cut leaves or stems, let them dry, then insert them into the medium.

2. Water thoroughly and place in a shady spot to wait for rooting.

Peperomia leaf cuttings

Peperomia stem cuttings

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 flower pot, then shade them immediately.

3. After taking cuttings, they can be exposed to a little morning and evening sunlight after 2-3 days to promote rooting.

After about two weeks, verbena will root and sprout; when the cuttings grow 5-6 true leaves, they can be planted out.

Heartleaf Aptenia

Cutting time: Spring and Autumn

Cutting temperature: 15-20°C

Heartleaf aptenia is generally propagated by cuttings, mostly in spring and autumn, and is very easy to root.

Cut mature branches, let them dry slightly, then insert them into prepared potting soil, place in a cool, ventilated spot, and keep the soil moist. After a few days, you will see the branches stand upright and the cuttings begin to root and sprout.

Heartleaf aptenia cuttings

Cuttings that have been propagated

Dahlia

Cutting time: June-August

Cutting temperature: 20-28°C

Dahlia cuttings can be taken together with the removal of side shoots.

1. When the side shoots grow to 15 to 10 cm, cut off the side shoots, making sure the side shoots have 3 buds.

2. Keep the upper two leaf buds, and for the lower leaf buds, cut off the basal leaves.

3. Insert the cuttings into the soil, covering the soil up to the second bud, water thoroughly, and shade.

4. Mist morning and evening, keep soil moisture at 90%, and roots will form in about three weeks.

Dahlias successfully propagated by cuttings

Chrysanthemum

Cutting time: April-May

Cutting temperature: 18-20°C

Chrysanthemums are usually propagated by cuttings, which are further divided into shoot cuttings, softwood cuttings and leaf-bud cuttings; in daily life we generally use softwood cuttings for propagation.

1. Every year from April to May, cut 8-10 cm tender chrysanthemum shoots as cuttings.

2. Remove all the lower leaves of the cuttings, keeping only the upper leaves.

3. For the cutting medium, vermiculite, perlite or coarse sand is preferable; insert the cuttings into the medium.

4. At a temperature of 18-20°C, most varieties root in about 3 weeks, and can be transplanted and potted up in about 4 weeks.

Cutting the cuttings

Preparing the cuttings

Propagating by cuttings

Coleus

Cutting time: spring, summer

Cutting temperature: 18-25°C

When propagating coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) from cuttings, the water propagation method is most often used.

1. Prepare a container; a glass cup or plastic bottle will do.

2. Take cuttings: choose a sturdy coleus stem about 10 cm long, keep only 1-2 nodes at the base, and cut off the lower leaves.

3. Place the prepared cutting in the container, with the water covering 3-4 cm of the cutting.

4. Put the container in a spot with indirect light and change the water about every 2-3 days.

At 18-25°C, white roots can be seen in one to two weeks.

Coleus rooted in water

Goldfish plant (Nematanthus gregarius)

Cutting time: spring, autumn

Cutting temperature: 20-25°C

The goldfish plant gets its name because its flowers look like goldfish, and it is deeply loved by people.

1. The best time to take goldfish plant cuttings is in spring and autumn.

2. When taking cuttings, select sturdy shoots and cut them to a length of about 10 cm, then insert the cuttings into the growing medium.

3. The best growing medium is river sand or a mix of peat, perlite and vermiculite.

After cutting, keep up the humidity; you can cover them with a bag or mist them often. Roots form in about three to four weeks. Once rooted and new shoots grow, pinch the tips promptly to encourage side branches to sprout and keep a good plant shape.

Dianthus (Dianthus chinensis)

Cutting time: October, February-March

Cutting temperature: 10-15°C

1. Take cuttings from mother plants that are vigorous, bloom uniformly and have thick stems with short nodes.

2. From the middle of a sturdy branch, choose a short, thick side shoot and cut a section 3 to 4 cm long.

3. Insert the cutting into a loose, airy growing medium, with the insertion depth about one-third to one-half of the cutting.

4. After inserting, water thoroughly and keep at 10-15°C.

Right after inserting, shade them on clear days to avoid strong light, generally for about 2 weeks. The cuttings root in about 30 to 45 days, and transplanting can usually be done about 1 month after the seedlings survive.

Mint

Cutting time: May-June

Cutting temperature: 15-25°C

Mint is both attractive and edible, and is deeply loved by everyone, so how should mint be propagated from cuttings?

1. Take mint cuttings, each about 10 cm long.

2. Remove the lower leaves of the cutting and insert it into the growing medium.

3. Once roots and shoots have formed, transplant the plant into a flowerpot.

Mint propagated from cuttings

Monstera (Monstera deliciosa)

Cutting time: spring, autumn

Cutting temperature: 25-27°C

Monstera can be propagated from stem-node cuttings in both spring and autumn, with cuttings taken in April-May in spring and September-October in autumn giving the best results. During these periods the temperature is suitable for the cut stem nodes to heal and root, so they survive quickly.

1. For the cuttings, choose current-year side branches with solid stem tissue and vigorous growth; the cuttings should be 20-25 cm long. Cut off the leaves at the base, keep the small leaves at the upper end, remove long aerial roots and keep short aerial roots.

2. Use a mixed growing medium of coarse sand and peat or leaf mold for the cutting bed.

3. After inserting, keep at 25-27°C and maintain high air humidity.

Rooting only begins about 1 month after insertion, so you need to wait patiently~

Chinese peony (Paeonia lactiflora)

Cutting time: June-July

Cutting temperature: 20-25°C

I wonder if everyone can tell tree peonies and Chinese peonies apart. In fact, one big difference is that tree peonies are woody, while Chinese peonies are herbaceous. Now let's look at how to propagate Chinese peonies from cuttings:

1. Growing medium: mainly river sand, perlite and vermiculite.

2. Select cuttings 10-15 cm long, each with at least two nodes, and cut off the leaves at the lower nodes.

3. When inserting, the depth into the growing medium is about 5 cm. After inserting, water thoroughly, wrap with plastic film, and keep humidity between 80-90%.

In about three to four weeks, the Chinese peony will root and form dormant buds. After rooting, reduce watering and gradually remove the plastic film.

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)

Cutting time: spring, autumn

Cutting temperature: 10-25°C

The best season for carnation cuttings is from autumn to early spring; high summer temperatures easily cause root rot.

1. For cuttings, side shoots are best, and the side shoots must be sturdy and free of pests and diseases.

2. The best cutting medium is pure perlite or pure vermiculite. If the weather is very cold, ordinary nutrient soil will also do, because in cold temperatures the soil is less likely to grow bacteria.

3. For cutting containers, you can use small flowerpots or disposable water cups with holes punched in the bottom.

After cutting, spray enough water, and afterward keep the soil from becoming too wet, otherwise root rot easily occurs.

Huahua stayed up late putting this together, so please accept it with a smile, dears!