The Complete Guide to Flower Cuttings: Dividing Potted Plants Is Actually Very Simple

In the process of growing flowers, cuttings are a very important means of propagation. Today I will share with you

Advantages: maintains the characteristics of each plant; flowers earlier than seed propagation; the propagation method is simple, materials are easy to obtain, and the survival rate is high; it can be done in all four seasons when conditions are suitable; species that cannot set seed can be propagated by this method.

Disadvantages: plants grown from cuttings have shallow root systems and a relatively short lifespan. Stem cuttings include hardwood cuttings and softwood cuttings.

Hardwood Cuttings

Deciduous flowering trees and shrubs such as pomegranate, hibiscus, cotton rose, crape myrtle, winter jasmine, and poinsettia are mostly propagated by this method. It is done in early spring before the sap begins to flow. Select robust, well-filled 1-2 year old branches, take the middle section, and cut them into 10-15 cm long pieces as cuttings; they need to have 2-3 buds, and the terminal bud of the cutting must be plump and intact. At the upper end, cut flat 0.5-1 cm above the bud; at the lower end, cut at an angle 0.5-1 cm below the bud, with the bud on the angled side, and insert it into the cutting medium to a depth of 1/2 of the cutting. For most tree species, hardwood cuttings are stored in sand in the ground over winter before winter arrives, and then planted in spring. Some tropical and subtropical flowering trees can also be cuttings earlier in a greenhouse.

Softwood Cuttings

Greenhouse flowers such as fuchsia, geranium, and begonia; outdoor herbaceous flowers such as salvia, dahlia, and verbena; evergreen broad-leaved flowering trees such as jasmine, azalea, banana shrub, camellia, and osmanthus are mostly propagated by this method. It is done from late May to September. Select semi-lignified leafy branches of the current year as cuttings, such as semi-lignified branches taken from the lower part near the shoot tip after flowering. The cuttings are about 6-10 cm long and must have 2-3 buds; the cutting method is the same as for hardwood cuttings, and the lower leaves are removed, while the upper leaves can each be partially trimmed as appropriate to reduce evaporation. Cutting and inserting right away improves the survival rate. When taking cuttings of poinsettia, geranium, oleander, and others, the cut often exudes a large amount of sap, so be sure to wait until the cut has dried before inserting, otherwise the cut is prone to rot after insertion and difficult to root.

Leaf Cuttings

Species such as wax begonia, chrysanthemum, echeveria, and snake plant, which can grow adventitious roots and adventitious buds at the leaf veins or leaf stalk, can be propagated by leaf cuttings to grow into new plants. When cutting leaves, for those with a leaf stalk, keep about 3 cm of the stalk and trim off part of the thin, tender leaf margin, then insert the stalk into the medium; for those without a leaf stalk, cut at the intersections of the leaf veins with a knife and lay the leaf flat on the medium so that it makes close contact with the medium, or use a bamboo stick to fix the leaf veins in the medium, so that roots can emerge at the leaf veins and grow into new plants. The snake plant has fleshy sword-shaped leaves, which can be cut crosswise into leaf sections about 5 cm long as cuttings and inserted straight into sand; when inserting, do not turn them upside down, and new roots can emerge at the base to form new plants.

Leaf-Bud Cuttings

When propagated by leaf cuttings, plants such as rubber tree, hydrangea, jasmine, and Chinese hibiscus can root at the leaf stalk and leaf axil but cannot sprout, so they cannot grow into new plants. Therefore, it is necessary to choose a leaf with an axillary bud at the base for cuttings so that it can develop into a new plant.

Root Cuttings

For flowering plants whose roots can grow adventitious buds, such as flowering quince, peony, Chinese trumpet creeper, kiwifruit, hypericum, wintersweet, garden phlox, and bleeding heart, roots can be used as cuttings for propagation. When repotting the flowering plants, cut 5-10 cm root segments and insert them straight or at an angle into the soil, without turning them upside down, with the upper end level with the soil surface; after new shoots grow, gradually earth up around them as appropriate.

Water Propagation Method

Select tender or semi-lignified branches, cut them to the required length from about 1 cm below a stem node, remove the leaves that would be submerged in water, and insert them to a depth generally 1/4 of the cutting; place them in bright, indirect light according to the habits of the flower, change the water generally every 3-5 days, and once the roots have grown to about 1-2 cm long, they can be potted up.

No matter which cutting method is used, after insertion be sure to water thoroughly, then cover the cutting pot with glass or plastic film to maintain a certain temperature and relatively high humidity, place it in half shade, strengthen management, and after rooting, transplant and grow it on. To achieve a high survival rate for cuttings, in addition to selecting good cuttings, the medium is also very important; the medium must both drain well and have a certain water-holding capacity. Vermiculite, perlite, furnace slag, and rice hull ash are good cutting media. The medium must be maintained at a temperature above 20°C, that is, the air temperature must be above 25°C, so that the cut end of the cutting can heal and root easily.

Care and Management After Cutting

Temperature Management

Temperature plays a very important role in rooting of cuttings. The suitable rooting temperature for softwood cuttings of most flowers is 20°C-25°C; for semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings it is 22°C-28°C; for leaf cuttings and bud cuttings it varies by species, with the suitable temperature within the range of 20-28. If the temperature of the cutting bed is below 20°C, the cuttings are not easy to root; if it is above 28, the leaves of the cuttings are prone to wilting, which affects rooting. In spring, when the outdoor temperature is too low, if the cutting bed has a device to increase bottom heat, it is beneficial to the survival of early spring hardwood cuttings. For summer cuttings, pay attention to preventing high-temperature damage; open the cover and spray the leaves to cool them down.

Water Management

After cutting, the medium is required to continuously provide enough water to maintain the normal freshness of the branches and leaves. Generally, a soil moisture content of 50-60 is suitable; too much water often causes the cuttings to rot. At the same time, relatively high air humidity is required, usually a relative humidity of 80%-90% is best. For this reason, promptly use leaf spraying and adjustment of the cover to control it. To avoid direct sunlight causing excessive transpiration of water and leaf shrinkage, pay attention to shading.

Light Management

Only in sunlight can the terminal buds and leaves carried by the cuttings carry out photosynthesis and produce auxin to promote rooting. However, because they have been separated from the mother plant, they should be properly shaded, generally with a shading level of 70% being suitable. About half a month after the cuttings root, they can be moved out and planted into pots; first place them in a hidden spot to recover, and after the root system has developed well and the plants are robust, gradually move them to a place with sufficient sunlight and manage them according to routine practice.

That is all for the detailed information I will share with you. I hope this article is helpful to everyone, and I wish you all good luck.