How to Root Plants From Cuttings (2024)

FAQs

How to Root Plants From Cuttings? ›

In a pot of damp, but drained, rooting mix, make a hole for the cutting using a pencil. Put the cutting in the hole and firm the rooting mix around it. If any leaves are touching the surface of the mix, trim them back. Several cuttings can be placed in the same pot as long as their leaves do not touch.

Some plants will root in water, but cuttings will develop a better root system when rooted in a soil-less potting mix. Sand or perlite can also be used, especially for cuttings that need good drainage and may rot if kept too wet.

Rooting in soil

Make an indentation with your finger a few inches deep. Place the cutting into the indentation you've made and add more soil to fill the top of the pot. Tamp down the dirt around the cuttings so they're secure. Give your cuttings a thorough drink of water until the soil is evenly moist.

Many indoor houseplants, such as, begonias, coleus, polka-dot-plant, ivies and philodendrons root easily in water. Other plants, including many woody plants such as hibiscus and citrus will not root well in water. They usual rot before rooting.

Success factors for rooting your cuttings

They'll root faster with plenty of sunlight, but avoid setting them in direct sun. Temperature is also important, the warmer the better to speed things up. For cuttings that are more valuable or difficult, adding a little aquarium pump to oxygenate the water will help a lot.

Add a Pothos! I'd heard of using willow as a natural rooting hormone (no idea where to source that however), but didn't know Pothos has this 'super power' too! Just pop a Pothos cutting in with the water with your slow-to-grow cuttings and it helps speed up root development.

In general, it can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks for roots to develop from a cutting. Some plants root more quickly than others. For example, herbs like mint or basil may start developing roots within a week or two, while woody plants like roses or figs may take several weeks to a month or more.

Cuttings are very delicate and vulnerable so pests, disease, the wrong growing conditions, too much water or too little water can all cause them to fail. Therefore it is vital that the plants you take your cuttings from are healthy, pest-free and growing strongly.

For hydrogen peroxide of 3% strength, the ratio is 1:1 with water (6% strength is 1:2 with water). After diluting the solution, simply dip your roots in for 10 seconds then pop them back into the water. The key to growing healthy, happy plants is to avoid root rot in the first place.

Not providing your plants with enough light

Without strong light levels, seedlings will be weak and spindly, and more prone to the fungal disease, damping off. If sowing indoors, choose a bright, warm spot, such as a windowsill, and check the seedlings daily.

How to stop cuttings from rotting? ›

All you'll need to do is dip the cut end of your plant into a bit of melted wax to form a complete seal around the open end of the stem. Let the wax harden slightly and then apply additional layers of wax until the stem has a thick seal over the open cut.

Herbaceous cuttings can be taken throughout the growing season (spring to late fall), while softwood cuttings should be taken in spring or early summer. Cuttings can be taken as long as the parent plant is healthy and in active growth.

Sprinkle rooting hormone powder on a saucer. Dip the cutting in the powder, which will encourage root growth once it's planted.

Clean, coarse construction-grade sand may be used for rooting cuttings. Avoid very fine sand because it has poor aeration, which hampers root formation. A mixture of half sand and half peat moss is a better rooting medium. Vermiculite, a lightweight expanded mica product, is suitable for rooting cuttings.

Soil roots need more energy to grow, which is why cuttings grow roots faster in water vs soil. Soil roots are tougher and thicker.

Clean, coarse construction-grade sand may be used for rooting cuttings. Avoid very fine sand because it has poor aeration, which hampers root formation. A mixture of half sand and half peat moss is a better rooting medium. Vermiculite, a lightweight expanded mica product, is suitable for rooting cuttings.

Dip the cut surface of the clipping in the rooting hormone and then place it in potting medium, making sure to keep the medium damp, but not overwatered. Rooting hormone should never be used when propagating in water, since it will wash directly off the cutting.