Succulents can be propagated in water, but doing so goes against the ideal growing circumstances for these plants. Start your leaves and cuttings in shallow planting trays or tiny containers packed with potting soil for the best outcomes. Succulents can be grown in individual containers without having to transplant them right away.
Follow these easy steps once planting day arrives and your leaf or stem cuttings have callused:
1. Get your planting trays or containers ready. Use a coarse, quick-draining potting mix made for succulents and cacti and gently moisten it. 2 Make planting holes with a little stick.
2. Add a little RootBoost Rooting Hormone to a serving dish. When pouring, only utilize what you’ll need and discard the remainder.
3. Cut one piece at a time. Wet the cutting stem or leaf base before dipping it into the dish of rooting hormone. Completely round the stem or leaf base. Get rid of any extra rooting powder by shaking.
4. Carefully tuck leaves or stems into the rooting powder so it doesn’t fall out. The potting mix should then be carefully pressed around the cuttings.
- Insert the base at an angle just below the soil line to accommodate leaves. Put curled leaves in an upwards-curving position. (On that side, the new tiny plant grows.)
- Insert the bottom half of the stem into the potting mix so that it covers at least two bare nodes when taking stem cuttings.
5. Wait until roots start to form before watering. Once the dirt has dried, give it a good watering before repeating the process. The majority of succulent leaf and stem cuttings should root in two to three weeks, while rooting times might vary greatly. The fastest-rooting cuttings are those from stem tips.
6. After the roots have taken hold, transplant your new succulents from trays to tiny containers. Use the same kind of potting soil as you did previously. Be careful not to disrupt young, delicate roots.
How are succulent cuttings preserved?
Succulents are a type of plant that has evolved to thrive in dry environments by storing water in its stems, leaves, and roots. Cutting stems or leaves for propagation swiftly results in a plant that is similar to the original. To lessen the likelihood of a fungus attack and stem rot, one step in the growth of succulents via cuttings is drying the cut piece of succulent.
A sharp knife should be cleaned after being washed in soapy water. Slice off a brief portion of the parent plant’s stem or leaf, typically just below a stem junction or leaf node. When planted, these tips produce roots.
The chopped succulent piece should be spread out on a fresh, dry paper towel. Place the cutting in a spot that receives no direct sunshine and is consistently warm. To keep the succulent lifted off the paper towel, tuck a wooden pencil under the cut end.
Give the cutting at least two days to rest. Check the cut end visually to see if a callous is developing. The end shouldn’t be touchably damp. The injured tissue may need up to a week to recover.
Cactus dirt that is readily accessible commercially should be placed inside a tiny clay pot. With your finger, make a small hole in the soil’s middle, then insert the dried succulent cutting. So that the cutting stands straight, compact the dirt surrounding it. Put the plant pot close to the parent plant to expose the cutting to the same growing environment. Once the roots start to grow, new growth will follow.
How long are clippings good for?
Although it is ideal to collect cuttings in the early spring and plant them right away, cuttings can be securely preserved for about 4 months if this is not possible. Cuttings should be kept in a cool, dark, and moist area.
Gather Your Succulents To Plant
For this video, we’ll be planting a variety of succulent species using both cuttings and discarded leaves. Amass the materials you want to plant. You can either utilize fallen leaves or cut cuttings from an established plant. If you can’t locate cuttings anywhere else, you can usually find them online and at most florists. Although these are also available on Amazon, I got mine from a vendor on Etsy.
Prepare your succulents for planting.
The most crucial step in this method is preparing your succulents. Make sure you have enough stem to plant in the ground so it can support the plant. Any excess leaves at the stem’s base should be removed. It’s good to leave approximately an inch of the stem exposed for larger cuttings, and you can use less for smaller cuttings.
After that, examine the base of your cutting. The plants ought to have a “callous” on them, which denotes that the plant’s base has dried out. You should wait a few days before planting freshly cut succulents because this forms a few days after the succulent is cut. By letting the cut end dry more quickly on a paper towel or paper bag, you can hasten this process.
Succulents are wonderful because you can also plant their leaves, so hold onto the ones you pulled off the stem. Verify your succulents for any bad components. Any area of the plant that is dark contains rot, which can spread to other areas and ultimately destroy the plant. Simply cutting it will allow you to get rid of the rotten parts.
Mix your soil.
If you aren’t using a pre-made succulent soil mix, you’ll need to prepare your soil so that it will drain effectively and support the growth of your succulent plants. To make the soil drain well, I combine one part potting soil with one part sand. In order to help larger plants become more firmly rooted in the ground, I also prefer to have a supply of tiny rocks nearby.
To fill a pot or tray, pour your soil mixture. I’m repurposing an old baking pan that I can’t bake in as a planting tray.
Plant!
We’ve reached the enjoyable part now! Make a little, inch-deep hole in the ground. After inserting your cutting, fill up the depression with soil.
Make careful to space your cuttings, if you’re planting more than one, roughly 2-3″ apart.
Ensure that your plants receive adequate water. Although succulents don’t often require much water, you may need to water them every 2-4 days while they are developing their roots, depending on how dry the soil becomes. It’s normal for the leaves to initially appear a little dried out because the plant is using its reserves of stored energy to develop new roots. New growth should begin to appear in around four weeks. Change to weekly watering or watering only when the soil is dry once the plants have set their roots and have started to grow.
Admire and Show Off Your Work!
Well done! Show off your incredible craftsmanship and green thumb to all of your friends! These plants will be prepared for repotting if you desire once they have developed roots and begun to grow, which should take around 3 to 6 weeks. They make wonderful Christmas gifts for friends and coworkers when planted in a tiny Mason jar or vibrant pot!
How long will a slice of a cactus live?
Always use gloves when handling cacti as a safety precaution! They have spines, and when they make acute contact with skin, they poke, stab, cut, penetrate, and pain. Check out our succulents if you desire gentle plants!
The length of time it takes for these guys to start rooting depends on a variety of things. Considerations include the season, the kind of soil, the location, the temperature, and the amount of sunlight.
Like the great majority of other plants, cacti thrive in warm climates with warm soil. Naturally, spring and summer are the best times to get these guys to thrive, but growing them indoors, where you have more control, will also be beneficial.
Rooting your Cactus Cuttings
So your cutting or cuttings have come. The bottom should be calloused and dry. On occasion, we apply a small amount of sulfur to the tip to aid in drying and prevent infection. A couple hues could change in the sulfur. It’s alright. Just make sure the finish is dry before continuing. If so, you are prepared to move on to the next phase. In order to help it dry out if it’s still wet for whatever reason, you can raise it up so the end faces the warm sun for a few days while keeping it dry. ** However, don’t leave it lying on its side in full sunlight for an extended period of time; they can burn.
You will need to cut off the rotten piece if the end feels mushy or rotted (rarely will this occur during delivery). Make sure the cactus you cut into is in good health. Getting rid of unhealthy items is a must! Then, as said above, allow it dry for a few days if it’s warm or for about a week if it’s not. To disinfect and/or remove surface mold, etc., you can also dab the ends with some rubbing alcohol and a paper towel.
Now that the cutting end is dry and calloused, you can plant it. The importance of soil cannot be overstated.
First, the soil must be permeable and well-draining, whether this is accomplished by adding sand, gravel, pumice, perlite, or another media. You run the risk of your tricho/cacti decaying at the base if your soil doesn’t drain/dry more quickly than typical houseplant soil. More than anything else, wet, muddy soil destroys succulents and cacti! There is no need to water the soil if it is already moist!
Two, your tricho/cactus lives in your soil, which is also its main food source. Spend a bit more to buy or make quality soil for your cactus investment to grow in since you’ve already put in these plants. You can buy basic cactus soil mix from your neighborhood nursery or gardening store, or you can prepare your own. Google will teach you. When your cactus has planted and prepared to absorb the food, you can later add fertilizer, worm castings, or whatever else you choose to feed it with.
Okay, so you’ve got your dried cactus trimmed, some suitable soil (which doesn’t necessarily need to be dry; a little moisture is acceptable, just keep it from being soggy; you shouldn’t be able to squeeze water out). You will need a pot with ***drainage holes***, a few inches of soil (two to three down is acceptable), and **if your conditions are cooler/humid, go with DRY Soil**. You might need to support your cut with a stick or something if it is heavy or long. For the next 3–4 weeks, place there as you wait for the roots to start showing. You can now carefully inspect your cactus for signs of root growth by gently taking it out. Either she has begun to form roots, or you will need to wait a few more weeks. Cut it out and start over if it appears to be rotten (it shouldn’t). It’s crucial to keep an eye on your cutting during these three to four weeks. You’re searching for any discoloration that may be rising from the bottom; the earlier you spot rot, the less you’ll need to remove and the sooner you can go back to work.
If your cuttings are tiny enough, you can put your cactus horizontally on the ground or in a big pot as an alternative to vertical planting. The benefits of doing this include if you find your cactus pieces broken and on the ground (look for roots along the section facing the ground), or if you have a large, ugly piece that you want to use as a source of new plants. Additionally, planting horizontally increases the surface area available for the emergence of roots, which will ultimately play a significant role in generating development in all of the plant’s intended growth zones!
If roots have already started, you may now start watering lightly. Be sure to allow for the soil to dry out a little between waterings because persistently damp soil will harm cacti. To get the cactus roots to develop deeply rather than staying shallow and close to the surface, I let the watering go all the way to the bottom.
Your cactus is now prepared for some full sun, or you can try a different spot.
If they are continuously hydrated, our cactus thrive under the scorching sun. Lack of water affects color and development. We also have a lot of trees that receive some shade, as well as some giants that have grown very tall and long up the edges of some trees, never receiving any full light. Where you grow yours is entirely up to you, but if you see that they are bending or reaching for the light, you should shift them because this isn’t a good sign. Additionally, SLOWLY ACCLIMATE your newly rooted Tricho into the heat, intense sun. The same as you and I, they can become sunburned!
Other Notes of Interest
Simply follow the initial instructions if you want to propagate (start new cuttings) from your cactus. Cut off a piece or pieces with a clean knife or saw, let them to dry, and repeat the process. In a few weeks, you should notice several new points developing at the top of the cut! Do not panic if your plant topples over and breaks; simply start over by growing a new cutting!
On the tip or down the side of a cactus, a black spot or region might occasionally appear. These can occasionally result from injury, being pricked by another cactus, etc. They occasionally just appear. Numerous forums have discussions on this, and occasionally it even seems like a small drop is coming out of it, even though it is normally dry to the touch. Not to worry! In a few weeks or months, these black patches will transform into typical, tiny scars and descend as fresh growth emerges from the top. Understanding the distinction between these black dots and actual black, rotting parts is crucial in this situation. You can stick your finger inside a rotten cactus. You will need to remove the dead section if your cactus sustains side damage that doesn’t mend properly. Your cactus should mend perfectly, but you need to remove the black or orange sticky flesh!
Flowers!!! Larger than others are some. Flowers on tiny cacti are typically smaller. The first flowers you see are little white balls of fur. Don’t disrespect them! Flowers will soon emerge from these balls. Cereus and Trichocereus frequently feature enormous white or yellow flowers that hummingbirds and bees just like! Our tortoises eat the flowers we feed them. They also adore them! It’s also cool when your cactus produces fruit and seed pods occasionally!
At least one foot should develop on your columnar catus each year! Numerous elements are undoubtedly at play here; some people may grow more while others less. Variation will occur within each species of cactus. For instance, Trichocereus species differ in size, length of spines, color, and shape as they mature. The spines of the rarer Bridgesii are occasionally longer than those of the San Pedro, which are more frequently traded and collected. The spines on Peruvian torches are very lengthy. Bic Macs are large and chubby! San Pedros come in a variety of trims; some are plump logs and others are leaner. Each one is unique! None of us are flawless, but that’s life!
Please write us if you have any questions or recommendations about our Cutting page. We’re constantly interested in learning new things and improving our services for clients.