When the light is not directly overhead, bring back outdoor plants to the garden. Create a shallow depression large enough for spreading roots by working the soil until it is crumbly.
Place your plant carefully inside of it, then add a layer of soil about an inch thick to gently cover the roots. To secure, lightly tamp. After a day, give the plant’s surrounding soil a gentle misting of water.
Cutting
With the cutting method, all you have to do is cut off a portion of a leaf or a stem, let it dry, and in no time at all, you’ll have roots and shoots. To keep it completely dry is the trick.
These are two approaches:
Beheading
A plant that has become tall and spindly or whose lanky, bare limbs hang downward like a pendant can benefit from this treatment.
Simply trim off the plant’s head, leaving approximately an inch of stem still attached. Dry it, let it to develop roots, then plant.
A healthy beheaded plant’s remaining stem should produce new leaves in a tight cluster, strengthening and improving the plant’s appearance.
As said, plant heads and leaves used as cuttings need to dry out and develop roots before planting.
It’s easy, really! This is how:
Do succulents naturally reproduce themselves?
When another pollinates a plant, sexual reproduction takes place. Usually, a third party like the wind, a bug, or a bee will assist in this process. The plant produces seeds inside of a fruit after being pollinated.
Plants that do not require pollination can reproduce asexually, that is, without the involvement of any other plants. This occurs as cuttings and offsets in succulent plants. Cuttings actually happen when the succulent breaks or sustains damage organically, proving that the plant can continue procreate even after suffering damage.
How are succulent babies created?
Succulents can also grow from solitary leaves. Succulent cultivars with fleshy, plump leaves that are simple to remove function well with this technique. Leaf propagation spares less of the “mother” plant and each leaf can create numerous little plants, even though it will take much longer to produce a full-sized plant. Getting a quality leaf cutting is crucial, much like with stem cuttings. Although they must split from the plant at the base of the stem, leaves can be wiggled off of a plant. Kremblas advises caution, saying, “Be sure to reach all the way down to where the leaf joins the stem, as a broken leaf will not propagate.” And make sure to select a leaf that is firm, plump, and limp-free.
Leaf cuttings should be allowed to callus and need partial sun to grow, just like stem cuttings. Leaf cuttings should be placed on top of a thin layer of succulent potting soil (not buried), and they should be misted with water to keep them wet. The leaf cuttings will start to grow little “pup” plants in about three weeks. The mother leaves will start to wilt and drop off after eight weeks, at which point your pups are ready to be planted.
Can leaves be used to cultivate succulents?
In the spring and summer, when leaves and stems are ready for active growth, it is simplest to propagate succulent leaves and cuttings. Most common succulents can be multiplied successfully from individual leaves or stem fragments.
- For succulents with fleshy leaves, like jade plants or echeveria and sempervivum rosettes, leaf propagation works well. The leaf must remain intact for the root to take. To loosen the leaf, gently bounce it back and forth while holding it between your forefinger and thumb. After that, carefully separate the leaf from the parent plant, keeping the base in tact.
- Succulents with distinct stems, including stacked crassulas and spreading or erect sedums, respond well to stem cuttings. Cutting succulents is analogous to propagating soft-stemmed plants. To cut stem tips, use a sharp knife, or take an entire stem to make many starts. Each cutting should be 2 to 3 inches long and have multiple leaves. Only the top two leaves should be kept.
Is it better to grow succulents in soil or water for reproduction?
Using water as a medium to root succulent cuttings is known as water propagation. This may contradict popular perceptions of succulents. The general consensus is that succulent plants dislike sitting in water and that doing so encourages root rot.
Therefore, water propagation may go against what we have learned to be true about nurturing and propagating succulents. However, lately I seem to be hearing more and more about water propagation.
According on what I have heard and read, some people believe water propagation to be simpler than more “standard” techniques like roots on dry medium or soil.
I’ve heard a lot of success tales from folks who used water propagation after trying succulent propagation unsuccessfully for a long time. In fact, some people solely reproduce succulent cuttings using water because they see quicker outcomes and more overall success.
According to one notion I’ve heard, succulent cuttings don’t rot in water since water isn’t the main source of rot. When succulent plants are left in moist soil, they are exposed to fungi and other pathogens that can cause illnesses and root rot in the plant. The plants do not decay when propagating in water because they are not exposed to the pathogens that are often found in the soil media.
The fact that the roots generated in water are different from those required for a plant to thrive in soil is another worry people have regarding water propagation. They need to create new roots that are better suited for thriving in soil after they are planted. Others who propagate in water, however, claim that the plants flourish when transferred from water to soil.
As someone who has had excellent success with “soil propagation,” I decided to conduct an experiment to find out how water propagates. To see what might happen, I tried soaking three stem cuttings in water. I picked two distinct plants that I had no trouble establishing in soil. I reasoned that picking a plant that is simple to grow would increase my chances of success. I used stem cuttings from the aeonium (blushing beauty) and the jade (crassula ovata) plants.
The water was placed in three Mason jars, which I covered with clear plastic and punctured in the middle of. I used drinking water that has been treated. Some individuals drink simple tap water. Others have reportedly used distilled water. I didn’t enrich the water with any nutrients. This is not required, based on what I’ve read.
The three stem cuttings were then placed on the jar’s rim with their tips resting directly on the water. When rooting in water, there are two main approaches that people take. One technique is to place the cuts’ end just above the water’s surface. The reason for this is because the cuttings will start looking for moisture and roots. Another approach is to actually let the cuts’ ends touch the water. Although both procedures appear to be effective, I opted for the second one.
I placed the cuttings in a well-lit spot and made an effort to ignore them for a few weeks. The cuts still look the same as I had left them when we returned from a family holiday two weeks later. No roots developed. I just left them alone and kind of forgot about them because the water didn’t seem to need to be refreshed or changed.
I was surprised to notice that the two jade cuttings had a lot of pink roots after another two weeks (a total of roughly four weeks).
Six weeks after the experiment’s start, the jade plants continued to grow more roots while the aeonium remained unchanged.
I took the roots cuttings out of the water and placed them on paper to dry for approximately a day after deciding that it was time to transplant them into soil after around 6 weeks. All three stem cuttings appeared healthy and were not rotting.
The next test will be to evaluate how these cuttings fare in soil after spending five weeks in water and developing water roots. After five weeks, the aeonium cutting hardly developed any roots, but I will still plant it in soil. Since I have grown several aeonium cuttings in soil before, I am almost convinced that this will flourish once planted.
I made a cactus mix and perlite mixture and put the potting mix in little pots. After that, the stem cuttings were placed inside the pot.
The same care is given to these potted cuttings as I do to my other stem cuttings. Keep them in a spot with plenty of light, but shield them from the hot afternoon heat or direct sunlight.
Increases in the quantity and quality of sunlight can be made once these plants are well-established and rooted.
Move to a more shady area if you see that they are getting sunburned. The plants can be moved around to observe where they thrive. After around three weeks, you can pull the stem out to see if the cuttings have rooted. The plant has rooted if it resists being pulled out of the ground and is challenging to do so.
Update:
Please click on to see how these plants are doing four months later “Click here to see updates and photographs for Does Water Propagation Work for Succulents?
A Step-by-Step Guide for How to Procreate in Water is Provided Below:
acquire a cutting. Snip a piece of a succulent plant’s stem. Leggy plants can be a fantastic source of stem cuttings. Leave the stem naked for at least two inches.
OR You can propagate plants by using leaves in place of a stem cutting, or by using both stems and leaves.
Pick healthy leafy plants. A healthy leaf is a better place to start if you want to succeed. Select leaves that are not ripped, torn, damaged, or irregularly shaped. Instead of dried and flat leaves, search for full, plump leaves.
Remove the leaves off the stem gently. Your thumb and forefinger should be used to carefully twist the leaves from the stem. Some leaves are loosely linked to the stem while others are securely attached.
To remove the entire leaf, gently wriggle it back and forth. The entire leaf, including the base where it connects to the stem, is what you desire. The leaf won’t survive if the base does not separate or if it sustains harm.
Launder the cuttings. Till the cut end has calloused or dried, let the cutting air dry for a few days.
Submerge in water. Select the ideal-sized cup for the clippings, then fill it with water. Place the cutting so that the stem or leaf’s tip is slightly visible above the water’s surface.
Another method is to let the cutting to touch the water at the end. From what I’ve heard, both approaches appear to be effective. (I chose to do the latter, where the cuts’ end was in the water.)
Plant the cuttings that have roots. After the cuttings have developed roots, let them dry for a few days. The roots cuttings can be planted in an appropriate potting mix once they have dried out.
occasionally use water. Compared to adult plants, baby plants require a bit more moisture. Spray the soil with a spray bottle sparingly once every few days or whenever it seems dry. Reduce watering to once a week after the plant has a stronger root system.
Keep away from the sun’s rays. When first planted in their own pot, shield young plants from direct sunshine to avoid sun damage. As a plant matures, gradually increase sunshine and sun exposure in accordance with the needs of the plant.
Some people opt to leave the rooted cuttings submerged in water rather than planting them as described in step 7 of the process. In water, the cuttings will perpetually live and thrive. Every few weeks or as needed, replace the water and add fresh, clean water.
Some individuals use hydroponics to grow succulents in water. They enjoy the way it seems and are very successful with them. They can be left with lots of light either inside or outside.
My opinions on the spread of water:
I don’t see the necessity to pursue water propagation since I have success with “soil” propagation. It does appear more simple, and I can understand why it could be appealing to others. Just submerge the plants or set them directly over water, then wait for the roots to form.
The aeonium cutting was the only plant that didn’t actually produce any roots at all when I attempted this procedure; it took approximately 4-5 weeks for roots to start to appear. Given that I only utilized stem cuttings and attempted two distinct plant species, I might have different outcomes with leaf cuttings or with other plant species. Additionally, the stem cuttings I left in water for five weeks were OK and didn’t rot or die.
Naturally, depending on the surroundings, the outcomes would definitely vary for others. Depending on the temperature, the type of plant, etc., some people have more success than others when it comes to soil propagation. I most certainly wouldn’t completely reject this approach and would encourage others to give it a shot, even if it’s only for fun or for those who haven’t had success with the “dry” approach.
According to what I have read and heard, many people prefer this technique because it is quicker and they have more success with it than with soil propagation. Therefore, this is definitely worth a shot if you want to experiment and try something new or if you’ve tried propagating repeatedly but without success. Please select “To learn about further succulent propagation techniques, read 4 Simple Ways to Propagate Succulents.
About
You’ve come to the correct location if, like me, you enjoy succulents. This website is a repository for the succulent-growing knowledge I’ve accumulated over the years and am still learning. Although I am by no means an expert on succulents and cacti, this website was created as a result of years of hard work, love, and many mistakes and learning opportunities.