Succulents may be multiplied, giving you more of what you love. In order to share succulents with friends or because your plants have grown lanky and unsightly, you may need to propagate succulents. Whatever your motivations, we have a tried-and-true method for propagating succulents successfully.
Easy Steps for Propagating a Succulent by Leaf Cutting
1. Cut the desired number of leaves off the stem of the succulent you want to multiply.
- Where the leaf meets the succulent stem, make a precise snap. Your propagation will go more quickly and easily as a result.
- For propagation, take many leaf cuttings (see #5).
2. Allow the succulent leaf’s broken end to callus over, mend, and/or dry out.
- While a week is a fantastic amount of time, you can get away with 2-3 days for small succulent leaves and 4-5 days for larger succulent leaves while you wait for the leaves to heal.
- The succulent leaves you want to multiply should be placed on a sunny window sill to dry. The sun’s rays expose the leaves, strengthening them with nutrients as well.
- When natural sunshine is unavailable, LED grow lights are a choice.
3. Place a succulent leaf directly on the soil in a container or on a tray of soil.
- You should touch the earth with the healed portion of the leaf you are propagating, but not bury it deeply. From there, the newly propagated succulent will grow, and in order to survive, it requires light and space to breathe.
- Although it would take a lot longer to spread, you could let the leaf develop without soil.
4. Provide water and light to your succulent leaf cuttings for successful propagation.
- Depending on the temperature and humidity in your home, water succulent leaf cuttings anywhere between two and four times per week. But don’t overwater. While keeping the soil from drying out, soil should be moist but not to the point of having any standing water.
- It’s ideal to have direct, bright light. Your leaf cuttings may become scorched by too much direct sunlight.
5. Produce several leaves.
- You’ll probably experience some casualties when propagating succulents. You have a better chance of successfully growing succulents if you follow the procedures of propagation with numerous leaf cuttings.
- Place a number of leaf cuttings on a tray or large pot filled with potting soil that is lightweight. Here, you can immediately see which leaf cuttings will begin to develop roots and young succulents and are good candidates for propagation and which leaves will begin to shrivel and turn black, making them unsuitable.
6. Be patient and give your leaf cuttings enough time to grow roots, produce offspring, and reproduce.
- Please take note that leaf cuttings that produce babies but no roots are preferable to leaf cuttings that produce babies but no roots.
- You can sigh with relief when you notice that the young succulents or pups are growing. When the pups or babies appear, you can tell that they are able to produce their own food through photosynthesis as well as their own leaf systems. A leaf cutting that only grows roots may never give birth to offspring or may take a very long time to do so.
- You can always pinch or clip off the mother plant leaf once the babies/pups have formed.
7. Plant your just multiplied succulents in pots.
- Allow your babies or puppies to establish strong roots so that you can repot them into any container you want. If you propagated them in your chosen pot, let them there to continue growing.
- While propagated succulents are still in their adolescent years, keep providing them with indirect strong light. Direct sunlight will be too harsh.
- Give your new succulents a nice soak once every two weeks to water them. Don’t overwater once more. Just keep in mind that succulents store water in their leaves and stems, and that too much water around their roots will result in death by root rot.
- Remove the leaf from the mother plant that was used to propagate the plant, if you haven’t done so before. It has probably already started to shrivel up. The mother leaf remnants will ultimately dry out and fall off if you cut it close to the new plant.
*Special remark Some succulents, such as hoya and kalanchoe, cannot be propagated via leaf cuttings but can instead be done using alternative techniques, such as stem cutting. Later, we’ll talk about those.
Folks, that’s all she wrote! Your succulents that you propagated should be well on their way to developing into mature plants. Good fortune!
Should dried succulent leaves be removed?
One of the most enjoyable aspects of growing succulents, in our opinion, is getting to remove all the dried leaves from the area around your plant’s base. Most individuals find it to be quite calming and enjoyable since it is so enjoyable and genuinely healing.
Aside from that interesting fact, you should remove any dried leaves and blossoms for the sake of your plant’s health. You can maintain the happiness and health of your plants by carrying out this easy chore.
New growth, New plants, New Blooms
Energy can be recycled back into the plant by removing any spent, dried-up bloom stalks and dry leaves from your succulents. Your plant will be able to produce new growth, blooms, and occasionally new rosettes or pups if you do this. And who doesn’t desire succulents that are bigger and more numerous?
To remove, gently lift the plant’s healthy leaves, and then pull any dried-out leaves from beneath. They ought to be rather simple to remove. If they don’t, you can either leave them to dry out more or, if they are past their prime and unsightly, try to snap them off completely.
Good Air Flow
Humidity, wetness, and/or succulents make for a dangerous and occasionally lethal mix. You may provide your plants sufficient air circulation and make it easier for the soil to dry out by removing these dried leaves from beneath your plants. Removing these dried leaves will assist avoid the growth of rot, mildew, and/or illnesses, especially in humid or very rainy weather. Additionally, air circulation around the plant’s base is made possible by this procedure.
Less Pests
Succulents are susceptible to a wide range of pest attacks, just like most other plants. Getting rid of the dead leaves beneath your plant can also help deter pests. Little insects adore wet areas where they may hide and reproduce. A succulent’s compressed lower leaves are likely to retain moisture around the plant’s base, which will attract pests. Your plant has a higher chance of repelling these pests if you remove these leaves.
Another alluring nesting habitat for bugs, specifically aphids, can be bloom stalks. If you see that your blooms are starting to develop this bug problem, you can either completely remove the bloom stalk or treat the bloom with a mix of diluted rubbing alcohol and water. These bugs frequently spread disease to surrounding plants and flowers if the situation is left untreated. In order to remove bloom stalks from your plant, either gently wriggle the stalk back and forth or, if it hasn’t dried up yet, snap or cut it low.
Do we have any ASMR fans out there??
We made this little movie to demonstrate how to take these leaves off your plants, but since we adore succulents, it also serves as our take on ASMR. Am I correct?
(According to The Urban Dictionary, ASMR’s sole function is to help people unwind. The goal of ASMR videos is to relax the viewer by sending a tingling sensation down their spine or back.
What You’ll Need:
- slicing shears
- gardening mitts (for handling spiny varieties)
- a little trowel
- potting soil for cacti and succulents
- jars with sufficient drainage holes
Remove Some Leaves or Behead
Take a few leaves at random from your succulent plant, gently twisting each one off the stem without breaking it.
These can be cut off the bottom of the stem, which will be discarded, when it begins to grow lanky.
To remove a specific leaf from a plant, such as a Christmas cactus, you might need to use scissors.
If you’re “beheading,” cut the stem of the plant head cleanly with your scissors or clippers about an inch below the lower leaves.
Plant
When roots start to form, either choose a site in your garden that is ideal for planting or fill well-draining containers of your choosing with potting material.
Sunshine and well-drained soil are ideal for succulent growth. They get paler in the absence of sunlight, and they decompose in excess moisture.
When the sun is less powerful, such as in the early morning or late afternoon, plant in a sunny location.
To lift the cuttings above the edge of your container or garden surface, pile dirt higher. To stabilize the roots, gently tamp the earth down; do not water.
Water and Feed
It’s time to buy a succulent/cactus food at this stage, such as Miracle-Gro Succulent Plant Food, which is sold on Amazon. administer as directed by the manufacturer.
Succulents can also be propagated via cuttings that are placed on top of potting soil and allowed to callus off so they can root themselves in the soil.
Should succulent pups be discarded?
If you’re unsure of what to do with succulent puppies, you have options. If there is enough room, you can either leave them where they are and let them continue to grow there, or you can separate them and transplant them separately. However, wait until they are the size of a quarter before removing.
Remove pups with a precise cut using sharp, clean pruners or scissors. Normally, I would advise using a soft touch, but after seeing films from the professionals, I don’t think that is necessary—just another example of how resilient succulent plants may be.
How do I handle succulent offshoots?
It’s crucial to understand that young plants won’t be harmed or affected by them, particularly those that develop near the mother plant’s base.
Although the offsets may appear cramped or unpleasant, they are precisely where they should be.
Have faith in Mother Nature’s processes. They have been engaged in this activity for a lot longer than we have.
Be Patient
I advise delaying their removal until the offsets are roughly half the size of the main plant. This guarantees that your infants receive the right nutrition and have the best chance of surviving on their own.
What’s Next?
Once your succulents begin to produce offsets, you might want to repot them in a little bigger container to provide room for the hen and the baby chicks.
With a pair of pruners, you can remove the offsets once they have grown to half the size of the mother plant.
Watch for the wound to callus. Put them in a shady, light area on top of fresh soil, don’t water them, and ignore them.
They will eventually take root in the ground, and then presto! You were successful in creating one to eight new playable plants.
How can I speed up the growth of my baby succulents?
Succulents frequently push their roots together in circles to maximize the amount of soil they can absorb. How much room you gave the succulent in a container or in a garden determines how small the root circle is. You can occasionally assist the succulent in spreading its roots if you want it to develop more quickly. The plant will be able to take more nutrients from the soil as a result, leading to quicker development. Succulents have a tendency to occupy empty spaces, both in the soil and above it.
The method is really easy to follow. Just gently remove the succulent from the ground. Avoid damaging the root system at any costs. To loosen the dirt if the succulent is in the pot, gently squeeze the pot or pour a few drops of water around the rib. Shake the earth from the roots gently once the succulent has been removed. The ideal method is to use your fingers to gently massage the root system. You can plant the succulent in new soil after removing the old soil. Make sure to distribute the roots with your hands as widely as you can when you do that. Avoid using anything sharp that could hurt or harm them.
How do I get my succulents to get fat?
The current gardening trend of succulents won’t go away anytime soon. Geometric shapes, beautiful, frequently elaborate patterns, and details are adored by enthusiasts. Succulents can grow and flourish in a variety of temperatures, so they are no longer solely thought of as desert or indoor plants. They are a wise drought-tolerant option to thirsty lawns and other water-guzzling plants in drought-affected areas.
Succulents can look so wonderful with little work. But they still need to be attended to.
Do Not Overwater
You adore your succulents and want to give them water every other day so they will grow lush and pliant. But what you’ll actually get is a mushy, shriveled mess. Succulents are more susceptible to overwatering than underwatering. The roots may decay. Look for good tissue, remove some cuttings, let the cut end develop a callus, then replant it if it’s too late. Remove the oversaturated succulent from the soil.
Do not Neglect
Succulents are plants that grow in the desert and don’t require any watering at all, am I right? Wrong. Although they don’t require much watering, they nonetheless require it to survive. If you reside in an area that receives little rain, water succulents frequently while they are actively growing. This would be from spring until autumn.
Group Plants with Similar Water Needs
Succulents shouldn’t be placed next to finicky perennials that need fertile soil and regular watering. In your garden, you should ideally have areas that can withstand drought and require little water, medium water, and so on. Your life will be made simpler, and your plants will be more content.
The Right Soil
At nurseries and home improvement retailers, succulent soil mixtures are sold by the bag. Succulents grown in a garden may not always be feasible or required, despite the fact that it is helpful for container plants, particularly those used as indoor plants. Find out more about the soil type in your yard and add additives to make it more quickly draining and dryer.
It is vital to provide succulents with the finest growing circumstances for strong roots and attractive plants, even if some are extremely tolerant and will grow virtually everywhere, including in clay.
5. Shine a Light
For optimum growth, the majority of succulents require both sunlight and shade. A beautiful, content plant will not emerge from either extreme. Determine the optimal location in your garden by learning about the specific lighting needs of your succulents.
Protect from Frost
The majority of succulents grow throughout the winter, when they do not require watering. Watering plants during the dormant season increases the risk of their roots rotting and ultimately killing them. They prefer a dry, cool environment.
Move your potted succulents beneath eaves to avoid oversaturation if your location is receiving a lot of rain, or bring them inside, if your succulents are outside.
Frost is a different story. Watch out for freeze warnings. Succulents are protected during the winter and summer by covering with a cloth or growing under a tree.
Put Succulents in the Ground
Some people believe that while succulents are planted outdoors, they must be contained because they are considered houseplants. Succulents, like any other plant, love to be planted in garden beds where they may be productive and multiply, even though they look fantastic in a well-designed container arrangement. Succulents will thrive growing in the ground or raised beds in warmer climates without freezing temperatures in the winter.
Some plants can grow practically everywhere there is at least some dirt for their roots to adhere to because they are so tolerant of many soil types.
Allow to Callus Before Transplanting
One of the simplest plants to propagate is the succulent. Simply cut off a piece, some leaves, a stem, an offset, or a “baby,” and plant it in the ground or another container. But before you do, give the stem a few days to calluse over in order to stop decay. Cuttings can either be placed on a paper towel and left for up to 5 days, or they can be placed in a container or another location where you’ll remember to replant them.
Get Rid of Harmful Insects
Your succulent is not looking good, that much is certain. Unable to open buds, deformed growth, cotton-like attachments to roots, tiny insects on new growth, dots on leaves resembling paprika, brown bumps on stems, collapsed outer leaves, and holes in leaves are all symptoms.
The offender? Insects. Some gardeners mistakenly believe that hardy succulents are insect-resistant. To determine the symptom, pest, and remedy, consult a master gardener website online or purchase one of the books about succulents.
Protect from Disease
An orange-colored, cancerous-looking growth close to or on the stem of a succulent is one indication of illness. It most likely has a minute mite infection. The succulent should be placed in a different container until fresh, healthy growth occurs after the contaminated tissue has been removed. To stop the infection from spreading to other plants, remember to clean your instruments after using them on affected succulents.