WAYS TO PROPAGATE YOUR SUCCULENTS
You don’t really need a green thumb in propagating succulent, all you need is a dash of common sense and little research about ways to make them healthier and happier plants. If you are really taking care of them and you know what kind of environment they like, they will flourish and owning one will be a breeze.
For beginners, first of, keep in mind that succulents retain water on their leaves, so over-watering them and making its soil soggy and too wet will make their leaves rot and eventually die. Too much sun, on the other hand make their leaves burn. So keep them in location where they will not get high temperature or too much humidity especially if you’re in a more tropical climate. You might want to move them where they can only get the morning sun and shaded from hot afternoon sun.
There are many ways to propagate succulents. It just depends on which one you are more comfortable with. I suggest try all of them if you are really into propagation and see what best suits you. I made a step by step guide to make it easier to pinpoint the most important tasks you need to do.
PROPAGATION 1: Using Leaves
If you don’t want to spend too much money on succulents and you have the patience to wait and watch them grow, this type of propagation may be something more rewarding for you. Just buy one or two succulent plant and pluck some of the leaves and make use of containers you have around your house. We suggest to not throw the trunk or the stems because they grow back again. That’s another wonder of this plant.
Leaf propagation is simpler, a more popular way of propagating. In order to make them root successfully, pluck leaves carefully by slightly twisting each petal left and right or from side to side until it snaps from the stem.
A clean snap at the end where leaf connects to stem is more desirable. Not all leaves will root at same time. One leaf takes longer than the other to root, so don’t give up easily when you don’t see them showing roots or baby leaves like the rest. As long as they are not dry and rotten, there’s hope.
Once you have several leaves plucked for propagation, it’s time for callusing the leaves. A lot of succulent enthusiasts call it callusing, a botanical term which simply means air drying or leaving it alone for 2 to 3 days. This way, you are allowing the area where you snapped the leaves off to dry and thickened or heal.
Step 3: Preparing the soil
Some people prefer to put them on a tray and wait to dry or get calluse before they lay them in a special soil mix that is best for cactus, palm and succulents. You can directly place your freshly snapped leaves on top of your soil mix or on separate container. Keep in mind that choosing the right soil mix for successful propagation, is as important as callusing the leaf.
Soil mix can be bought readily at local nurseries, garden shops or simply create your own mix which is 1/3 potting soil, 1/3 of riversand and 1/3 of perlite.
All these three can all be purchased online separate from your local garden shop.
The most common way of placing the leaves is by laying each leaf on their back. I have seen people laying them on their side and some their front which leads us to conclude that it doesn’t really matter how you lay them as long as you set the right condition of the soil and watering techniques.
Step 3: Watering technicality
Do not soak the soil mix in water. Remember, over-watering will make your leaves rot faster, especially if you placed the leaves that you snapped right on top of your soil immediately. It is very important not to water them up to 2 or 3 days after you freshly pluck or snap it. On the second or third day, you may lightly spray them using a spray bottle once a day or every other day. Do not worry if your leaves appear dry. You need to pay closer attention to the condition of your soil. If your soil appears to me damp or wet, skip water spraying. Wait until your soil appears more dry before spraying sparingly again.
When roots or baby leaves appear
In about 10 days to two weeks, some tiny roots or baby leaves may appear at the ends where it was plucked or at the creases of the leaves for the Mother of Millions variety. Do not touch the baby roots or baby leaves. Let it grow longer as it naturally stretches to find the soil and attach itself. If you feel the need to transfer them to another tray, hold the ends while avoiding the roots or the baby leaves. As it grows, mother-leaf naturally dries out.
Watering at this stage is the same. Do not over-water.
Succulents like cool and well ventilated areas. Temperatures ranging from 40°F/ 79°C and above is perfect for them. They also like to receive some early sun and some indirect sunlight. Placing them near the window sill or on your terrace and patios where they receive enough sunlight is perfect for propagation. Do not put them where they will get direct afternoon sun rays unless they are have some type of shielding like garden nets. Their leaves will burn, and prolonged exposure may lead to death.
PROPAGATION 2: Using Cuttings
Another popular way of propagation is using cuttings. Many sell them online and ship it right to your doorstep. Many cutting sellers are on Etsy and Instagram. But if you’re one of the lucky, and you have a neighbor who’s got a bunch of succulents on their backyard and is willing to give you some starter cuttings, below are some steps you need to keep in mind.
Step 1: Get a clean cut on stem
Use a good shearing scissors or sharp knife to cut giving you about 2 to 3 inch of stem. Pluck some leaves if the stem is too crowded, and use these leaves for more propagation.
Step 2: Callused the stem
Just like propagating from leaves, you need to wait 2 to 3 days to let the cut heal. You may also directly put them on soil mix but wait 2 to 3 days before watering. This way you are also allowing the stem to calluse. The pictures above are examples of cuttings. We put them directly to soil and use some pebbles for support. Putting pebbles is optional. As long as your cutting stands, you’re good to go.
Step 3: Watering technique on cuttings.
Let the soil bed dry out before you water to allow callusing. And when its time to water, water thoroughly. This is what makes it different from leaves propagation. You can water them more then wait again for the soil to dry out. Make sure you are using well-draining soil with pot or container that has holes at the bottom to ensure draining.
Personally, we avoid spraying on leaves on some succulents although many use spray bottles on watering their cuttings. I use drip method as a personal preference, because this allows me to measure how much water I have put into a certain plant. It would be useful to have this tool or something similar, around you when caring for succulents. The bottle on the left is used for watering.
Note that sometimes, the soil appears dry on top and wet underneath. Check by sticking your finger on the soil or cut a piece of cardboard to stick on soil and pull out. If the soil is damp, wait another day or two before you water. With the weather changes, sometimes pots retain more water on some days.
Also, if you decided you want to order online, skip Step 2: Callusing the stem. It usually takes about 2 to 3 days before you receive it in the mail, (depending on where you live). It is basically callused by the time it gets to you, even if it was freshly cut before they shipped it.
The picture above were all from cuttings i bought online. I let them stand on soil mixture with some small pebbles for additional drainage. In the morning, I put them in an area when they can get a lot of light morning sun for two to three hours.
PROPAGATION 3: Using Seeds
There are many garden and nursery sites that sell mix succulent seeds. They are packed as mixed or per variety. You just have to be careful in choosing websites where you place your order. There are many that offer very cheap but don’t germinate or they are not actually succulents, hence, fake seeds. Only order from legit online nurseries/sellers with good reviews to save your time, money and effort. Do your research before placing your order and read reviews from other customers.
Step 1: Prepare your soil.
Soil preparation is the same as in leaves propagation. Except you need to moistened the soil well and then sprinkled your seeds lightly on top. Cover them with very thin layer of soil mix, lightly spray water then seal your container. If your container doesn’t come with cover, use a kitchen clad wrap. This will help in keeping moisture intact, thus, help in germination process. Once you have covered it, do not open the cover for atleast 10 days. This process is to keep the natural moisture intact and will keep your soil and seeds moist. If the soil still seems to be a little moist after 10 days, keep them sealed until you see that it has germinated. The only reason why you may open is if the soil seems too dry, then you may spray water using a spray bottle, then seal.
Step 2: Location and temperature
To successfully germinate your seeds, keep them under 70° F or around 21° C with lots of light but not direct sun. Your window sill, front or back porch may be a good area for them. Keep them warm enough but not too humid if you are in the colder state. You may also create a small greenhouse. Portable greenhouses can be purchased online or at your local stores or simply make your own.
Step 3: Watering your seedlings
Use the water spray bottle and lightly spray the seedlings twice or thrice a week. Keep them sealed until you see atleast 4 leaves have sprouted. Keeping them sealed helps retain moisture. Limit watering if the container and your soil is well-moistured. Seedlings are delicate, and a sudden change of temperature affects them and could kill them. So, attempting to put them in direct sunlight may greatly affect them. Maintain a well lit area and no sudden change of environment until more leaves sprout.
PROPAGATION 4: Buy potted succulents
There’s no easier way to propagate your succulents than buying more potted succulents, that is, if you have the money to spare. There are thousands of varieties of succulents coming from 25 plant families according to Wikipedia https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Succulent_plant , including cactus and lithops. Many stores, nurseries, garden shops, hardware stores, supermarkets and even your local farmer’s market (not to mention online ordering) offers promo packages and sale, then ships bare root or with pots.
It is not hard to care for succulents. If you’re the type who often forgets to water, succulents are the most forgiving. They are as beautiful as can be. Their leaves are as beautiful as their flowers. They are slow growing, so you don’t really need a large amount of space or have a big garden. Your window sill is all it needs and a little bit of your TLC (tender-loving care).
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