A beginners guide to propagating your plants! (It’s easier than you think)

Looking after plants offers many thrills, but I think one of the best aspects of being a plant enthusiast is getting new plants without having to pay a cent!

I’m going to tell you about a few ways in which you can propagate your favourite plants, and make new ones!

Propagation can be a daunting topic for beginners, but I promise you it’s not as difficult as it may seem. You don’t need any special equipment – in most cases, just a jar of water and a pair of scissors.

The method you use depends on the type of plant, but a good rule of thumb if you’re not sure what to do, is to stick whatever plant you’ve got in a jar of water, and hope for the best.

Stem cuttings

Putting a stem cutting in water is one of the most simple and reliable ways to propagate a plant, but it’s also probably the slowest. This method works for ficus, scheflerra, Zanzibar gems, succulents, peperomia, begonias, and hoyas.

All you have to do is stick a stem cutting in water, wait (very patiently) for roots to form, which could take weeks, and then plant the cutting in soil!

Leaf cuttings

Fun fact - you can even do this with plants in the ‘ficus’ family, like rubber figs, and fiddle leaf figs. If you stick the leaves in water, they’ll begin to grow roots, BUT they will never grow into a proper plant, so propagating by division or stem cuttings is the only way if you want a new plant.

Root node

This is the best way to propagate tropical vine type plants, which can include raphidophora, monstera, syngoniums, pothos, philodendrons and thaumatophyllum.

These vines have little root nodes on the stem, which when submerged in water, will grow into proper roots which can then be placed in soil. Before you know it, you’ll have new growth!

Division

Propagation by division is the easiest way to grow a new plant, but it requires an already big and established plant. When plants grow, a baby plant will often pop up out of nowhere, with its own independent root system. You can take advantage of this by separating them and potting them up.

This method works for plants like sansevieria, aspidistra, philodendrons, Zanzibar gems, rhipsalis, peace lillies, and alocasia.

Check out my other blog post on splitting up a ‘thaumatophyllum xanadu’ for a more in depth look at the process!

Don’t be disheartened if your propagation attempt isn’t successful. I’ve had so many failed attempts over the years, but I don’t let it stop me from trying again. If you have any questions, leave a comment below!