Plant Division – How to Make a New Plant from a Cutting

 

Many people do not know that it is possible to cut a tip from a plant, place it in the ground and then grow a new plant, from the original. Raising your own plants from cuttings can be an interesting hobby, or a way of providing extra plants for your garden or for giving to friends. Successful propagation depends on knowing the best type of wood to take, and providing the right environmental conditions while the cuttings strike. Types of stem cuttings generally used for propagating plants are softwood, semi-hardwood and hardwood, but you can also make leaf cuttings and root cuttings.

Here we will focus on softwood cuttings, as these are generally the easiest to make. It is harder to grow cuttings from old woody growth. Softwood cuttings are taken from new growth stems (not yet woody) and are generally the easiest to root. If you try growing from a cutting you should try with ten or more, because it is not always successful, especially if you have never done this before. You can grow many plants from a cutting, but the new plant will still be the same age as the original, and will have the same genetic material as the parent plant.

The easiest plants to experiment with are herbs such as Rosemary and Lavender, or you might also like to try with Aster, Azalea, Camellia, Chrysanthemum, Dianthus, Gardenia, Geraniums, Hydrangea, Roses and the Jade plant. Not all plants will grow from a cutting, but you might surprise yourself with what you can achieve.

So how to do it? Choose plants that are healthy and strong, and water them well the day before. Take cuttings early in the morning, when the plant is full of sap. Take a growing tip and cut it off the plant at a length of about 10 - 15cm. You will need sharp secateurs, scissors or a knife to ensure that clean healthy cuts are made. If you can’t directly transplant, put the cut stems in a vase or bucket of water to keep them fresh.

Ideally you should transplant the cutting to soil as soon as possible, before it has begun to wilt. Before you transplant first you need to cut off the leaves two-thirds the way up the stem, so that you are left with the top few leaves. Also remove any new succulent tips at the top, flowers or buds. If you leave too much foliage there will be excessive evaporation, and your cutting may dry out and die. I have demonstrated this with the preparation of Rosemary and Lavender cuttings.

At the base of your cutting is where the new roots will grow. You should trim the base at a 45 degree angle, so that the surface area is increased, and even notch a small piece out of the stem, above this cut. This will allow for more water and nutrient uptake, and make it much easier for roots to develop on your new cutting. I have illustrated this with a Frangipani cutting as it is larger and therefore easier to see.

Now you are ready to plant. For best results I use a mix of 2/3 potting mix, 1/3 river sand, but I also have produced good results in normal potting mix. Your growing mixture should be free of weeds and needs to be porous and drain freely, whilst still holding moisture. Avoid mixes that contain manure or fertilizer. When you plant, make sure about 1/3 of the cutting is under the soil line, and firm the mix to hold it upright. Leave at least 5 cm of space between planted cuttings so that you can easily remove them when they are ready. Cuttings are generally easier to make from a shrub, but if you would like to try a tree, the Frangipani is easy, and can be placed in a pot or directly into the garden. Try with a 40 cm length growing tip as in the picture, and choose a stem that has no buds or flowers.

Always keep the soil moist. It is best to water with a gentle spray bottle daily. The success in striking your cuttings depends on the climate you provide for them. High humidity is needed to prevent them from losing moisture, and never let the soil become dry. Place them indoors in a bright room, with diffused light or in a shady area of the garden. Most cuttings strike best at a cooler temperature, so always shade them from direct sun, as this will cause stress and they will most likely die. They need to be out of the direct sun but not in deep shade. After a few weeks you may gradually introduce them to direct sunlight as root growth begins.

Most plants won’t propagate from leaves, but some plants will. Succulents such as Sanseviera are easy to do this with. Simply cut the leaf about 10 cm from the top, with a straight line cut. Then with the resulting leaf cutting, place the bottom third under the soil line.

For greater success, professional gardeners use hormone rooting powder, which is used on the cutting base as an aid to set roots. This is generally not necessary, if you would like to try cuttings from herbs or other common plants.

So how do you know that the cutting has set root and ready to be transplanted to its own pot or position in the garden? Well some people use many cuttings and pull one out to check if they have roots. This is not always a true test, because if you make 10 cuttings they could all be at different stages of the rooting process. I prefer to wait until I see significant growth from an individual cutting, or you can lightly tug at the stem, and if it stands firm then I know the roots have set. Another method is to turn the pot over and check for roots growing near the drainage holes. Be patient, as you may not see any growth for 2 months, and the cutting will look just how you planted it for at least a few weeks. Certain plants can even take 12 months to set. As long as the leaves are hanging on, then there’s life and there’s hope.

Always try with 5 or more cuttings so that way, even if you only have a 20% success rate you will still have a plant at the end of it all! When they are ready, transplant individual cuttings to a pot or the desired area of your garden. Avoid moving the cuttings too early. Growing plants from cutting is quite fun and rewarding, it is akin to making your own scientific experiment, and once you become good at it you will be amazed at the new plants that you can accumulate from your own, and other people’s gardens. Last but not least, have a great division people!