The ultimate guide to propagating your houseplants.
Did you know that the basket of Pothos in your local plant shop could turn into several potted plants, and over time it could create a jungle heaven of Pothos within your home?! Chopping and propping is a fantastic way to make more plants, and once your cuttings are rooting away, there are so many things you can do with them!
• You can grow more plants to add back into the original plant pot to make the plant fuller.
• You can prop and gift friends and family plants they’d love to add to their collection.
• You can take cuttings to plant swaps to see if you can add some new gems back into your collection.
• You can also prop to ensure you have a backup plant — just in case the mother plant kicks the bucket.
And the list honestly goes on and on...
So, if you’re new to this, you’re probably wondering how, and wanting to cut to the chase — mind the pun. But woah there, cowboy, it’s important to understand the different types of propagation methods, how to propagate different species (because they can’t all be propagated in the same way), and it’s important to be equipped with some tips before you start snip-snapping away.
Propagation can be easy, but that doesn’t mean all cuttings will be successful. Over time, you’ll find the methods that work best for you and your plants, as well as which plant species root more reliably than others. Remember that every aspect of this hobby takes time and practice, but before you know it, your jungle will be bursting with all kinds of plants you’ve grown from cuttings.
Propagating methods
There are a few different methods of propagating your houseplants, such as stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, and plant divisions. It’s important to know which method would be best for the species before you start chopping.
Some species can be propagated in a few different ways, but there are plants that can only be propagated with one type of method. It’s important to research the plant you are planning to propagate. Some methods are more reliable than others depending on the type of care and environment you have, so experiment and see what works best for you and your plants.
Here are a few examples of plant species that do well with these propagation methods. Check out the illustrations below, where the red line indicates where you will be cutting.
Stem Cuttings
Philodendron, Pothos (Epipremnum), Monstera, Tradescantia, Scindapsus, Syngonium, Rhaphidophora, Coleus, Fuchsia, Begonia (cane types) etc.
(Illustration by Bethan Designs)
Leaf Cuttings
Most succulents, Echeveria, Sedum, Graptopetalum, Jade Plant (Crassula), Snake Plant, Rex Begonia, African Violet, ZZ Plant, Peperomia, Kalanchoe etc.
(Illustration by Bethan Designs)
Plant Divisions
Peace Lily, Bromeliad, Spider Plant, Snake Plant, Cast Iron Plant, Orchids, ZZ Plant, Boston Fern, Aloe Vera etc.
(Illustration by Bethan Designs)
Rooting methods
Let’s talk about the different methods of getting these plants rooting!
Water
You’ll find that water propagation is cheap and cheerful, but it’s not always reliable. This method can put more delicate cuttings at risk of rot, so it’s really important to change the water regularly (ideally once a week) to keep it fresh and oxygenated. Easy plants like Monstera deliciosa, Pothos, Tradescantia etc. generally do very well in water propagation.
Make sure the water level is high enough to fully cover the nodes (and any aerial roots), as this is where new roots will form. However, if you have a larger cutting, be careful not to submerge too much of the stem or foliage, as this can increase the risk of rot on more tender parts of the plant.
While rot can’t always be completely avoided, good hygiene, correct water levels, and regular water changes will significantly improve your success rate.
If you’re planning to transfer the plant into hydroponics afterwards, water propagation is also a fantastic method, as the transition is smoother and less stressful for the plant.
One of our favourite propagation methods for a lot of aroids across the board is using sphagnum moss in a recycled container or prop box.
The main benefit of this method is that sphagnum moss helps maintain a consistently humid environment around the cuttings, which can improve rooting success and support recovery in more sensitive plants. You can even get boujee with this method and add chunky, aerating components such as pumice, perlite, biochar, or zeolite, as this helps maintain oxygen flow around the developing roots.
Just be cautious of rot and avoid compacting the moss or keeping it too wet. Lightly moist moss in a closed container is ideal, and you shouldn’t need to rehydrate it often — just monitor moisture levels and the condition of your cuttings over the next few weeks or even months.
The downside is that sphagnum moss can cling tightly to new roots, which can make it fiddly and time-consuming to remove later. This is usually not a major issue when transferring into soil, but it can be more problematic if you’re moving plants into hydroponic systems, where thorough removal is more difficult.
Air Layering
Air layering is a method that piggybacks on the sphagnum moss method, and it’s a fantastic way to encourage plants to form roots before any chopping has taken place.
For this method, you can work around a node, or even better, at a point where an aerial root is already present (this is often more reliable and easier for rooting). Alternatively, depending on the plant, you can encourage rooting by lightly wounding the plant — for example, by making a small notch in the stem using a sharp knife or sterile tool.
Wrap moist (but not soaking wet) sphagnum moss around the chosen area of the plant’s stem, then secure it using cling film and string/Velcro, or a reusable propagation pod that clips into place.
Keep an eye on the wrapped section, as you may need to re-moisten the moss every few days depending on your environment and how quickly it dries out. If the moss dries out completely, rooting will slow down or even fail.
Once you can see roots forming through the wrap or the propagation pod, you can carefully open it up to check if there is enough root development to safely chop and pot up.
Another propagation method that we’ve really enjoyed is using perlite, especially for more sensitive plants or cuttings that have previously struggled to root, or have even suffered from rot.
This method involves setting up the perlite similarly to a semi-hydro or hydroponic setup. Start by filling the bottom of a glass vessel or nursery pot (to go alongside a cache pot) around a quarter of the way with perlite. Position your cutting in place, then carefully fill more perlite around the stem and roots to support the plant.
Be sure to do this outside or in a well-ventilated area, as perlite dust can be irritating when inhaled.
Once your cutting is in place, fill the water reservoir so the water sits just below the bottom quarter of the container. The perlite will wick moisture upwards while still allowing plenty of airflow around the roots.
We find that perlite holds enough moisture to encourage rooting while also maintaining excellent aeration, which can make it a more reliable option than standard water propagation for some plants.
When to pot up the cuttings
We get this question all the time. In some places around the world (depending on the environment), some planty people don’t even wait for roots to develop before potting cuttings straight into soil. However, in the UK, this isn’t always a reliable method — feel free to try this as an experiment though; it’s always worth trialling!
It’s really important to allow your propagations to develop roots, especially secondary roots, before potting them up in your preferred potting medium. This gives you peace of mind that the plant is far more likely to survive and then thrive through the transition.
So, when you first see roots, that’s definitely a good sign — but we’d recommend giving it a little more time to develop secondary roots and establish a stronger root system before potting it up.
Now what?
So, after going a bit over the top with chopping your plants, and you’ve managed to get them rooted and potted up in your favourite Soil Ninja mix, it’s all about experimenting with different methods, components, and growing your collection from there.
We hope this blog has been helpful, and we’d love to hear how you get on. What would you like us to cover in our next blog?
Tips
• Allow up to 24 hours for your cutting to callus over.
• To help prevent stem rot, you can also dip the cut end into melted wax (once callused over), and let cool and harden.
• If you don’t have time to allow it to callus over, air layer your plants before the big chop!
• If you are propagating in water, don’t forget to refresh the water once a week (it’s not life or death if you go a little over). This is a great way to replenish oxygen.
• Always use a sharp pair of sterilised scissors or snippers. You don’t want bad bacteria to spread, and you don’t want to be hacking at the plant with blunt snippers.
• If you find your plants are not showing any signs of roots after four weeks or so, you might want to try another method!
