The gift that keeps on giving
Anyone that has owned succulents know that they are the most sustainable and rewarding plants ever.
If you have patience, you can fill your garden affordably with waterwise succulents. If you have like-minded friends and family self-propagated succulents can also make great gifts and it is also great fun to swop new plants amongst each other.
I find plants I have grown from a cutting has more sentimental value if I nurtured it from a tiny little cutting gifted by a friend – they also tend to thrive better than a plant bought from a supermarket chain that was grown en masse in a greenhouse and peppered by synthetically created fertilizer and pesticides.
Most people never try their hand at propagating as they think it is a specialist and difficult process that need expert knowledge. Most of us however have all the knowledge we need at our fingertips! Google is your friend…
HOW to Propagate succulents:
- By division
Several succulents will happily divide and fill a spot or pot. This is basically your plant cloning itself and doing all the work for you.
Carefully remove the pups and chances are they will already have formed their own root system. If not the pieces without roots can be treated like a stem cutting.
It is usually easier tipping the plant with pups out of the pot or digging the entire family (Mother and pups) out of the soil if planted in the garden.
This way it will be easier splitting your plant and teasing it apart without breaking off pups without roots.
Plant them as you would a bare rooted plant.
- By Leaf Cuttings
This takes a little longer than other methods so require the most patience but if you want to do a lot of propagating and have limited mother plant material this can be the most rewarding.
Personally, I am too impatient for this, and it only happen by happy accident in my pots when a leaf fall to the ground and start growing roots.
If you do use this method, do quite a few at the same time as you will not necessarily have a 100 % success rate.
Start with a healthy plant and a nice plump healthy leaf – you want to give your little plantlet the best start in life!
Twist your leaf off the stem gently – wiggle it around a bit if it is clinging to that stem. You want as much of the base to detach with the leaf as possible.
If you break it of (or cut it off) without the base you will not be successful. This is why leaves that fall off are usually more successful as they tend to have their base intact.
Let it dry for a few days (2-5 days) – not in full sun! The wound must be dry and have formed a scab otherwise they will just rot once you put them in their pots.
If your first batch rot you will know you did not leave them long enough!
Lay your leaves flat on a bed of fast draining potting soil.
Again – don’t put them in direct sunlight – this is a stressful process for them so don’t add to their stress.
A bright area without any direct sun will be perfect.
Mist your leaves on a daily basis.
After a few weeks you will see little roots appear and grow towards/into the soils. Soon you will have tiny little leaves.
Your little plant will get its initial nourishment from the leaf you planted – it will therefore slowly shrivel and die as your new little plant grow.
As soon as it looks like a complete miniature version of your original plant and the original leaf has withered and died you can transplant.
- By Stem cuttings
Succulents are one of the type of plants that propagate the easiest by stem cuttings. This is the method with the highest success rate, and you end up with a bigger plant, faster.
It is also perfect if you are pruning succulents to use all your offcuts for new plants – no waste!
Cut or break of pieces from your mother plant. Try and get a piece with a long stem (few nodes long) and plant as deep as possible. Roots will start growing at the nodes.
Don’t leave too many leaves (3-4 is more than enough) and remove any flowers. They may look good, but they are sapping energy from the unrooted cutting.
Same as with leaf cutting allow to dry out and callus over for a few days.
Again, remember to use a fast-draining potting soil.
Water occasionally – don’t leave soil soggy but also don’t let it dry out completely.
Even though it is a succulent keep it out of direct sun until such time as it has rooted. Gradually move it into the sun. Remember it has been sitting in shade all this time so if you move it into full sun in one fell swoop it will burn…
- By Seed
Probably the most difficult method but if you are struggling to find mother plant material this method might give you a foot in the door by ordering seed online.
You can off course also harvest your own seed. Just remember your offspring will not necessary be true to type especially if it is from species that easily hybridize.