Propagating Succulent Cuttings

Trim stems from a clump of healthy succulents to even out growth.

Trim long stems to encourage new shoots from the base.

Note the "lines" of nodes and front undesireably crumply-looking "leaf".

Make initial cuts of long stems to make the mother plant more attractive.

Trim the cuttings so they have at least several nodes on the stem, and match the pot to be at least an inch deeper than the stem to enable lots of new roots at the base of the cut stem.

Place the stem at the center of the potting-mix-filled pot.

Push stem all the way down into the potting mix.

With your index finger and thumb, compress potting mix in several places around the edge of the pot.

With your single index finger, compress the potting soil in several places right next to the stem.

Add a bit more potting mix if necessary, but leave half an inch of space for watering. Fill containers and let drain three times to assure that all of the potting mix is thoroughly moistened and snug up against the plant stem.

After a month in a brightly-lit (but no direct sun) location, move containers to a location with some direct sun to encourage more root and topgrowth as the weather warms.

Bladderpod blooming.

Gloriously purple cauliflower.

Eight varieties of carrots for taste-testing, and artichokes at both ends of the bed.

Bromeliad blooming.

First alstroemeria bloom.

     I always hesitate to assure a gardener that a particular plant is easy to grow or propagate because invariably someone will have difficulty with the process and consequently determine that he or she has a black thumb.  Which is the last thing I want to result from my encouragement. 
        I prefer to use the phrase “thrives on neglect” in the hopes that the person will take heart and actually attempt to grow the plant or try the technique. 
    Succulents started from cuttings are a great example.  And now through summer and fall is their time.
     I’ve spent the last week trimming leggy succulent stems and pulling up baby offshoots to pot up in containers for sharing with gardening friends.
     Here’s the process that I hope you’ll pursue.

1. From a clump of healthy succulents, take cuttings.  With clippers or a knife, cut a stem down into the plant, either to a branch or just on the stem itself.  This cut will stimulate the plant to resprout new shoots, so you'll have a fuller plant. 
2. When you’re ready to pot up the stem, retrim the stem so it has at least three or four nodes (the “line” where previous leaves were attached) below the topknot of “leaves”.  This portion is what you’ll bury into the potting mix and where the new roots will develop as well as at the bottom of the cutting.
3. If several of the leaves toward the bottom of the stem are drying out or not very vigorous, remove them by snapping them off cleanly from the main stem.
4. Choose a potting-up container that’s about an inch deeper than the length of the stem of the cutting.  This extra space is where the most of the new roots will develop.
5. Loosely fill the container with potting mix so it slightly mounds above the top of the container.
6. Push the stem of the cutting down into the hole so that the bottom of the stem is about an inch above the bottom of the container.
7. With your hand's index finger and thumb, push down the potting mix in four to six places around the sides of the container.
8. Then with just your index finger, push down the potting mix in four places right next to the stem.  
9. This will compress the potting mix, holding and anchoring the cutting upright in place.
10. Add more potting mix to the top of the container if necessary, but keep the top half-inch empty for watering.
11. Fill the container with water and let it drain three times to assure that all of the potting mix in the entire container is thoroughly moistened and snug up against the stem.
12. Place the container in a brightly-lit place with no direct sun for a month or so, keeping the potting soil barely moist.  Too much water will rot the succulent (This is the “neglect” part.)
13. Once the cutting has acclimated to that location, move the container to a place with some direct sun to encourage more root and topgrowth as the weather warms.
14. Roots will development over the next several months.  New top growth will be your clue.

 
For tips on propagating begonias and other plants, see Propagating Begonias From Cuttings - 10/29/16
 
For more monthly tips for this time of year, see February
 
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