How to Propagate Indoor Plants

 

What is Plant Propagation?

The process of reproducing new plants is known as propagation. You've done propagation if you've ever planted a seed or soaked a stem in water until it produced roots, then stuck it in a pot or put it in the garden. Some plants are simpler to reproduce than others and certain methods are more effective with different plants. The method you choose will be determined by the type of plant you want to grow and the amount of time and effort you want to devote to propagation.

Cuttings

To regenerate the entire plant, cut the vegetative component of the plant (leaf, stem, and root) and replant it in potting mix, sphagnum moss or water (water propagation can be done in a propagation station for plants.

The three different types of cutting are named after the plant portion that is being removed or cut:

• Stem cutting
• Leaf cutting
• Root cutting

Division

This is a good method for perennials (plants that live for more than two years).

It entails digging up the plant, splitting its root system so that it becomes multiple plants and transplanting them to a previously prepared location—this aids in rejuvenating the plant and reducing water and nutrient competition.

Layering

This method involves covering the plant's attached and bent branch with soil and allowing it to root. That specific section of the plant is cut and allowed to grow as a new plant after the birth and evolution of roots. It is known as 'layering'.

Grafting

Cutting a twig from one plant and attaching it to the stem of another plant in such a way that they form a unit and operate as one plant is what this is all about. It's a bit of a process, but it allows you to give your plant the personality you want. This is often done with fruit trees. However, make sure to sanitize your hands and utensils before beginning the operation to avoid spreading infection in the plants.

Budding

This procedure involves making a cut in the rootstock and inserting a single bud with no or little wood into it to join and grow as a new plant.

Types of Propagation

• Sexual
• Asexual

Sexual reproduction is the process of pollen and egg combining to create a new,

third individual by combining the DNA of two parents. In sexual reproduction, a plant's floral parts are used and in the end new plants are grown by seed. The method of pushing a bit of one parent plant to regenerate into a new one is known as asexual propagation. The new planet that appears has the same genetic structure as its parent. Asexual propagation uses a plant's vegetative parts, such as stems, roots, and leaves.

How to Propagate Snake Plants

Although too much water will harm your plant when there's soil involved or the cutting is submerged too deep, rooting a snake plant in water is one of the most reliable approaches. In fact, you can root a lot of indoor plant cuttings and grow indoor plants in water. This method of growing plants in water is known as hydroponics and you can find out more from our friends here.

You can also root the plant from cuttings. However, dividing it is the quickest way to get a new snake plant. The plant is made up of rhizomes that grow together and multiply as the plant matures.

How to Propagate Peace Lilies

Peace lilies can't reproduce through leaf or stem cuttings; however, they can easily propagate through division at any time of year.

While an expert gardener may cultivate peace lilies from seeds, it will take several years for these plants to bloom.

How to Propagate Fiddle-Leaf Figs

While it takes time, there are a couple of ways to reproduce fiddle-leaf figs: stem or leaf cuttings and air layering.

The former can add new plants to your collection, give as gifts, or use healthy pruned leaves and branches.