Propagation of Succulents
How to propagate succulents from cuttings and leaves.
Succulent propagation is easy, fun, and free! Share with friends & make new ones. You may attempt to propagate succulents at any time of year. However, the best & highest chance of success if you start near the end of the plant's dormant period, or at the start of the growing season. Spring is perfect to early summer.
Succulents are available in many different sizes, colors and shapes. These easy-to-grow plants tolerate drought conditions by storing moisture in their stems and leaves.
Most succulents can grow a new plant either from an individual leaf or a stem segment. You might also wait for a pup. What is a pup?
The main plant that comes from the stalk connected to the roots is thought to be the "mother" plant. With many varieties of succulents, the mother will send out "pups" or "chicks" or "babies" either from her roots or from the stalk itself. If your propagating from pups you want to leave the pups growing attached to the mother until are a decent size before removing them. That way the root system will be well formed. Water the soil the day before by pouring water in the top of the container until it runs out the bottom. This softens the soil and makes it easier to remove the offsets from the parent plant. If you’re using a knife to separate the pup from its mother - Wash a sharp knife in soapy water. Dip the knife in a 10-percent bleach mixture. Rinse the knife off with clear water and let dry. This way you’ll not spread any gems or disease to your plants. Offset transplanting has greatest success when pups have their own root systems. Cut the stem connecting the mother plant and the pup with a sharp knife. Pull the pup away from the mother plant, and gently work it out of the soil with its roots intact. Most come out easily, just take your time.
Place the pups on a paper towel-lined tray and set them in a warm area in the shade. Let the pups dry out for a couple of days to form a callus over the cut stem. The callus forms a barrier, which protects the young plant from invading plant diseases. Once the callus is formed, the offset is ready for planting.
If you want to propagate from a leaf, pluck the leaf, make sure the
entire leaf snaps off the stem, and use a gentle tug with easy back and forth motion, not excessive force.
Once again after you’ve removed the leaf from the main plant, place it on a clean paper towel for a few days to let the leaf callus over. This step should only take 3 to 4 days, then place them on top of some well-draining cactus or succulent soil. Some people use rooting hormone on the tips of the leaf which works but not necessary. Place the new leaf starts in indirect sunlight and after a few weeks you’ll see roots sprouting from the ends of the leaves. Success, you’ve started your new plant. Once you see roots give your new plants a good soak and make sure they drain well. Too much water is NOT good. It will depend on outside temperatures as to how much watering is needed. Normally once a week is good but check for soil dryness until you are comfortable. If it’s so hot outside you might need to water more often until the plant is totally established. You might try spraying the ends of your leaves with a spray bottle once a day instead of completely soaking the soil. This is up to you and how much time you have. Keep in mind, not every leaf will grow a new plant. That’s why it’s good to have a few different leaf starts to work with.
Once the leaf has at least 6 or 7 new small leaves you can removed them from the weathered mother leaf and plant them in soil.
Now what about cuttings from the mother plant?
Propagating your succulent plant from a stem cutting, is easy, decide where you want to make the cut. Then use clean, sterile scissors or a sharp knife to make the stem cutting. Once again, you can dip your tools in rubbing alcohol or wash them with soapy water to sterilize them. Many times you can simply break off the stem of the succulent plant you want to propagate, but using clippers will ensure a clean cut. Once you’ve made the cut, again let the cutting cure by drying so it forms a callus. Within a few days you’ll be able to plant your cutting without running the risk of the cutting rotting. You could dip the cutting into rooting hormone which gets the succulent off to a faster start, but remember it’s not necessary for success.
If you do use rooting mixture DO NOT place the cutting into the original jar, so you avoid contamination of future plants. Always place rooting mixture into a separate container (paper towel, lid or saucer). Gently place the moistened stem of the succulent cutting into the rooting hormone that way it won’t rub off. Then lightly pack the soil around the base of the succulent cutting so it stays in place and the soil is in contact with the stem. Put the succulent cuttings in a spot where it will be protected from full sun. No water needed at this time. If there’s not much humidity in the air, lightly mist the succulent cutting daily. Succulent plant cuttings only take a few weeks to form new roots. Once you start to see new growth on the top of the succulent cuttings, that’s a good sign your new plant has roots and you’re on your way. Now you can water, make sure it’s well draining soil to keep the plant from rotting. Always use clean sterile pots when planting any new plant. You could have a variety of new plants within a month to keep or share with friends.
The biggest mistake made when attempting to propagate succulent plants is over watering them. If the soil is too wet, the cutting will just rot. The key to successfully propagating succulents is to keep the soil on the dry side, but the air around the cutting humid.
If your plants begin to get leggy, this could happen when a plant isn’t getting
enough light and it starts to stretch out causing the stem to grow long and the leaves to become widely spaced.
Make sure to move to an area with more light for better growth. You could also cut the stems, repot the new segments as cuttings, leave the remaining plant in pot and it will grow new pups and continue to grow when you move it to better sun conditions.
Your own your way, now experiment with difference designs and looks.
