We all know it: You have a nice, big Monstera and you would like to have another one, but you don't want to spend any money on it. In the following article we will introduce you to a few methods with which you can make many houseplants out of one.
New plant from seed
The first method is seed propagation. The first question that arises is: How do you get seeds for your favorite plant? Of course, this method only works with flowering houseplants. You have to fertilize these yourself with a brush or cotton swab when they are in bloom. You go from flower to flower with the brush and always brush on the male pollen and on the female pistil. After a few days, you should notice an ovary growing and the faded flower falling off. After a few weeks, the seeds are mature and can be harvested.
But not with all plants these seeds can be planted directly. There are seeds that first have to go through a dormant phase or seeds whose shell has to be removed or damaged. Tomato seeds have to be soaked in water for a few days after harvesting so that they can separate from the pulp and not rot.
Propagation from seeds does not work for all plants. It is quite complex, takes a lot of time and if the germination conditions are not right, the small plants can die early because they are not very resistant.
Propagate with cuttings / Kindel
Many plants form offshoots themselves, small copies, so to speak. These can be formed on the main stem as with the Pilea or at the ends of the shoots as with spider plants. These offshoots usually already have small roots or roots. You can easily separate them from the mother plant and plant them directly in soil or in water if root formation is not yet sufficient. This is the quickest way to have a clone of your plant through offshoots.
Propagation by cuttings
Cuttings are the most commonly used propagation method for indoor plants such as ivy. It works with almost all plants and is not very complex. You simply cut off a piece of the shoot of your plant. This piece must have at least one knot and should be larger than 5 cm. Remove the bottom leaves and let the interface dry. You can also roll the cuttings in cinnamon and/or root powder. This promotes root growth and prevents root rot. Now place the cutting in a glass of water, wait and change the water regularly. You can plant the cutting directly in the ground, but there is a greater chance of rot.
Propagation with cuttings is not difficult - after two to three weeks the first roots appear. Depending on the plant, this time can also vary. Some only need a few days and some months. Once the roots are a few inches tall, your plant is ready for potting. The growth is also noticeable in the leaves. On head cuttings, the plant continues to grow at the top and on shoot cuttings, a new shoot grows above a node.
Plants propagate by leaf cuttings
Cuttings can also be grown from leaves. Not many plants have this special property. Begonias, peperomias and succulents are suitable for this. Cut off the leaves with a sharp knife. Here, too, you have to let the interface dry and can also treat it with root powder. Then you put the sheet in the water with the cut side down and wait. After a few weeks you will see a small plant with leaves and roots forming from the cut site. If it's big enough, you can plant it in the ground
Layering: Moss off green plants
Another propagation method is layering. This works for all plants that can be propagated with cuttings. To do this, wrap a knot of your plant with moist sphagnum moss and then wrap it with a plastic bag or cling film. Sometimes it can also help to slightly injure the shoot below the node with a toothpick. The moss has to be kept moist for the next few weeks and otherwise we have to wait and see. After a few weeks, your plant should have formed new roots in the moss. If these are large enough, you can separate the cutting from the mother plant and plant it directly in soil. The best time to use this method is spring or late summer.
Indoor plants propagate with tubers
There is another method of propagating tuber plants: using tuber offshoots or if you separate the tuber. If you have this type of plant
You can find a suitable fertilizer for your plants under the FARBIO® organic liquid fertilizers .
