Just Propagate

Is it just me, or anybody else feeling like plants have gotten way too EX-PEN-SIVE!!

The many changes of covid has brought a wave of new plant enthusiasts, Myself included, I remember the day…. I was sitting around my house really looking at my house plants and realized, I have been MORE then  neglecting them, with their brown tips and limp leaves.

Since then, I spent every free minute schooling myself into plant 101. I found myself REALLY enjoying learning the process of the “Big 5”

• Light
• Water
• Soil
• Propagation
• Fertilising

My favourite of the “Big 5” is..

Propagation

My number one advice for new plant parents is, propagate, propagate, propagate.

Propagation will ensure your investment. Plant pest infestation can happen to the best plant parent, several insects and other pests feed on houseplants.

These pests most often come into the home on newly purchased plants or on those that have been outside for the summer and brought back inside. These pest can wipe out our favorite plant(s) or, severely damage them causing weeks to months recovering.

The one cause of plant death is over watering until you, (like myself) master your “plant’s needs”, propagation ensures you have a “back- up” plan in case it is needed.

 

There are several ways to propagate

My favorite and the easiest, to propagate is by water.

Make a cut with sterile scissor (clean with rubbing alcohol)  take a snip below the node (bump like knot), where the leaf meets the stem,  take as many cuttings as the mother plant will give without over cutting.

Removing the bottom leaf close to the node  then submerging the bare lower nodes into water.  Poof! Just like that. After a few weeks you’ll have a brand new plant. 

You’ll want to refresh the water once a week to prevent fungus growth.

To ensure a healthy plant

When  transferring a “water” plant to  soil, you’ll want to keep the soil moist, not wet if the soil looks like mud you’re watering to much. 

Hold back a few days before watering again. Keeping the soil moist for the first few weeks after the potting, will ensure a successful transfer.

To ensure a successful  transfer, after a week or two start weaning your plant to its desired watering regiment.