Once the sting of succulents bites, you will definitely want to have more. These juicy and cute plants are so addictive, and wanting more is not about if, but when. In that case, do you go back to the drawing board, or should you propagate succulents?
If this is what keeps you awake, then you could never have made a better decision to be here. This post will be telling you whether it is right to propagate succulents. And it does not stop there; it will also share succulent propagating tips and answering some common questions you may be asking.
Should you Propagate Succulents?
The simple answer is YES. A lot of succulent lovers have grown their collection through propagating. You can join the bandwagon and be proud as the green life covers almost every inch of your free space.
However, there is a formula for doing it. First of all, you should ensure that the donor succulent is healthy. You do not want to breed more sickly plants.
How to Propagate Succulents like a Pro: 4 Easy Steps Explained
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Remove some leaves or behead it
You will need to first remove some leaves from the plant. Do this by twisting the leaf gently to avoid tearing it. If the plant has leggy growth, remove them from the lower portions of the stem and discard them.
We recommend using a pair of scissors or clippers to give it a clean-cut for beheading. Some plants, such as the Christmas cactus, will also require that you use scissors.
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Check for Callus
To check for callus, set the cuttings on a tray or container for five days with no water, then examine the cut ends. Callus will protect the exposed plant tissue from bacterial infection hence is more healthy than those without.
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Grow Roots
After callus has grown, roots begin to emerge in a few weeks. At this stage, your cutting will wither, but this is a sign that it is being used for food by the new emerging shoots.
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Plant
Once the roots have sufficiently formed, fill a well-draining container with a potting medium of your choice or select a suitable location in your garden to plant it. They do well at a spot that has excellent sunshine, enough water, and well-drained soil.
When planting, put your soil in a mound that will raise the garden soil’s cuttings and compress the soil to grip the roots. Once you add any decorations you are interested in, water and feed the soil as needed and at the right time.
Should you Propagate Succulents in Soil or Water?
The jury is still out on this. Many people prefer soil propagation while another good number have had successes using water to propagate their cuttings. The choice one makes has to do with convenience and taste more than anything else.
One big plus about water propagation is that the cuttings do not rot in water. This is because water by itself does not cause rot. On the other hand, cuttings exposed to wet soil suffer from rot caused by fungi and other pathogens present in soil and introduce diseases that cause root rot.
When you propagate succulents in water, it will need to grow different roots suitable for soil germination. This might result in some deaths due to the shock caused by a change in the environment.
Well, we have given you one reason why you should trust in each, try today and tell us which one you prefer.
Best ten easy to Propagate Succulents
We made a list of top ten succulents that are easy to propagate:
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Aeonium kiwi. This beautiful shrub is best propagated using the stem propagation method.
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Crassula muscosa. Also known as the watch chain crassula, this charming plant does well with the division method.
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Sedum rubrotinctum – does well with leaf propagation.
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Sedum clavatum – though it is from the same family as those mentioned above, propagate by dividing it.
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Portulacaria Afra. Use stem propagation with this.
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Graptoveria Fred Ives. Best propagated using the leaves.
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Sempervivum (and Jovibarba) work best with stem propagation.
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Kalanchoe daigremontiana grows well when you divide succulents.
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For echeveria, propagate succulents from the leaves.
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For sedum moriganianum, we recommend leaf propagation.
Do Succulents Self Propagate?
Some succulents are easy to propagate as they can form new plants by themselves, but it does not apply to all of them. Some leaf succulents will develop roots on their own while still attached to the mother plant, while others will need to be detached from it to form their leaves. Ensure you have enough information on the plant of your interest before you start propagating to use the best method.
