If you’re passionate about houseplants and your space is overflowing with greenery, why not share the love by propagating your plants? Stem and tip cuttings are an easy and effective way to reproduce your favourite houseplants, enabling you to grow your collection and share with friends!

Shopping List

• Seed raising mix
• Perlite (or Fine Pumice for succulents)
• Mixing bucket
• Rooting hormone
• Saucer
• Sharp snips or pruning shears
• Propagator tray with lid
• Water mister
• Dibber (a Sharpie pen or bamboo stick works fine)
• Jiffy pots or clean small pots (under 6cm diameter)
• Gloves and dust mask
• Heat pad (optional)

Preparation

Organisation: Set up everything you need before starting. Make sure your work area is clean and well-ventilated.

Soil Preparation: Cuttings prefer a light, well-draining soil mix. We recommend mixing a 50:50 ratio of Oderings Seed Raising Mix and Egmont’s Perlite. The seed mix provides the nutrients, while perlite ensures proper drainage and prevents rot. For succulent cuttings, swap perlite for Egmont’s Fine Pumice for better drainage.

• Once mixed, fill your pots with this soil blend, pressing it down lightly to compress it slightly.
• Water the mix thoroughly before using a dibber (or even a bamboo stick) to make two small holes, about 2cm deep, in each pot.
• For a bushier plant, plant two cuttings per pot.

Taking Cuttings

Choosing the Right Plant: Make sure the plant you're taking cuttings from is healthy, free from pests, and not flowering. Select a stem with at least 3-4 leaf nodes.

1. Use sharp snips to make an angled cut below the fourth leaf node.
2. Cuttings should all be of similar length for consistency.
3. After cutting, when prepping to plant, mist the cuttings every five minutes to keep them hydrated.

Planting the Cuttings

1. Remove the bottom one-third to one-half of the leaves from each cutting to prevent rot when in contact with soil.
2. Rooting hormone helps speed up the rooting process. Dip the angled end of each cutting into rooting hormone to a depth of about 1cm.
3. Place each cutting into its prepared hole, pressing the soil gently around it.
4. Mist the leaves with water (not the soil) to keep the cuttings hydrated. Avoid watering the soil directly, which will wash away the rooting hormone.
5. Place the pots in a propagator tray and cover with the lid. If using a heating pad, place the tray on top of it for extra warmth or in a warm, bright location (but not in direct sunlight).

Maintenance

• Keep the soil moist but not soaked. Mist the cuttings as needed.
• Rooting time: In 2-4 weeks, roots form on softwood cuttings.
• After 2-3 months, when roots are well-developed, you can transplant your cuttings into a larger pot (10-12cm) using a good-quality potting mix.

With patience and care, you’ll soon have new plants to enjoy or share with friends, growing your houseplant collection even further.