Plant Propagation Basics

There are 4 major ways to propagate houseplants: plant cuttings, plant division, offsets, and air layering. Whichever propagation method you choose, the parent plant should be healthy and your tools should be clean and sharp. Rooting hormone helps the the propagation process by encouraging new roots to develop, but too much is worse than none at all and it should contain a fungicide to prevent plant diseases. The rooting media should be light and fast draining. Vermiculite and clean sterile sand are good choices. Place the new plants in indirect light and keep the temperature between 70-80 degrees. Cover the newly propagated plants with plastic to increase the humidity and prevent the soil from drying out. Use picks, sticks, or wire to support the plastic and keep it off of the plant sections that are rooting. Last, but not least, be patient; propagation is often a slow process.