• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Hello Nest

The Art of Making a Home

  • Green Cleaning
    • Air Fresheners
    • Bathroom
    • Bedroom
    • Kitchen
    • Laundry
  • Natural Living
    • Homemade Recipes
    • Essential Oils
    • Plants & Flowers
    • Zero Waste
    • Organizing & Simplifying
  • DIY & Decor
    • Candle Projects
    • Holiday Projects
    • Sewing Projects
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

Multiply Your Plants for Free By Growing From Cuttings

11 · Jun 1, 2019 · Stephanie Pollard · Leave a Comment

As my husband likes to remind me, I’m slowly turning into a crazy plant lady. Along with my mason jar garden, I’m always bringing home stray, unloved plants and nurturing them back to health. Or stocking up on houseplants at the hardware store whenever I find a great deal (which is, um, all the time). The only thing stopping me from filling every nook and cranny with greenery is my wallet, which doesn’t always support my plant-buying habit. But I recently learned of another way I can scratch the itch without spending any more money: grow plants from cuttings.

Growing from cuttings is one of the easiest and most-used methods of growing plants from ones you already have. A lot of plants will grow roots just from a small clipping. And some will even root in water (no potting soil or root hormone required), which happens to be my go-to method of propagation when I don’t want to buy fancy supplies. I love that it’s inexpensive and pretty fun, if you’re a plant geek like me.

Here’s how to take a cutting and grow your own plants for free.

Multiply Your Plants for Free By Growing From Cuttings

How to Grow Plants from Cuttings

There are a bunch of different plant propagation methods, and while not all methods work for all plants, my motto is the simpler the better. The method you select should depend on the type of plant you wish to re-grow and the amount of time, effort and money you want to invest.

Google can be a big help in learning about different methods and when you might want to use each of them. Personally, I always use the water propagation method because it only requires two things: a plant and water. Obviously, once your plant has grown roots and is ready to be potted you’ll need a pot and some soil, but otherwise you can get started with this method today.

To start, you need to select a healthy plant to take a cutting from (this is called the ‘mother plant’). House plants with non-woody stems are easiest to propagate. Pothos plants, like the one seen here, are perfect for cuttings. The low maintenance houseplant can survive even in low light places like the bathroom. Plus they grow fast!

The mother plant should also be fully established and large enough for you to remove one or two small stems without killing it. And when selecting stems, always look for a healthy one absent of flower buds, disease and insects.

Ideally, though, you’ll want a stem with 1 or 2 nodes on it. You’ll typically find nodes where the stem branches into two or where leaves are located. (See where the stems branch off in the picture below? That’s the node.) Not all cuttings need to have nodes, but most of them do, so always look for one on your plant or vine if you can.

How to Take a Cutting from a Plant

Using scissors or a sharp knife, make a clean cut at a 45-degree angle about 1/4-inch below the node.

Stick the end of your cutting in a clean glass.  Poor enough room temperature water to cover the node, then set it in a window with bright indirect sunlight.

How to grow a plant from a cutting

It can take anywhere from a week to several months for roots to grow, so you need serious patience. No growth isn’t always a bad sign, and as long as your stem is still alive, there’s a chance it could sprout roots. It just depends on the plant and the growing conditions.

Be sure to freshen the water every 3-5 days with new room temperature water and give the node a gentle rub with your fingers to get rid of any slimy buildup. Then just wait and watch for signs of roots!

Planting a Cutting in Potting Soil

Once the roots reach approximately 5 inches long then it’s time to re-plant the cutting in soil (any good potting mix will do). Simply fill up a small pot 3/4’s of the way with soil, then make a small hole to set the plant in. Make sure the roots are completely covered with soil and then place it back in the same windowsill, where it will it will get plenty of indirect sunlight. Tend to your cutting like you would a seedling until it’s fully established and needs to be re-potted into a large pot.

You can continue to take cuttings from the same plant over and over as long as the mother plant looks healthy and has enough stems that it can comfortably lose a few. The sky’s the limit!

A How-To Guide on Growing from Cuttings

11

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

Plants & Flowers

More Posts from Plants & Flowers

  • How To Press Flowers + Make a DIY Flower Press

  • How To Make An Oversize Eucalyptus Wreath

  • Make Your Own Smudge Sticks To Banish Bad Energy

  • How to care for a ZZ plant

    Everything You Need to Know About the ZZ Plant

  • How to dry herbs

    A Simple Guide to Drying Your Herbs

  • How Often to Water Your House Plants


Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Get updates + more!

Get the exclusive content you crave straight to your inbox.

Featured DIY

Hate doing dishes? We do too. Do them in record time with these DIY dishwasher pods made with non-toxic ingredients you probably already have!

DIY Homemade Natural Dishwasher Pods

Cleaning uses for lavender

10 Best Essential Oils for Green Cleaning

3-Ingredient Laminate Floor Cleaner

DIY Granite Cleaner

5 DIY Solutions for Cleaning Countertops

DIY Infused Vinegar Fabric Softener

More

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Hello Glow
  • Hello Veggie

Copyright © 2021 · Seasoned Pro

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.