I’ll admit it: I have a little bit of a thing for succulents. I find them a little more interesting than cacti, since they usually grow and change a little faster, but they’re still very easy to keep alive. What’s even more fun, I personally find, is the way in which succulents are pretty easy to propagate! To propagate a plant basically means to grow new little plants from an existing plant, if that makes sense. Don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about it! Here is how to propagate succulents.
A Step-by-step Guide for Making New Plants
How to Propagate Succulents: A Step-by-step Guide
If you are interested in reproducing your plant (free plants!), here’s a very rough step-by-step guide for you:
- Get your original succulent plant and very gently pull off a number of leaves and/or entire offshoot(s), making sure the leaves come off entirely (without tearing the fleshy part).
- Replant your offshoots in not too soggy soil, gently placing the roots.
- Check the leaves you pulled off for any roots. If any of the leaves are shooting roots, there’s a good chance it will soon grow a new little succulent and you can place the roots sticking slightly in the soil. You may water it when the soil appears to be getting too dry, but definitely don’t overdo it.
- Place the leaves that are not yet showing any roots on top of (relatively) dry soil. You will need to let them dry (no watering for at least a few days), especially if they have been freshly picked.
- Just keep an eye on them, if you’re lucky enough, you’ll soon see some leaves shooting roots!
One thing to keep in mind: Don’t give up the first few tries. You’ll probably see some (if not most) of your leaves shrivel up without shooting roots and that’s completely normal, just keep trying!
How to make New Plants
I haven’t spent much time in my room in Amsterdam this summer, so it was time to take care of my plants. Don’t worry, they have been regularly watered! Yesterday I dedicated some time to get everything back in order and make some new plants. More precisely, I propagated my succulent plant.
My original succulent had grown into some kind of Frankenstein mutation over the summer months. Instead of just taking off a few leaves, I decided to re-use as much of it as I could. Including some bigger offshoots, I gently picked off a huge load of leaves. I’ll have to let those dry and see how many will actually grow roots, so that will take some time.
Disclaimer: I am not at all an expert in terms of handling plants and I’m sure there are way more professional ways to grow new succulent plants (just hit google, you’ll find some great guides). This is just the way I do it and it has worked for me, and I hope this short guide will help you get started too.
Best of luck!
Love it but you know you could have eaten it too ? 🙂 Most Sedum succulents are edible (one or two are very much the opposite though). They are quite nice apparently. Im not sure how it came to pass but my new hobby, after finishing my 365 project, seems to be foraging. I never realised how surrounded by wild food I am here in Ireland.. Of course I also never realised how many deadly plants are growing just outside my door too. Saint Patrick might have chased away all the snakes but he forgot about all the hemlock growing by the side of the roads.
Hahahah yeah, be careful! 😛 I was actually wondering if they were edible when I was working on it yesterday. I’ll see how many manage to shoot roots for now, but I’ll probably try eating some next time 😀 Thanks for your comment!
Jungle in progress….
Nearly…