How to Grow Houseplants From Clippings

Houseplants provide a lovely sense of ambiance to any home, and also improve air quality. An economical way to build a houseplant collection is to grow from clippings; here's how.

Things You'll Need

• Vase or small glass Healthy plant to clip from Soil Plant pot

Instructions

1. Find a large, healthy plant like a spider plant or jade. Find a stalk that would be harmless and not noticeable to take, and cut it at the base on a bias. In the case of a spider plant, it will sprout its own offspring. The "baby" is ready to harvest when small root buds have grown under the leaves. You may also bunch together a few stalks to propagate a bigger plant.

2. Place the plant clipping in a small vase or glass of water. The water line should only submerge the end of the clipping and not too many leaves. Leave the clipping in water for a few weeks, or until small roots have sprouted in the water. Keep the clipping on a windowsill or another sunny spot.

3. Wait to pot until after the clipping has sprouted roots. Use a small starter pot for the first 2 to 3 months, because this is the time that the plant will grow a root structure of its own. The pot diameter should be no larger than 6 inches. Pour soil halfway up the pot, add the clipping and fill in the rest of the pot with the roots about 1 inch into the soil. Press down firmly and water thoroughly.

4. After the clipping has been potted, don't water it for at least a week. You want the roots to reach out and grow, and they will do so more quickly in search of water. The amount of time to wait before watering again depends on the plant type.

5. Watch your new plant grow!

Tips & Warnings

• Trade plant clippings with friends. It's a fun and free way to diversify your collection. Wrap the root end of the clipping in a wet paper towel and put it in a plastic bag. It'll travel well, provided that you don't put anything on top of it. Use a coffee mug as a starter pot.

• Some succulent plants, like aloe, do better if the clippings are directly inserted in the soil.