How to Plant a Cutting

If you have a plant or a flowering plant that you wish to propagate, you can take a cutting and let it grow roots so that you can start a new plant. You have to know how to plant a cutting so that it stays healthy and grows. Here is how to root a cutting and plant it after it has developed roots. These steps can be followed for most plants, including some cacti. Using the right techniques and materials is necessary.

Things You'll Need

• Plant cuttings Large plastic cup or other container Soil with nutrients Pot (large enough for the type of plant)

Instructions

1. Place the plant cutting into a plastic cup or some other type of container. Add water so that the bottom of the stem is covered about an inch or two by water. Keep the cutting in water and check daily to add water if needed. You should have at least five or six good sturdy long roots on the clipping before transplanting.

2. Use a pot that will accommodate the type of plant you are potting.

3. Place soil in the pot. Dig out a hole in the center of the pot far enough down to support the roots. Gently glide the cutting with the roots in a downward angle into the hole. Note: If the pot has no drainage, use big rocks at the bottom of the pot so that water can sweep down between the soil and the rocks.

4. Use one hand to hold the plant in place while you use the other hand to move soil around the cutting to cover the roots. Pack the soil down lightly.

5. Add water to the plant. Set the plant in an ideal light location for the specific plant. Keep the soil damp and moist while the cutting is taking hold and growing. Roots could start appearing within four or five days, but some plants such as a cactus can take a little longer than a week.

Tips & Warnings

• These steps will work for both indoor and outdoor plants that can be rooted from cuttings. Some plants that are easy to root from cuttings are spider plants, Easter and Christmas cactus, cacti that have stems, African violets and the lip stick plant. Generally, if a plant has a stem, you can root it in water. Some do take longer than others.