Learn how to grow plants from cuttings easily with the help of our step-by-step guide with pictures. Learn the easiest ways to plant cuttings in water and in soil and make your own healthy, and organic herbs, plants, and flowers, and create a beautiful and calming home on a budget.
PIN ME for later
How To Grow Plants From Cuttings
*DISCLAIMER: Some links on KitchenWhisperers.com are affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you).
Learning how to root cuttings is one of the best ways to turn your kitchen and garden into a magical land on a budget. It’s not only a fun DIY project but a great skill to have that’s also fun to do with kids or alone as a relaxing hobby.
While you can propagate garden plants in many ways the easiest method is if you just take stem cuttings and place them in water placing them in a growing medium or water until they develop roots. Once your plant is rooted it’s ready for you to plant it into a pot or the ground. This can take from 3-5 days to a couple of weeks depending on the plant you get the cuttings from and the propagation method you choose.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 11 Easy Vegan Grilling Ideas Ready in 30 Minutes
However, this hobby is not really time-consuming. You’ll only need about 10 to 20 minutes tops to propagate a plant. It’s also a very easy task which makes it perfect for beginners. Our guide to learning how to take a plant cutting step by step is foolproof and super easy to follow. So if it was your dream to create your own plant-rich garden for free then read on.
Can you grow any plant from a cutting?
You can plant many types of plants from cuttings including flowers, shrubs, and even edible plants and herbs like oregano, sage, basil, and one of our favorites lavender.
List of plants that grow from cuttings
Some of the most useful plants you can grow from cuttings are:
1. Thyme
2. Aloe
3. Lavender
4. Tomatoes
5. Kale
7. Oregano
8. Peppers
9. Blueberries
10. Rosemary
You can use these plants to decor your house, the refresh air, and of course make your vegan dishes even healthier and more delicious.
Types of Cuttings
There are four basic types of cuttings groups: softwood, greenwood, semi-hardwood, and hardwood.
Can you put cuttings straight into the soil?
Yes, you can but the cutting will have a harder time to root because it can be too dense, and not enough oxygen for a cutting. It’s better if you place your cutting in a growing medium instead of soil and once your cutting is rooted you can plant it into the soil.
What plants can be rooted in water?
The best if you choose a softwood plant because those are the ones that root best in water. Most houseplants and herbs can be rooted in water easily. If you’re not sure which plans are softwood and which are hardwood you should always check before you get started to prevent disappointment.
How long does plant cutting take to root?
As mentioned above it greatly depends on the plant and the propagation method you choose. If you decide to reroot in water it only takes a few days while in a growing medium, it can take up to a few weeks.
How to make cuttings root faster
One of the easiest ways you can make cuttings root faster is if you apply rooting hormone for cuttings on them.
What You’ll Need to Successfully Propagate Plants:
You’ll need a few pieces of equipment and tools that will help you make the process easier and more successful. You probably have all these at home but if not you can order them for a few bucks from Amazon or just visit your favorite gardening store.
Razorblade/scissors
Plant (you want to propagate)
Pencil or dibber
Growing Medium
Containers for planting (glass jar or pot)
Plastic bag
Rooting hormone (optional)
When to Take Plant Cuttings?
It mainly depends on if you take cuttings from softwood or hardwood plants. You can pretty much take stem cuttings and get your cuttings rooted during your parent plant’s (the plant you get the cuttings from) active growth period. The best time to take cuttings from softwood plants is from mid-spring to early summer. While the best time for hardwood cuttings is from mid-autumn to mid-winter.
How to Propagate Plants by Using Cuttings Step by Step
1. Choose a Plant for Cuttings
Depending on the season you’ll have to choose between softwood and hardwood plants. Once you’re sure that your chosen plant is in the active growth period you want to check if it’s healthy and ready for you to take cuttings.
2. Prepare the Container
Depending on if you want to propagate in water or in a growing medium you need either a clean glass or a pot. Fill up the glass or jar with water and add growing medium to a put. The put shouldn’t be too dense and only a bit moist and not wet to give enough oxygen and soft ground for the plant to be re-rooted.
In case your cuttings are small enough you can even grab a glass or simple cup and plant your cuttings in that.
3. Take The Cutting
The type of cutting you choose is one of the most important steps in the process. You should always go for gene and non-woody or no-dry stems for cuttings. Fresh growths are always much easier to grow and get rooted in than old dry and woody ones. Grab your chosen cutting tool and look for a stem with a node preferably a strong side shoot with no flowers. Then cut a piece between 2- 6 inches (5cm-15cm) long, cutting just below a leaf joint. You should pot them up or put the cuttings in the jar right after you took the cuttings to keep them from going dry so try to prepare the cutting immediately after you removed it from the parent plant.
4. Prepare the Cutting
Place your cutting on a plastic bag or a waterproof hard surface then make a slice through the middle of the node to increase the chances of roots emerging from it. If your cuttings have too many leaves you should also remove most of them and only leave a few on the top. If the leaves are too big you can also cut off a little bit of the top of the leaves.
TIP: Apply a Rooting Hormone (Optional) to the bottom end of the cutting which can help the cutting to grow roots while also reduces the risk of a bacterial infection.
5. Plant the Cutting
If you choose to propagate the cutting in water then you just have to put your cutting in water and you’re ready. Don’t forget to change out the water every 2-4 days with fresh water. It should root in about a week. Once it is rooted you can replant it in soil or a growing medium.
If you choose to propagate the cutting in a growing medium you should carefully place the cutting into the hole you made in the potting mix then firm the soil a bit around it. If you want to put more than one cuttings in one container you can do so as long as they don’t touch.
6. Cover the Pot With Plastic (Soil or Growing Medium)
You only need to follow steps 6 and 7 if you choose to plant your cutting in soil or growing medium. You should cover your container and cutting with a plastic bag to keep it warm and humid. However, you should be careful not to seal the bag completely and keep some natural airflow going. You should move the plant out of direct sunlight but keep it in a warm space until you see new leaves appearing along the stem and the cutting gets rooted.
7. Keep An Eye On The Cuttings
You should keep the soil moist but not wet and always check for fungal infection on the plastic bag and for signs of possible rotting. You should be safe to check for roots after 3 weeks. Just safely and gently tug a bit on the cutting if you feel resistance the cutting has successfully rooted. You can wait another week or go ahead and replant the cutting in its own pot or if the season is right straight to the ground.
THANK YOU FOR READING!
