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How To Propagate House Plants With Stem Cutting

Propagation is a great way to get the most out of your house plants, by providing new plants for future use. Here we demonstrate stem cutting, for use on all climbing and trailing plants such as Devils Ivy. Enlarge

How To Propagate House Plants With Stem Cutting

Propagation is a great way to get the most out of your house plants, by providing new plants for future use. Here we demonstrate stem cutting, for use on all climbing and trailing plants such as Devils Ivy.

Step 1: You will need

  • 1 Pot
  • Compost
  • 1 Striking board
  • 1 Firming board
  • 1 Scalpel
  • 1 Ceramic tile
  • Plant labels and pen
  • 1 Dibber

Step 2: Preparing the pot

Fill your container with a multi purpose compost, Remove the excess by working your striking board over the surface in a scissor motion,. Firm the soil using the firming board, so that the surface is about 1cm below the pot's rim

Cuttings from trailing and climbing plants grow long and deep, so use a good deep pot rather than a tray.

Step 3: Cutting

Choose a strong healthy stem that is free of disease and of a good length. If any of its leaves downs its length are suffering then these can simply be discarded, along with the stem tip as this is too soft and sappy to be used.

Cut just above a join, this should leave you with a length of stem with a leaf at the top. Continue cutting just above the joins for the length of the stem. This is known as internodal cutting, and it is from these joins that the plant produces roots.

Step 4: Planting

Make a hole using the dibber as deep as you can into the pot, and insert a cutting into the hole. Firm the soil in around it. If necessary, cut the stem to length before hand. Repeat this, fitting about 5 cuttings into a 13cm pot. Label the plants with the name and date for reference as they start to grow.

Water regularly and the cuttings should take root in 3-4 weeks when kept between 18-21 C. You can then pot them on.