Spring is a transition between winter and summer, and this week we have been transitioning.
The snow added some much-needed moisture to our top soil and that gives me confidence after last year’s prolonged dry season.
Today I will remind you that now is a good time to rejuvenate your indoor plants if they are needing that attention. Taking cuttings from old plants to get new plants is the best way to get energy into a plant that is looking “tired.” The longer hours of daylight give plants more energy; consequently, those cuttings root faster than in the short days of winter.
Getting new plants started now means that you should have great specimen plants next fall to give your indoor space much-needed “living green” for the winter. Several types of propagation get employed here: leaf cuttings, stem cuttings, dividing or air layering.
Leaf cuttings are how we propagate African violets. Remove one of the larger leaves from the base of the plant by pulling it to the side so it snaps off the stem. Place the stem in a container with one inch of water and set it in the same place as the mother plant is growing. You should have roots on the bottom of the stem in about three to four weeks. Plant the cutting in potting mix in a small pot and keep it in the same bright light. In a few weeks you will notice little leaves pushing up through the potting mix, and those are the new babies … yes, babies. … There are usually several new plants. Once they are large enough to determine each individual plant, separate the plants and pot them singly in small pots. The reason for small pots is that violets will bloom sooner and better if they are root-bound. Growing with a large pot will give lots of leaves and you will wait much longer to get flowers.
Leaf cuttings are also the most common way to propagate most succulents. However, here you just remove the leaf and stick about half the length directly in a small pot of growing mix and keep the mix just slightly moist. They root quite quickly and often have the same multiple plantlets.
Stem cuttings are the method of propagating plants like ivy, geraniums, hibiscus, dieffenbachia, and similar house plants. The stem of the cutting should have four to five leaf nodes. Remove a couple of the lower leaves, dip the cut stem in rooting powder if you have it, and put the cutting in a container with an inch of water. Set the container in bright light. To help prevent the stem from rotting, you may have to change the water if it starts to get cloudy. The rooting process can take three to six weeks, depending on the plant.
Air layering is a bit more complicated. That is how we propagate larger plants like rubber plants, fiddle leaf figs, dracaena, and similar plants that grow with a harder stem. It is not hard but requires wet sphagnum moss for the root ball to form into. The process is pretty fool-proof and is the safest way to propagate from a large plant. If you want to try it, there are lots of YouTube videos that will coach you through the process, and pictures are easier to follow than words.
Division is the way to propagate plants with a multiple crown like ferns or peace lilies. Here you remove the root mass from the pot, use a knife or similar tool to cut the crown into the number of new plants you want and repot the divisions.
I mentioned succulents earlier and this is a category of plants that have become amazingly popular in the last couple of years, largely because of the vast number of new and interesting varieties available. They are low-maintenance but specific in what they need to survive indoors. The most important requirement is bright light. In low light, the plant will gradually decline because insufficient light will not give the plant the energy it needs to grow. Second specific is amount of moisture … they store water in their “leaves” … that’s the reason they are called succulents. Overwatering will result in the plant rotting; under-watering will result in plants with shriveled leaves. To maintain the wonderful color on these plants, very bright light is an absolute necessity.
The benefit of indoor plants is being realized and is appealing to younger generations. Those of us who have always appreciated the “life” they give to our indoor environment understand how stark a space looks without them. I’m not saying that Grandma’s philodendron growing up the wall and over the window is the look they will appreciate … but who knows?
Bonnema is a gardening enthusiast and former greenhouse owner. He can be reached at flowersgb@iw.net.