Maybe you have grown the fern that belonged to your grandmother for years, but it's starting to look awfully ragged. Or you're afraid you might lose the citrus trees your child started from seed. Or your rubber tree now has only a few leaves way up on the top. What do you do? Propagate! What could be more fun than making new plants from old plants?

What is the best way to propagate indoor plants? Most indoor plants are propagated by taking cuttings, setting offsets, dividing or air layering.

Why are there so many methods? Some work best with specific plants. Expense, time and difficulty all influence how a plant is propagated.

What exactly is a cutting? A cutting is a piece of the original plant from which you can grow a new plant. Usually this piece of plant is the growing tip from a branch, but in some varieties it can also be a piece of the branch itself or even a piece of root.

What is meant by herbaceous, softwood and hardwood cuttings? Many indoor plants never get a woody stem. The cuttings you take from these plants are called ‘herbaceous cuttings’. Other plants develop bark. Cuttings taken from these plants while the growth is still young and supple are called ‘softwood cuttings’.  If a cutting is taken after the tissue has partially matured, it may be called a semi-hardwood or hardwood cutting. Very few indoor plants are propagated by hardwood cuttings.

Should I use rooting hormone? Rooting hormones almost always help in getting a new cutting to develop roost.  Whether you use a liquid hormone such as Hormex or a dry powder, be sure you only apply it to the cut tip itself. To keep the hormone on the tip, make a hole in the planting medium first with a pencil or stick so you don't brush the hormone off.

What are some plants that propagate easily from cuttings? There are lots of indoor plants that propagate from cuttings. Some of the easiest are Tradescantia Zebrina (Wandering Jew), Plectranthus australis (Swedish ivy), Pelargonium (geranium), Gynura aurantiaca ( purple passion) and Cissus rhombifolia (grape ivy).

How do you make a cutting? To make herbaceous cuttings, simply snip off the last few inches of a stem with the leaves attached. Trim the leaves from the lower half of the cutting, dip the base into a rooting hormone and insert it into a moist growing medium.

What is meant by offsets or plantlets? Some plants send out runners (long thin stems) that develop small plants called ‘offsets’ or ‘plantlets’. In nature, these small plants come into contact with the soil and form their own root system while still attached to the mother plant. Strawberry begonia, spider and piggyback plants are the most common plants to propagate in this manner.

How can I divide and plant the offsets? Whenever possible, try to mimic nature by pinning the offset to the soil in a separate pot for root development before detaching it from the runner. Since this isn't always practical, most offsets are separated from the mother plant and planted with the base barely (around 1/2 inch deep) in the soil.

Younger offsets with minimal leaf growth will root within a few weeks.

Which plants can I divide? Cast iron, spider, bromeliads, most ferns and many orchids, cactus and succulents can be divided.

What is the best way to divide my plants? Ease the plant from its pot and gently remove some of the soil so you can see the root system. Then divide the plant into several pieces, trying to keep some roots and top
growth on each piece. Replant the divisions the same level at which they were originally growing.

Is it true there are some plants I can propagate just from a leaf? Most people know you can multiply your African Violets from leaf cuttings stuck into damp planting medium. You can also use this method for pepperomia, begonia, gloxinia, cactus and succulents. Use a rooting hormone and keep the leaf cuttings under a humidity dome.

What is air-layering? In nature, plants often root where a branch touches the ground. While most indoor plants are not that flexible, we can take advantage of this ability with a propagation method called air-layering. It isn't a very difficult method, but requires several steps. Pick up a good book on propagation or indoor plants for instructions.

Which plants are best propagated by air layering? This method is often used on croton, dieffenbachia, dracaena and rubber plants. Air-layering is most useful in saving the young, actively growing tissue on older, leggy plants.

What about plants that grow from bulbs? There are several indoor plants that come from bulbs or tubers that can either be divided (such as tuberous begonias) or will develop separate little bulblets that can be separated from the mother (such as Amaryllis).

Are there indoor plants I can start from seed? While there are always a few indoor plant varieties listed in the seed catalogs, they aren’t easy or quick. The seeds may take months to germinate and years to develop into a nice plant.

What kind of soil should I use when propagating indoor plants? A lightweight medium such as vermiculite or a high quality potting soil is best for starting new plants.

How often should I water my newly propagated plants? Plants propagated from division, offset or cutting will benefit from staying evenly moist and humid while establishing new root systems.

Is there an easy way to maintain the humidity needed to successfully propagate most indoor plants? Use a clear plastic cover called a humidity dome or a clear plastic bag.

How long does it take to get a new plant? This will vary greatly depending on the variety of plant, the type of propagation and the care provided. Most herbaceous cuttings, offsets and divisions develop a good root system with 5-6 weeks. Air-layering can take up to 6 months.

Additional Bachman's Information
General Care of Indoor Plants
Watering Basics for Indoor Plants
Starting Seeds Indoors 
Seed Source List

Recommended Products
Rooting Hormone                                
Horticultural Vermiculite
Exceloam Potting Soil
Humidity Domes and Trays

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