Rooting Plants

[Mariam]

I have several plants I would like to root, but I have some questions. I have little experience, so any tips would be greatly appreciated! Can any plant be rooted to start a new plant? How do you know when you should just stick the cutting in water, versus drying the cutting and sticking in dirt. I have a lot of succulants, so any tips with rooting those? Thanks in advance!

 

[claudine]

I know it's possible to root miniature roses. I did it! It was very easy, I just took a few cuttings and I planted them in soil Now, I have my own, tiny miniature roses.
I've never had any luck with regular roses though

 

[zigs]

It varies from plant to plant, some root easily others just won't have any of it

You can get Hormone Rooting Powder which encourages new roots.

Generally you'd take cuttings from hard wood, not the new sappy growth.

Plants like Blackcurrants you can "Layer" which means you peg a branch to the ground, let that form roots and then cut it from the parent plant.

 

[gata montes]

Mariam - As Zigs has already mentioned it varies a lot on what type pf plant you are trying to propagate using this method, I actually propagate quite a large variety of plants this way and many of my plants have started life as stem cuttings that were inserted into the soil.
You mentioned just sticking a cutting in water to root - which is not something that I would recommend for the majority of plants but have heard it has worked quite successful with some annuals.
However using water would not be a very successful way of propagating succulents, as they tend to rot in water rather than root, but no worry - as succulents are extremely easy to propagate from either a single leaf or stem cuttings inserted into dryish free draining soil - in fact it would be safe to say, that just about any succulent can be propagated in this manner, they root quickly too - some varieties of succulent become a flowering sized plant in less than two months.

 

[Mariam]

I took a couple of pieces of my dread lock plant, that had fallen off, and stuck it in dirt.They have not turned brown, yet, so I assume they are rooting. I really want to pull one up and check, I'm impatient. The plant I stuck in water, kind of looks like a weird bamboo. It was one of those "nameless" plants I bought from either Lowes or Walmart. Is it really that hard to name the plant? My aunt gave me some rooting powder, but I need to look up instructions for it.

 

[gata montes]

I took a couple of pieces of my dread lock plant, that had fallen off, and stuck it in dirt.They have not turned brown, yet, so I assume they are rooting. I really want to pull one up and check, I'm impatient. The plant I stuck in water, kind of looks like a weird bamboo. It was one of those "nameless" plants I bought from either Lowes or Walmart. Is it really that hard to name the plant? My aunt gave me some rooting powder, but I need to look up instructions for it.

They may or may not be - as cacti and succulents don't put roots down during their dormant season, which is now and the best time to propagate all succulents and cacti is in the late spring or early summer, when they are actively growing.
I've never used rooting powder as I've been lucky enough for everything to work without it, but do know that you wouldn't need it to root a cactus or succulent, because propagating them really is just as simple as it sounds- stick a piece in the ground and next to no time you will have a robust flowering plant

 

[Trellum]

@Mariam It really varies from plant to plant. There is a really good ebook that comes with a list of all the plants that can be propagated with cuttings. Here is a link to it: http://4h.wsu.edu/em2778cd/pdf/pnw0151.pdf

By the way, did you know that aspirin and cinnamon are said to have the same effect on plants as the rooting hormone you buy at a store?! I have never tried it, but I guess you can give it a try this summer

 

[zigs]

I bought a couple of Lettuces, reduced to 50p to clear at the beginning of December, ate one but put the other in a cup of water to keep it fresh. Just checked the water and its grown roots

 

[Mariam]

I have grown a mini lettuce by putting the stem part in water, after I ate the good part. It grew pretty well, but I ended up killing it. I guess winter just has me all antsy about growing stuff.