Growing additional plants from your existing ones can result of plenty of new landscaping for you or to share or exchange with a friend, neighbor or club. Fill out your garden beds or make someone else happy now once you know how.
Leaf Cutting
Most tropical species, such as begonias and violets can create new plants from leaf cuttings. First select a nice thick leaf. Then, with a sharp razor blade or X-Acto knife, cut the leaf into one-inch sections, making sure that you get a strong part of the vein in each section. Next, place the sections vertically into a tray of rooting medium that has been moistened. Cover the leaf cuttings with a glass dome or bowl to keep in the moisture. When you see roots and small leaves, then the plants are ready to be transferred into a small pot with potting soil.
Root Division
Clumping perennials, such as hosta, daffoldils, daylillies, asters, or iris can make more plants when their roots are divided. When you divide them depends on the species of the plant. Some of the plants need to be divided just before they bloom while others need to be dormant.
First dig up the plant making sure that you have a large root ball. You’ll need to see where the roots can naturally be divided. To make it easier to see, gently wash off some of the soil. You’ll want to divide the roots between the major stems. You may even see little plantlets. Depending on the plant, you can separate the roots by hand, with a small garden fork or with a cutting tool. Don’t divide the plants into too many pieces, and only use this method no more than once every three years.
Look for the next half of this series tomorrow!
Related Articles:
Fun and Practical Container Gardening