- The best time is in spring
- The right cut motivates root formation - this is how it works
- Plant offshoots skillfully - this is how you do it in an exemplary manner
Each cactus species produces offshoots that can help you grow your collection for free. In order for a leaf cutting, stem cutting or kindel to actually take root, special precautions must be taken. You can find out how to properly cut and plant a cactus offshoot here.
Gloves should be worn when cutting cuttings
The best time is in spring
If you want to propagate a cactus using cuttings, we recommend an appointment between March and June. In this way, the time window for rooting is open long enough before dormancy begins in winter.
The right cut motivates root formation - this is how it works
Before cutting a cutting, please wipe the blade with an alcohol-soaked cloth to kill any pathogens. Make the cut with a pulling, continuous motion. A head cutting should be 10 cm tall, while a leaf cutting is cut off at full size. A spherical child is taller than its diameter. How to do it right:
- Choose an intersection point at the end of the drive to minimize tissue damage
- Cut the offshoot conically so that it can root out of a cylinder
- Stand upright in a pot of dry Perlite ($40) for 1 to 2 weeks to allow the wound to dry
To stop excess sap flow, dip a kitchen towel in hot water and pat the cuts on the mother plant and cuttings.
Plant offshoots skillfully - this is how you do it in an exemplary manner
When the first root tips form on the cut during the drying phase, you can plant the offshoot. Please use special cactus soil or a mixture of pricking soil and lava granulate (€13.99) in equal parts as a growing substrate. How to proceed:
- Fill a small clay or plastic pot with substrate
- Cover the water drain beforehand with a curved potsherd as drainage
- Plant the offshoot upright at a third to a maximum of half its height
- Tamp down the soil but do not water
For the rooting phase, your pupil takes up a semi-shady location. After a week of regeneration, water the cutting moderately with soft water.
tips
If a large cutting threatens to tip over, it is stabilized with a wooden stick. Lying offshoots root on the underside, whereupon the cuttings bend over time towards the light and thrive in a misshapen manner.