The varietal offspring of your favorite mint succeeds quickly and easily with the help of offshoots. The result is vital young plants with exactly the same attributes as the mother plant. Find out here about all the important steps in propagating cuttings.

This is how offshoots root in a glass of water

The quality of the offshoots has a significant influence on the success of this form of vegetative propagation. In early summer, the mother plant has particularly strong shoots when it is about to flower. Therefore, start the work on a dry day in June. How to do it right:

  • cut off the desired number of head cuttings with a length of 20 centimeters
  • remove the leaves in the lower half of the shoot
  • place in a glass with water in a warm, partially shaded location

The addition of a small piece of charcoal prevents the formation of rot. In addition, the water should be replaced every 2-3 days. Every day you can now watch the cream-colored root strands sprout.

Plant rooted offshoots properly

When the root strands have reached a length of several centimetres, pot your youngsters. Use a bucket with a diameter of at least 30 centimeters if you want to cultivate mint on the balcony. Loose soil for herbs or potted plants based on compost is suitable as a substrate. How to proceed step by step:

  • Create a drainage of grit, (46.95€) pebbles or shards of pottery above the water drain in the bottom of the pot
  • fill the bucket half way up with substrate
  • make a well in it with a wooden block
  • insert the rooted offshoot up to the lower pair of leaves and water

Place the top cuttings directly in the ground - this is how it works

As an alternative to the water glass method, stick the prepared offshoots directly into the bed soil in a partially shaded to sunny location. Previously, you carefully weeded all the weeds there and enriched the soil with compost or some other organic fertilizer.

Pre-drill the planting hole with a wooden stick so that the stem is not damaged. The top two pairs of leaves should then still be visible. Put small supports in the ground around the young mint to prevent the plant from tipping over. The distance to other cuttings is about 50 centimeters. Be careful when watering to avoid washing out the cutting.

tips and tricks

Always use offshoots without flowers. As soon as a mint shoot blooms, the plant has invested all its energy in it. The vigor has slackened, so that rooting takes place either very hesitantly or not at all.

GTH

Category:

Vegetable garden