Do you want to propagate your plants? By rooting cuttings in a glass of water, you will certainly succeed in growing them. The great thing about this method is that you can literally watch the roots grow. Our guide will show you how it works.
Rooting in a glass of water usually works very well
Features of vegetative propagation
If plants are not pollinated by insects or wind, but propagated by their own parts of the plant, one speaks of vegetative, asexual or asexual reproduction. This includes both the simple rooting of cuttings and the previous grafting process. In contrast to seed propagation, when growing from cuttings you get an exact clone of the mother plant. This is especially beneficial if you want to preserve cherished traits of your existing plant.
manual
- take as many cuttings as you like from the mother plant
- be careful not to inflict major wounds on the mother plant
- Place the cuttings in a glass of fresh water
- keep in a warm, bright place
- Renew water regularly
- Depending on the plant variety, roots form within several days/weeks
- carefully transplant into a suitable substrate
separate cuttings
As already indicated in the instructions, the mother plant must not suffer when the cuttings are removed. Therefore, only use offspring from a healthy, mature plant. A sharp knife is also essential. With a dull blade, you tend to saw off the cuttings. The unclean cut heals only slowly and allows bacteria and fungi access to the interior of the mother plant.
Botany distinguishes two different types of cuttings:
- Leaf or sprout cuttings
- Shoot tip cuttings
The leaf or sprout cuttings are simple leaves that you separate from the mother plant and place in the water glass. In a suitable location, they soon form their own roots.
Tip cuttings increase the risk of damaging the mother plant. This is the top part of the driving tip (about 5 to 10 cm). Since they contain the first pairs of leaves, they bring with them the optimal properties for rooting in the water glass. Since they perspire less than leaf cuttings, the water requirement is reduced, so that root formation is also possible in small containers. At the same time, however, they represent an important glucose store for the mother plant. Removing them weakens the existing specimen.
Requirements for the cutting
Although you should think carefully about whether your existing plant can cope with cutting off several leaves, rooting in a water glass only works if the cuttings have at least one leaf, the so-called node.
After you have cut off the Kindel, you should immediately place it in the water glass. If stored for a long time, the cuttings break down valuable carbohydrates, which reduces the chances of successful root formation.
Note: Taken cuttings lose water through transpiration. Unfortunately, before the first roots have formed in the water glass, it is not possible for the young shoots to absorb water via the stem. Therefore, ensure high humidity at the location so that the cuttings can be supplied with liquid through the air.