Do you have any clippings left over from the last topiary of your plants? Before the shoot tips land on the compost, you can also multiply them as cuttings. There are several methods to choose from for rooting. In this article, you can read how new plants soon develop from cuttings.
Rooting in a water glass is easy and almost always works
Different ways of rooting cuttings
After you have cut sufficiently long and healthy cuttings from the preferred plant, you have two options for rooting to choose from. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, which is why you should make the decision based entirely on your personal preferences and the given capacities.
Root the cuttings in a glass of water
Rooting in a glass of water requires only a few utensils. Fill glasses or vases with fresh water and insert a cutting into each. After a few days, thanks to careful selection, more usable shoot tips become visible.
Before you can finally plant the cuttings in the right substrate, you have to be patient. The delicate water roots would not survive in the soil. Another misconception is the assumption that the plants get their liquid needs from the water in the glasses. You cannot yet absorb water through the roots.
It is all the more important that you pay attention to at least one pair of leaves when choosing the shoots. If you put a transparent film over the water glasses, the leaves suck the moisture out of the surrounding air. Alternatively, you can also carefully spray the young shoots with water.
Only when strong roots have formed do you transplant the cuttings. Extreme caution is required as the young roots are very sensitive.
Root cuttings in seed pots
If you can be patient, we recommend planting your cuttings in substrate right away. Although rooting takes longer here, water roots, which are useless for actual growth, do not form first. In addition, you do not have to bury the tender young plants again and possibly injure the sensitive roots.
You can find the right substrate in specialist shops. High-quality soil contains enough nutrients and is very permeable so that waterlogging does not occur. Alternatively, mix equal parts sand, peat, and compost.
It is also important with this method to ensure sufficient humidity. Only water the substrate moderately. Instead, stretch a transparent plastic film over the growing pots, as with the rooting in the water glass.(16.68€) Condensation forms in the biotope, which provides the plants with the necessary liquid. The cuttings do well in a sunny location (preferably on the windowsill). However, remember to air the film once a day so that the heat generated does not lead to mold growth.
Note: In both cases it is important to use the cuttings immediately after cutting and not to store them for a long time. The longer the shoots are left to dry, the less likely it is that they will root.