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November 09, 2019 3 min read 1 Comment
Propagation is the process of producing a new plant from a parent plant. This can be done with bulbs, cuttings, seeds, spores, runners and other physiological plant variations. Methodologies to propagate plants can range from very simple techniques to highly complex processes. This article is going to focus on producing new plants from the cuttings of a parent plant, which can then be transplanted into a hydroponic growing system.
There are a few main reasons to propagate;
When you take a cutting from a parent plant there is no gene exchange, like there would be if the plant reproduced sexually, this means that the DNA of the plant is identical to the parent plant. Because of this, the new cutting in going to grow into a plant that has the exact same traits as the parent, things like leaf and flower colour, fruit taste/colour/shape and growth rates should be close to identical to the parent.
Some plants are easier to propagate than others, but don’t get disheartened if the cutting you took doesn’t work, practice makes perfect.
Starting out, try and pick a parent plant that is;
Here are a few plants that we would recommend propagating:
Plant species |
Difficulty |
Devils ivy |
Super easy |
Mint |
Easy |
Sage |
Easy |
Basil |
Easy |
Oregano |
Easy |
Lavender |
Easy |
Nasturtiums |
Easy |
Geraniums |
Easy |
Goldfish plant |
Easy |
Rosemary |
Moderate |
Thyme |
Moderate |
Tomato |
Moderate |
Monstera deliciosa |
Hard |
This varies plant to plant, but once you do it a few times you’ll be able to determine this for yourself. As a rule of thumb once the roots get to around 5cm+ and the plant is looking healthy you’re able to transplant them to their final homes.
If you’re transplanting your cutting into a hydroponic unit, such as the indoor smart garden or HydroPots, just nestle the roots into the chosen medium carefully and add a light dose of water. For soil propagation you’ll want to dig a small hole, insert your plant cutting (with roots), and fill in the soil around it, pressing down around the base of the plant to secure it. Make sure its well-watered for the first few weeks. If you're looking for some regular soil plants to try this out on, you can check our our friends here.
Plant cuttings propagated in water are highly successful in hydroponic setups as the roots that the plant has grown are designed for water. This means that the plant can start growing larger immediately as it doesn’t need time to adapt to a soil environment.
Try again!
Place a plastic bag over them
As always, feel free to get in touch and ask us if you have any questions at any time!
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Aminda
June 07, 2020
How many breezy gro lights will I need for about a dozen indoor plants?