One of the most cost effective ways of getting plants for your garden is from cuttings off of other plants.
Many people avoid trying to grow plants from cuttings assuming it is too difficult, but if you know what to do it isn't quite as hard as many people believe.
When you take a cutting off the plant that you want to grow, make sure it is approximately the length of a pencil.
You will then need to remove all but the top two leaves on the cutting. If the cutting is from a large-leaf plant you should also consider removing another leaf from the top to ensure there isn't too much leaf for the cutting.
You will find where to cut the plant by looking at the stem. Where there is swelling on the stem, these are called nodes and this is where the growth of the plant occurs. You should always cut below a node when taking your cutting.
Once you have a good cutting you should treat it with a suitable natural hormone formulation. There are different types of hormone formulations specifically for the various types of plants and you will need to match the correct hormone with the plant cuttings you are growing. Your garden center can help with this.
Dip approximately 1/2 inch of the bottom of the stem into the correct hormone and then insert the stem into a suitable rooting medium. This rooting medium can be a mixture of pumice and sand for good results. Compact the mix lightly around the stem to hold it in place.
If you cut the top off a clear plastic 2-liter drink bottle it will act as a mini hot house once turned upside down and placed over the plant.
This will help raise the temperature inside and stimulate growth. After about a month your cutting will have roots and you will be able to remove it and pot it as you would any other plant.
Questions? Need clarification? Check back Thursday for a video demonstration of this process.
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