Propagating plants from cuttings is often quick and easy. But there are different ways of propagating cuttings.
If a plant is propagated by cuttings, you create clones of the mother plant from which the cuttings are taken. Propagation by cuttings is a so-called vegetative form of propagation, which does not require the formation of seeds in order to produce offspring. But the propagation by cuttings can also be divided into different forms. One speaks of leaf cuttings when new, small plants develop from individual removed leaves in the substrate. However, propagation via head or partial cuttings is much more widespread.
Cutting, rooting and planting cuttings
In the case of the head cuttings, the first 5 to 10 cm of a shoot are removed and placed in a suitable substrate. A potting soil such as our Plantura organic herb and seed soil, which is perfectly tailored to cuttings, is best suited. With the so-called partial cuttings, a middle part of a shoot is cut to size and inserted accordingly. However, it is important that the cutting contains at least one so-called node - a leaf bud. Especially with the partial cuttings, the degree of lignification of the cuttings must be observed. The cuttings should not be too lignified, nor should the tissue be too soft. Rooting is more difficult with woody cuttings and softer tissues are prone to fungal attack - especially if rooting takes a little longer anyway.
If the cuttings are cut, make sure that they have two fully developed leaves. The leaf area is important for the cutting to be able to provide the energy required for rooting. However, the leaves also have a disadvantage for the cuttings: the larger the leaf surface, the more the cuttings will transpire in dry air, high temperatures or high light intensity. Consequently, the cutting must ensure increased water supply. However, this is difficultsince a young cutting cannot absorb any water due to the lack of roots. The key to successful propagation of cuttings is therefore to ensure high humidity in the habitat of the cuttings. In large nurseries, for example, this is achieved by a fine mist spray in the greenhouse.
At home you can already achieve the required high humidity in a mini greenhouse on the windowsill. As an alternative, you could also halve a PET bottle and put it over the cuttings. However, as soon as the first roots form, the cutting can be slowly weaned. The hood, which ensures high humidity, is removed again and again and then longer and longer. Airing provides a more realistic acclimatized environment for the cuttings. If the high humidity was maintained continuously, there would again be an increasing risk that the cuttings would be attacked by dangerous plant fungi.
Summary of cuttings propagation:
- Regardless of whether they are partial or head cuttings - the forcing cuttings must contain at least one leaf node for propagation to be successful.
- The cuttings should have neither too lignified nor too soft tissue at the cutting point.
- It is best to make the cut with a sharp knife and disinfect it before each cut.
- Use a permeable and low-nutrient cuttings substrate such as Plantura organic herb and seed soil (mini greenhouse, PET bottle)
- Create high humidity for rooting and protect the cuttings from drying out.
- As soon as the first roots appear, gradually reduce the humidity to reduce the risk of fungal infestation.
Propagating herbs by cuttings
Gardening skills and sensitivity are required if you want to multiply the kitchen herbs from the windowsill yourself. This is usually easy to do with cuttings. But the right time should be watched: Late spring or early summer are the most favorable in terms of temperature and light. In addition, the shoots usually have not yet set any flowers or buds. These are undesirable for cuttings, as they mean a lot of strength at the expense of developing new roots on the cutting.
Basically, a cutting can be placed in a glass of water until thedevelop first roots. However, we would like to advise against this. Special water roots then form. These are not as finely branched and hairy as the roots in soil or substrate. If the cutting is then transferred from the water glass to the pot, these roots are of no use to the plant at first. There is often a risk that the water roots will become infected with fungi and the cuttings will die after potting. The better alternative is therefore to stick the cuttings directly into a suitable substrate and to ensure high humidity in a mini greenhouse on the windowsill.