Buying and sowing plants is great, but you don't always have to buy them at a garden center or a specialized grower. For example, do you have an empty spot in a border or a species that you really like? Then there are many options for propagating the plant. In nature to multiply quite a few plants by themselves, think of flower bulbs. By producing new small brood bulbs every year, the flower bulb multiplies itself. Certain plants grow further from a piece of root, for example ground elder, raspberry or nettle. We can give nature a helping hand by cutting, layering or dividing certain species. We are happy to tell you more about it.
What do you need?
A sharp knife. Always work with clean and sharp pruning tools. This reduces the risk of transferring diseases between plants. A sharp knife or sharp pruning shears ensure clean cuts on the plants, which allows the wound to heal faster.
Potting soil. The cuttings and torn plants must of course be planted out in potting soil. This gives the plants a good start to grow further.
Pots to pot the cuttings in.
A watering can to water the plants as soon as possible. This will prevent the roots from drying out as quickly.
Plant labels to label the plants. That way you never forget which variety you have divided or cut.
More plants in the garden by dividing
Fixed plants in the border sometimes grow very quickly, which means there is no balance in the border. When the perennial is perfect in terms of size, this is actually the ideal time to divide them. If you do not divide the plant into smaller pieces, it will be too big next season or it will grow less well. It is best to plant cracks in the fall, but also in the spring if you continue to water sufficiently. First look carefully at the plant you want cracks. Cut away any dead or diseased branches or stems and dig up the plant thoroughly. Be careful around the roots, you want to damage them as little as possible. You can use a sharp spade or large knife to neatly cut the root ball into two or more pieces. Work with sharp and clean equipment, this way you have less risk of diseases or bacteria spreading in the garden. Do you notice dead roots? Then you can prune those away too. Make sure that each clump or plant part has living and healthy roots. Work in some fresh compost in the planting hole and put the plant back in the border. The other plant you can pot, give away, exchange or just put somewhere else in the garden. Don't forget to give it plenty of water.
Taking cuttings from plants
At the cuttings a piece of the plant is cut off. You can root the cutting in water or directly in sowing and cutting soil - that depends a bit on the type. Cuttings are usually done in the spring or in the fall. There are many different types of cuttings possible, depending on the part of the plant that is being cut.
- Root cuttings
- Leaf cuttings
- Stem cuttings
The most well-known way of taking cuttings is to take stem cuttings. You cut off a piece of the stem of the plant, which allows you to propagate the plants. Cut healthy shoots from the plants and remove the lower leaves so that you are left with a bare stem. Use a sharp and clean knife or sharp pruning shears to get a clean pruning wound. Fine scissors can also help, so that you can work very precisely. Depending on the type, you can let this cutting take root in water or put it in sowing and cutting soil. P9 pots are very suitable for this, because you can let multiple cuttings take root next to each other. When the plants are sufficiently rooted, you can repot them in a larger pot or in the open ground.
Spices such as mint, rosemary and thyme are very easy plants to cut. This way you can easily propagate your herb garden and have a nice harvest from your own garden all year round.
Dahlias are very grateful plants for cuttings. Have you grown your dahlias in a pot? Then you can very carefully cut off the emerging shoots with a sharp knife. Make sure you cut away a piece of the tuber, which we call the heel of the cutting. Plant the cutting in a small pot and wait until it has formed enough roots.
Tomatoes are easy plants to propagate from cuttings. Tomatoes often need to be pinched out to grow airily. Sometimes the pinches are very large due to the strong growth of the plants. Instead of throwing them away on the compost heap, you can also let the pinches root in water. In no time at all, these cuttings will have roots and can be planted out again.
Layering of plants
It to lay down from plants is a very simple way to take cuttings. In contrast to cuttings, where you cut off the cutting, the cutting remains on the plant when layering. When the cutting has formed enough roots and can therefore survive independently, you cut the cutting loose from the mother plant. The most well-known example of taking cuttings by layering is with strawberries. The strawberry plant makes runners that you can let take root in water or directly in potting soil. Climbing plants are also best cut by layering.
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In this video Angelo teaches you how to tomatoes can take cuttings. Tomatoes need to be pinched out regularly and these pinches can be used perfectly as cuttings.
Grafting of plants and trees
Finally, you can also plant graft. By grafting, you combine the best properties of two plants. You take a small piece of branch from a tree with properties that you want to have. For example, think of the sweet taste of a specific apple or the fresh-sour texture of a certain pear variety. You can then graft the branch onto a rootstock of a young tree of your choice. This way you combine the properties that you want with the strong trunk and roots of a young tree. Dwarf and low-stemmed trees are also created in this way.
