Plant Propagation Produces Free Plants

CONTACT Ernie Edmundson

361 790-0103

RELEASE DATE: May 7, 2012

Plant Propagation Produces Free Plants

By Ellen Reisinger, Aransas/San Patricio Master Gardener

Plant propagation is as old as civilization. There are actually recordings from Virgil in ancient Rome that indicated methods of propagation using seeds from olive and cypress trees and date palms. It was felt that propagation from cuttings began when rooted shoots or suckers were detached and replanted. This ultimately led to propagation from un-rooted cuttings. Romans dipped the bases of their cuttings in ox manure to stimulate rooting. Fortunately today we have other much less odiferous methods to stimulate rooting. The 18th and 19th centuries experienced an explosion of plants in the western world with a wealth of new plants coming from Europe, China and Japan. The desire for more plants fueled the propagation movement.

Plants reproduce either by seed or by vegetative methods. Plants disperse a large number of seeds in the wild in order that a few seedlings may survive. In cultivation under ideal growing conditions the survival rate is much higher. There is something to remember when you gather seeds: the new plants might lack uniformity. The seeds will form a new plant that may look the same as the parent plant but may have a different genetic makeup. Therefore it is possible that the characteristics may deviate to some degree from the parent species.

A few tips for planting seeds are:

• Keep records to allow for better planning. Record when seeds are sown, transplanted and the results.
• Store seed to retain viability. Seeds are fragile and to maintain dormancy it is best to store in a cool dark location such as a refrigerator.
• When planting, use wide flat containers to avoid overcrowding. Plastic are preferable to clay as they retain more moisture. Be sure to sanitize the container by soaking in a 10 percent bleach solution for 15 minutes.
• Tamp seeds down to make good soil contact and do not plant too deep.
• Prevent disease by providing good airflow and drainage.
• Cover with plastic wrap to keep moist and check daily for moisture level and seed germination.
• Keep seeds at a temperature between 65-75 degrees to stimulate germination.
• Place indoor seed containers in a sunny window and when sprouted give a quarter turn each day to prevent them from overreaching the light.
• Feed the new seedlings on a weekly basis with half-strength liquid fertilizer once the true leaves develop.
• Slowly acclimate seedlings to direct sunlight.

Vegetative propagation on the other hand produces offspring that are identical to the parent plant. You could call them clones. There are many different types of vegetative propagation. Two very easy and common types are division and cuttings.

Division of a plant is one of the simplest and best no-cost ways to gain new plants. It is easy and produces fast results. The two basic types of plants propagated by division are those with clumping growth habit and those with specialized storage organs such as bulbous plants. The ideal times to propagate by division are early spring or late fall. To propagate clumping plants simply dig them up and carefully divide into several plants using a garden fork, shovel or knife. Sometimes you can twist them apart. Transplant the divided plants quickly into pots to conserve the roots’ moisture. The size of the remaining parent plant is a personal choice. If you wish to keep a larger parent plant you can just remove healthy clumps of stems and roots from the outer edges without digging up the entire plant. Division can be done successfully on plants such as yarrow, lilies, asters, most grasses, irises, cannas and guara.

Propagation from cuttings is based on the remarkable ability of a piece of plant tissue, stem, leaf, root or bud to regenerate into a new plant. Cuttings should be taken from newer growth on the “mother” plant called softwood. This new growth should be several weeks old. Cuttings should be taken early morning while the stems retain the most moisture. Carry a container of water to place the cuttings in as soon as they are severed and keep them out of sunlight. Choose a healthy stem and cut below 4-5 sets of leaves. Where each leaf grows is called a node. Remove the lower 2-3 sets of leaves and leave the nodes bare. The upper two sets will be just above the soil line when planted. If the top leaves are large it is best to cut them in half to spur root growth and also to remove any flowers or buds. A loose refined soil mix is best. Fill pots with soil and wet the soil thoroughly before planting. Use a root hormone (a powder available in nurseries) on the cuttings before planting and sprinkle it over the bare nodes or roll in the powder and tap off the excess. Insert a pencil into the center of the moistened soil to form a hole and insert the cutting, pressing the soil around it. This keeps the root hormone from being wiped off. Do not return any unused hormone to the container as it is now no longer sterile. Label and date appropriate sized food storage bags and place bags upside down over the pots. Slide down completely. Leave the cutting covered for 2 weeks in indirect sunlight. There should be ample moisture available and you will see the bags sweat. When the bags are removed keep an eye on the cuttings and if they droop cover them again for a few more days. If they look healthy and have new leaves you now have yourself a brand new plant. Begin feeding like any other plant and leave them in the container for 2-3 months in order to develop a substantial root system before planting in the ground.

How many times have you seen a plant in a friend’s yard and wanted one just like it in your own garden? Hopefully you now have the knowledge to be able to gather seeds or cuttings (with your friend’s permission of course) and ultimately enjoy them in your own backyard.

Texas AgriLife Extension Service - Aransas County Office can be reached by phone at 361-790-0103 or by email at and is located at 892 Airport Road in Rockport. AgriLife Extension education programs serve people of all ages, regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, handicap or national origin.