Propagating Plants from Cuttings

I had a happy accident today! While cleaning up and rotating decor items around the house I discovered a Boston fern cutting I had placed in a jar of water and forgotten all about. It had rooted. Woot-woot! The original plant was long gone; I just can’t seem to keep a Boston fern alive. I love them, but they don’t seem to love my black Boston fern thumb, LOL.

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I’ve started many Pothos from cuttings over the years. You may be familiar with them, they are also referred to as Philodendron. They are quite common in office settings; probably because they are almost impossible to kill. For whatever reason most folks are hesitant to trim back the long tendrils the plant naturally produces.

They can get very leggy with stems draped along ledges and pinned along walls and every horizontal surface imaginable. Confession, I’m not a big fan of the long leggy look. I prefer a more compact, lush, bushy looking plant.

It’s easy to keep a Pothos looking full and lush. All it takes is some regular trimming.

Cut off any long tendrils that the plant produces. It will encourage new growth to develop at the base of the plant. Cutting off the longest tendrils allows the plant to focus its energy on producing new growth from the center of the rootball instead of focusing its energy on growing longer and longer, leggy tendrils.

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It’s one of the easiest plants to grow and propagate. Cut a stem, pull off the leaves near the cut end and place the stem in water. In a few weeks it will produce roots that you can then plant in soil. Easy-peasy.

What I didn’t realize is that you can achieve the same results with a Boston fern cutting. I love placing just a single stem of greenery in a vase to display it around my home. I love adding a little greenery, especially during the dreary winter months, it makes me happy.

I found these adorable vintage look glass dairy bottles that would be perfect for starting cuttings on your window sill. Not only are they the perfect size, but their vintage look makes them perfect for displaying them in your home.

Try adding a vase with a single stem of greenery at each person’s place setting. Cluster a grouping of single stems on a windowsill or on a fireplace mantle. Add a touch of greenery to almost any spot in your home. A cutting placed in water will last for several weeks if not longer.

I also discovered a Rosemary cutting that had rooted. Who knew you could propagate new plants with Rosemary cuttings?

You can propagate even woodier plants like Rosemary just by placing a stem in water. I have masses of Rosemary in my garden so I really don’t need more of it. I will be planting this cutting in a simple terra cotta pot. It will make a simple but lovely gift for a friend that isn’t blessed with masses of fresh Rosemary in their garden.

So get out your gardening shears and take some cuttings of your favorite plants from your garden. Place the stems in some water and wait to see what happens. Some will take and some may not. Either way, you will be able to enjoy a lovely display of greenery on a sunny windowsill while you wait to see if your cuttings develop roots.

With a little patience you will be pleasantly surprised by how easily you can start and grow new plants. No rooting hormones, expensive grow lights, fancy equipment or green house required. Fill a vase with some water, insert a cutting and place it on a sunny windowsill. Use them to add a little life to your home or give them as a gift to friends and family.

What will you try growing today?

Did You Try This?

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