Best Way To Propagate Succulents

 

Growing new succulents is fairly straightforward, cost-effective and, above all, a thoroughly enjoyable way to expand your collection.  

There are four primary ways to propagate succulents: leaf cuttings, offsets, stem cuttings and seeds. This guide will explain how to do each one so you can start growing your succulent collection today.

Propagating Leaf Cuttings

This method involves removing a healthy leaf from the mature plant and using it to grow a new succulent. It works best with plants like Echeveria and Sedum, ie plants will plump, fleshy leaves that are easy to remove.

Here’s how to do it.

• Carefully remove the leaf from the plant. A firm but gentle tug may be enough to take it off. If not, use a sterilized knife to remove a leaf at the base of the plant. Make sure that you take the entire leaf.
• Set the leaf in a warm spot where it can get lots of natural light, such as the windowsill. Keep it there until it develops a callous.
• Once calloused, prepare for planting. Fill a two/four inch pot with well-draining succulent soil.
• Set the leaf on top of the soil and place it in a warm, bright location. The difference here is that you should avoid placing the plant in direct sunlight.
• Mist the soil and repeat whenever it’s dry.
• Within a few weeks, the plantlet should begin to sprout roots a new pup succulent from the callous.
• Once the new pup is large enough, plant the pup with its original leaf into a well draining soil. 

Propagating With Offsets

This method does most of the work for you, which is why it’s one of the best ways to propagate succulents. 

Offsets grow at the base of the mother plant. They occur when roots that contain clusters of leaves shoot out from the plant and attach into the soil to grow into a new plant altogether.

Here’s how to do it.

• Split the offsets from the base of the mature plant.
• Remove the topsoil from the base of the plant until you can see the roots. Once seen, pull them away and keep as many in-tact as you can.
• Brush excess soil off the roots and set in a warm, bright location but away from direct sunlight.
• Prepare a planter with succulent soil, create a hole in the soil, set the offset into the hole and gently cover with soil.

More mature offsets will likely have developed their own root systems. However, if it’s still attached to the mother plant, use a sterilized knife to cut the roots away.

 

Propagation With Stem Cuttings

This is another excellent way to propagate succulents. It’s usually most successful when the mother plant is about to enter its active growth period.

Here’s how to do it.

• Use a sharp, sterilized knife to create the cut. If the stem is damaged in any way, you must create a new cutting as it won’t be healthy enough to fully grow.
• Set the cutting in a warm bright location and allow the stem at the place of the cutting to callous.
• Once the stem callouses place the stem into a well draining soil and do not water for two weeks to allow the succulent to grow roots. 
• Be careful, because if the cutting is watered too soon then the succulent will begin to rot. 
  
  

Propagating With Seeds

This is the slowest way to propagate succulents, but it’s one of the best as you can see a brand plant develop from a seed to its full form.

Here’s how to do it.

• Remove a flower from the mother plant and collect its seeds from the base.
• Prepare a planter with well-draining succulent soil and set the seeds within it.
• Succulent seeds require humidity to grow. Therefore, cover the planter with a lid or shower cap and place in a warm, bright location. Again, avoid contact with direct sunlight.
• You should notice new succulents growing in the soil after a few weeks of watering and general succulent care.
• Wait until they have grown large enough before replanting.
• In terms of replanting, place the newly-grown succulents in well-draining succulent soil in a warm, bright location. 
• From here, care for the plant as you would for a regular succulent.

No matter which of these methods of propagation you choose, by the time you’ve finished, you’ll have a lovely collection of new succulents to add to your existing arrangement.