Propagation Techniques for Succulent Plant Leaves and Stems
Article Summary: Tips and experiences on propagating succulent plants through leaf and stem cutting. The following is an introduction by the editor for netizens.
Enthusiasts familiar with succulents know that they are extremely vigorous plants. One manifestation of this is their high success rate and reproductive capacity in cutting. Whether it's a stem or a leaf, as long as it's in a suitable environment, it can successfully take root and propagate. The best time for cutting is in spring and autumn when roots and buds grow faster. Some non-dormant species like Echeveria, Sedum and牡丹 can also propagate in winter, but generally speaking, summer is not suitable.
Leaf propagation is commonly used for Crassula succulents. Although it's not a new term, those who haven't been in contact with succulents lack a real sense of how a single leaf can propagate new life. During the cultivation of succulents, we often accidentally knock off leaves or remove a few leaves from the bottom of the cuttings when pruning, which is when leaf propagation comes into play.
First, choose a healthy leaf, and pick out any leaves that are obviously yellow or damaged at the root, as unhealthy leaves can easily rot and infect other leaves if mixed together.
For the container of leaf propagation, a shallow but wide pot is recommended, similar to a盆景 pot. You can also choose a seedling tray, inserting one leaf per hole, which is also convenient for transplanting.
In terms of soil, you can refer to the media/soil suitable for planting succulents. If conditions allow, you can first place some pot bottom stones at the bottom of the pot, then add some large particles of鹿沼土 for better aeration, and finally cover the top with赤玉土. Actually, using the most common peat mixed with a bit of frog stone for leaf propagation is also fine, although it's not as clean as赤玉土.
Leaf propagation has specific requirements for the moisture of the potting soil. Too wet and the leaves can rot, while completely dry is not conducive to root growth, and it also doesn't help after the roots have formed. So it's only necessary to keep it slightly moist, especially the surface of the soil. Usually, the surface soil is sprayed with water before leaf propagation.
Then comes the arrangement of the leaves. Actually, placing them flat can root and sprout, but the oblique insertion method is recommended here. Although it may be slightly slower than flat placement, the roots can go directly into the soil. There's no need to bury the roots in the soil or cover them with soil again after they've emerged, as would be the case with flat placement. Oblique insertion doesn't need to be deep, just enough to keep the leaf斜立在 the soil surface. Don't press too hard, or it might affect the new sprouts from emerging. Also, don't insert the base of the leaf directly into the medium, as this can easily damage the roots. Remember, rooting and sprouting start from there. You can use a small stick to make a shallow hole obliquely, then place the leaf in it. For large-scale leaf propagation, you can make ridges like tilling the soil, and place the leaves in the furrows.
After that, just wait quietly. This period doesn't require much sunlight, especially avoiding strong midday sunlight, which would deplete the nutrients for new sprouts. It's generally fine to place them in a shaded area or under diffused light. Also, if leaves become translucent, they should be removed promptly. These leaves won't root or sprout and will quickly rot; any mildewed ones should also be isolated early to prevent infection of other succulent leaves.
Depending on the plant, season, and environment, usually after about 15 days, roots and sprouts start to form. Fortunately, a single leaf can produce double or even multiple heads. After rooting, water promptly, and gradually expose to light after the small lives are visible.
As the new sprouts grow, the old leaves will gradually wither and fall off naturally. Don't remove them easily before this, as it might hurt the new sprouts and roots. Wait until the newly propagated succulent plants grow before replacing them with a "new home" for transplanting. At this point, the leaf propagation of succulent plants is successfully completed.
In contrast to leaf propagation, the cutting method of taking stem cuttings is called stem propagation, widely used in various succulent plants. It's common for succulents to grow tall, and pruning stems gives them more opportunities to propagate, turning one plant into two or even more, and a single head into double or even multiple heads.
Usually, the first thing after pruning is to place the cuttings in a shaded place to let the cut ends heal and dry for 2 to 3 days, then remove the leaves from the bottom of the stem (which can be used for leaf propagation), leaving about 3 centimeters of stem. A tip here is that some succulents are not suitable for immediate leaf removal after pruning. For example, 红稚莲 or 锦晃星, because they contain too much water, can easily damage the leaf base or the stem when leaves are removed, making leaf propagation impossible; also, stem damage can easily lead to rot during stem propagation. So it's best to wait 2-3 days for some of the moisture in the stems and leaves to dissipate before removing them.
There are two methods of stem propagation:
One is to propagate immediately after 2-3 days of pruning. That is, when the cut ends are dry and healed, then propagate. It's best to decide the depth of propagation based on the pot and the height of the cuttings beforehand to avoid repeated actions. Try to let the bare stem be completely submerged in the medium until just below the first leaf. With this method, don't water for the first week, then spray the surface of the potting soil, and water in the same way after it dries, slightly increasing the amount of water after about two weeks. The advantage of this method is that it doesn't hurt the root buds, but poor water control can easily lead to rot and propagation failure.
The other is to wait for the cuttings to root before propagating. In fact, cuttings can root in about 15 days with the humidity in the air. If using the method below, the rooting speed will even be faster. Find a small bottle, spray the inside wall with water, and place the cutting on it; you can also put a little wet赤玉土 in it and place the cutting on it, so the relative humidity inside the bottle can easily promote rooting. After rooting, propagation won't lead to rot from watering without roots, but be careful not to injure the new roots when propagating.
Both methods have their pros and cons, and enthusiasts can decide which one to use based on their personal circumstances. The soil and light requirements are similar to leaf propagation, especially avoiding direct strong sunlight. After rooting, gradually expose to light, which is very important.
Many succulents can be propagated through leaf propagation, such as Echeveria, Sedum, and 牡丹, which can all achieve the effect of "one becomes many"; while some succulents are more suitable for stem propagation, such as 桃美人, 八千代, and Bear's Breeches, but it's not that they can't be propagated by leaves, it's just that it takes longer and requires more patience!
The above is a comprehensive introduction to the techniques of leaf and stem propagation for succulent plants, hoping to bring some knowledge about green plants to green plant enthusiasts.