How to propagate succulents through leaf insertion
You may not be familiar with how to propagate succulents through leaf insertion and the knowledge related to succulent leaf insertion techniques. The following is an introduction for you in detail.
It's a good time of the year for propagating succulents through leaf insertion! There are many benefits to doing it in spring, one is that they are easy to survive, and the other is that once they survive, they catch up with the peak growing season and can grow significantly before summer dormancy. By autumn, they become a decent-sized seedling, making it easier to overwinter. However, many hobbyists encounter a problem when inserting succulent leaves: they only grow roots but no buds! This mainly has to do with maintenance. When you find that the succulent leaves only grow roots but no buds, we need to learn to "destroy the roots harshly," and new buds can grow in as fast as 7 days!
When succulent leaves only grow roots but no buds, the first thing to do is to pull out the leaves, cut off all the roots, which is called "destroying the roots harshly." When cutting the roots, be careful not to get too close to the succulent leaves or damage them, as this could lead to infection and rot, affecting the survival rate of the leaf insertion. Cut about two or three millimeters away from the leaves, leaving a little bit.
The main reason for cutting off the new roots grown from the succulent leaf insertion is that most of these roots are aerial roots, not solid roots, which look white and tender, and some may even turn red. These aerial roots cannot truly absorb nutrients from the soil and do not penetrate into the soil, wasting nutrients and making it difficult to grow new buds. After cutting off the useless aerial roots, it forces the succulent leaves to grow solid roots, and new buds grow naturally. Generally speaking, the more vigorous the aerial roots grow during succulent leaf insertion, the less likely new buds will grow. So, whenever you see aerial roots, "destroy them harshly" without hesitation!
When succulent leaves only grow roots but no buds, after cutting the roots, do not insert the leaves immediately. Instead, place them in a shady and well-ventilated area for one to two days before inserting. This has two benefits: one is to dry the wounds at the root ends to prevent infection after insertion and avoid leaf rot, and the other is to allow the leaves to consume some of their moisture, making it less likely to grow aerial roots and easier to sprout, with new buds growing in as little as 7 days. Some hobbyists insert the leaves immediately after cutting the roots and end up growing aerial roots again, repeating the process and always seeing roots but no buds.
How to propagate succulents through leaf insertion
In most cases, succulent leaves only grow roots but no buds due to excessive water content in the leaves and a lack of drying. Therefore, after cutting the roots of the succulent leaves, if the leaves look very tender and feel stiff, do not skip the step of drying the leaves in a shaded area. Wait until the leaves become soft and lose their shine before inserting them.
When succulent leaves only grow roots but no buds, while drying the leaves, it's also important to dry the potting soil. Sometimes, overly wet potting soil or high humidity in the air can also be a reason why leaves only grow roots but no buds. The water content of the soil for inserting succulents should be controlled at around 30%, which feels slightly wet but does not form a clump when pinched. Excessive water content can affect the survival rate or lead to roots growing but no buds.
It is recommended that when inserting succulents, first water the potting soil thoroughly, then place it in a shaded and well-ventilated area for two to three days. When the surface is slightly white, place the掰ed and dried succulent leaves directly on the potting soil and wait for them to sprout. When new buds appear, water them to keep the soil slightly moist, and the roots will take hold without the issue of only growing roots but no buds. I insert succulents by placing the leaves in a shaded and well-ventilated area and not touching them until new buds appear, which works well for survival.
Pay attention to the content mentioned above for succulent leaf insertion. Generally, "destroy the roots harshly," and new buds can grow in 7 days! Sometimes, after cutting the roots and inserting them, long and tender aerial roots will grow again. In such cases, continue to cut them until buds appear. However, be careful not to cut the roots as soon as you see them, as some are solid roots that just grow before the buds. Wait for the new buds to appear. Only if the roots have grown longer than one centimeter without seeing any buds for a long time should you consider cutting the roots to force new buds to grow.
The above (Greenery Enthusiast Network) provides you with an introduction to how to propagate succulents through leaf insertion and a comprehensive explanation of succulent leaf insertion techniques. I hope it helps you.