How to plant succulent leaves
You may not be familiar with the introduction of succulents, how to plant succulent leaves, keep reading!
The question of how to plant succulent leaves is also known as propagating succulents through leaf cuttings. As sharing succulent leaves is currently popular, many gardening enthusiasts hope to find tutorials on leaf cutting. This article is a summary of years of experience from gardening enthusiasts, which can be very helpful for understanding succulent leaf propagation.
Leaf cutting is a method of asexual propagation in succulent plants. The process of growing a single plant from a leaf is magical. After a year of experimentation and learning in a greenhouse, and after paying numerous "tuition fees," this is my summary of leaf cutting! The pictures are not very appealing, the text is not refined enough, and the summary may not be completely accurate, so please bear with me!
To propagate through leaf cuttings, you first need healthy and plump leaves. Note that they should be healthy and plump. If the outermost layer is being consumed or drying out, the success rate is usually not very high, so it's not recommended. Removing leaves from the plant is a meticulous task that requires patience. However, there is a small detail to inform you: a week before deciding to take the leaves, you should stop watering the plant to prevent the leaves from being too full of water, otherwise they might get torn or broken.
You can see in the picture on the right that two leaves are completely torn, broken in the middle, and such leaves will almost never grow into new individuals.
The correct way to do it is shown in the picture below, forming a crescent shape. Roots and new plants will grow from the middle of the crescent, which we also call the growth point.
After the leaves are taken off, they need to be dried in the sun to quickly heal the wound. Generally, after three or four days, the leaves can be planted in the soil!
There are various methods of planting leaves online, some placed flat, some buried in the soil, and some even planted upside down! We have tried various methods and finally concluded that a more scientific method is to slightly bury the growth point on one side in the soil. Burying it in the soil is to allow the new roots to quickly penetrate the soil to absorb water and nutrients after they grow, and also to prevent the new roots from being exposed directly to the sun. Since the new roots are very weak, they might dry out and lose vitality if exposed to strong sunlight. Burying it shallowly is to avoid planting too deep, which could affect the formation of new individuals and reduce the situation of only growing roots without buds!
For the soil mixture in leaf cuttings, it is recommended to use particles mixed with peat, 1-3mm in size, and one type of particle is fine. These include red jade, deer algae, perlite, river sand, etc. The main role of these particles in plant growth is to increase the drainage and aeration of the planting material! The pros and cons of various particles are not discussed here; it's a combination of many into one, with trace elements that are not clear, and those who use it know it. The reason for using 1-3mm particles instead of larger ones is to prevent the new roots from encountering large particles and causing僵 seedlings!
Next is the management after leaf cuttings. Before the roots grow, the leaves should be shaded appropriately to avoid direct sunlight, and it's best to place them in a bright and well-ventilated area. Before the roots grow, a little misting can increase the humidity and promote root growth!
Take a close look at the picture below, where many leaves are bent at both ends. This is because there was no shading, and direct sunlight caused the leaves to quickly dehydrate, resulting in the leaves bending upwards. The new roots under strong sunlight will also lose vitality!
After the roots grow and penetrate the soil, the watering can be increased, and the lighting can be enhanced to allow the roots to absorb enough water and nutrients. After new plants grow, as long as there is good ventilation, the watering principle is to water when the soil is dry and water thoroughly!
Paying attention to these details and choosing the right timing for leaf cuttings is also important. After White Dew, succulents enter a period of rapid growth, which is also the golden season for leaf cuttings. Leaves planted in this season root and sprout quickly and have a higher survival rate.
Do you understand the detailed introduction of how to plant succulent leaves (summary of experience) shared in this article?