Experience of Propagating Paper Windmill Succulents through Leaf Cuttings
Answering netizens' questions about the propagation of paper windmill succulents, here is my experience with leaf cuttings, followed by a comprehensive introduction.
Paper windmill succulents belong to the Crassulaceae family, Sedum section. Many people are surprised by my high success rate with leaf cuttings, but I don't think it's difficult. After organizing my thoughts, I decided to compile this article, and I welcome any corrections.
1. First, let's talk about how to protect the mother leaf.
The leaves of paper windmill succulents are very thin. In the past, when I didn't know any better, I would just place them on dry soil and water them occasionally. Often, before the buds could sprout, the mother leaf would dry up. Even now, I think this is the main reason why most people find paper windmill cuttings difficult.
This issue can be easily resolved by frequently misting the leaves. Also, before the buds appear, place the leaves in a slightly deeper container, with a section not directly exposed to the wind above the soil surface. Then place this container in a well-ventilated area.
This achieves two seemingly contradictory requirements: ventilation and moisture retention. Ventilation prevents black rot, while moisture retention accelerates root and bud formation. A side note: I don't personally think ventilation and moisture retention are contradictory. I interpret these combined requirements as maintaining a certain level of humidity while ensuring good air circulation. Viewed this way, there shouldn't be any conflict.
Then mist the soil surface when it dries, and continue this cycle. Normally, in about a week, the leaves will sprout roots and buds.
2. Next is the issue of transplanting seedlings.
Usually, after roots or buds appear, I transfer them to a new container. One with the soil surface close to the edge of the pot to avoid some issues with waterlogging. When handling the leaves, I now avoid touching the growing points. First, place the leaves properly. If only buds have appeared, use soil (usually the smallest akadama soil) to surround the growing points, like creating a nest for the leaf's growing point, although this seems to have no effect so far. If only roots have appeared, cover them with soil, rather than pressing them into the soil with your hands or tools. I believe that for the plants to grow healthy and strong, it's best to minimize injuries from the surrounding environment. Cover the soil rather than pressing the roots into it, at least it's in the natural shape after the leaves are placed, not twisted. I don't know if you understand what I'm saying this way.
3. Next is the care of the seedlings.
Some say the mother leaves dry quickly, others say they rot quickly. I think it's hard to avoid rotting in this season due to the weather. Otherwise, there wouldn't be so many plants dying. I personally think the best method is to use a dropper, although lazy me still uses a spray bottle. Drop water at the base of the mother leaf. This is actually a common practice since the mother leaf absorbs water.
I still try to keep the soil surface moist, almost watering the cuttings every day, but absolutely no rain!
This is because I believe that there are many bacteria and even tiny eggs in rainwater, and a large part of the reason for black rot is these bacteria and eggs. Believe me, this is a lesson learned from experience. Rain in spring and autumn is like a nutrient solution, but in this season, it's like poison for the succulents.
To prevent rotting, I came up with a small trick: keep the mother leaf at a certain angle, like an artificial slope. After all, the leaves dry quickly if not drenched, and on a slope, the water doesn't stay. As for the water that rolls down and is blocked by the young seedlings, you can guess what to do!
As for preventing the mother leaves from drying out, I think it's the same as before the buds appear, which is humidity. Now, the good thing is that there are roots, so just give more water to the roots.
For soil mixing, I think that leaf cuttings are similar to seedlings. Therefore, the soil should still be relatively moist, and there shouldn't be too much coconut husk in it. Coconut husk has too much fiber, which can easily form small air pockets in the soil, not conducive to young seedlings' rooting. But it's excellent for mature plants.
But... I personally like coconut husk, so my leaf cutting mix is: coconut husk, peat, rice husk charcoal, and vermiculite each in one part, then add some akadama soil,彩虹石 (rainbow stone), and珍珠岩 (perlite) appropriately. Some say that vermiculite and perlite are not good, but I think for leaf cuttings, they are神器 (miracles). They both have the same characteristic: granular but light. They don't easily hurt the fragile seedlings but also play a role as granules, even though they are pseudo-granules.
The above content about the experience of paper windmill succulent leaf cuttings, if it can be of help to you, remember to visit the website often!