How to Plant Propagate and Root Cuttings in Water (For Beginners)

Want more plants but don’t want to buy anymore? Plant Propagating is about to become your bestest friend. This method I’m about to show you is super simple and can be a plant life saver. Soon enough you won’t be able to stop growing new plants (like me tehe 😁)

Let’s go over some definitions first, I would hate to have you guessing!

Propagating -  The process of increasing the number of plants.

Cuttings -  A section of the plant that is intentionally taken to create a clone.

Nodes - Part of the plant stem where the roots will grow from. (Looks like a little bump or a knob)

Step 1 : Gather your Supplies

• Glass Jar (or small container that can be filled with water).
• Sharp Clean Scissors

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• Plant of Choice
• Optional - Root Growing Agent  

Step 2: Find the Node  

Not all plants have nodes (you can still propagate a plant that doesn’t have a node but that's another blog for another day lol). Once you find the node, cut about 1 inch above or below the node(depending on the plant), releasing it from the mother plant.

✿ If you are propagating a hanging plant like a pothos you will cut above the node.

✿ If you are propagating a plant that grows upright like a Monstera you will cut below  the node.

Step 3: Fill container with water

Make sure your container is as clean as possible. (I usually use old glass food jars, so I have to be extra careful of leftover food). Fill with water about ¾ of the way full. If your container is way bigger than your cutting, fill with even less water. Believe it or not it is still a way to over water your plants when they are sitting in water. Filling your container with too much water can prevent root growth and could possibly kill your cuttings.

Optional:  Use a rooting agent to help roots grow faster. I LIVE by Xtreme Gardening Azos. When I use this stuff my plants start growing roots in just a week.  

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✿ I use tap water. The tap water in my area isn’t that bad so I personally don’t mind it. If you want to use better water try collecting rainwater. Or buy spring water from the store.

Step 4: Drop Plants in & Wait!

Go ahead and drop your cuttings in the water, nodes first! Nodes should always be submerged in the water. Try not to take them out of the water each day. If your container is not see through, take them out once a week to see root progression.  

Some cool things to know to save you a headache:

1. Some plants never root & some plants take about a month to successfully root.

2. You don’t necessarily have to grow in a glass jar but I like to, because you can see the root progression without taking them out of water. (Watch out for small neck containers, you will have to break to get plant roots out. It will be traumatic for all parties involved)

3. If you start to see mold or anything growing in your water. This is normal as long as it's not growing from your plant. To fix this, change out your water and use a few drops of hydrogen peroxide.

4. Your plants can grow in water forever, of course you will need to upgrade the container as the roots grow.

5. Once your roots are strong, you can pop them in soil!

Growing plants is like really being a tv doctor. You are going to have to diagnose your plants and figure out what they do and don’t like, even though you never took any schooling in the subject. If your cuttings are struggling to root,  it could be because of the water, the container, or environment. Whatever you do, keep trying and keep growing! I used to think I could never grow anything. I went from an official plant killer to an official plant grower.  Call Me the Dr. Grey of Plants.

• Ayannah Light

Best Plant to Propagate for Beginners :

✿ Marble Queen Pothos

✿ Monstera Deliciosa

✿ Satin Pothos

✿ Any type of Ivey

✿ Golden Pothos

Good Luck!!