Succulent Propagating

Succulents, with their fleshy leaves and extraordinary forms are easy to maintain, and make excellent container plants.  What’s more, they can easily be propagated.  First, visit a garden supply store and purchase some rooting hormone and propagation medium.  The simplest method of propagation is to use individual leaves.  Gently pull off a leaf from its stem, dip the torn end in water, and then into the rooting hormone.  Fill a small pot with propagation medium, make a small hole, and stick the leaf in the hole about 1/4-inch deep.  Soak the medium thoroughly, and allow it to dry completely between waterings to prevent rot.  Place the pot in full sun in a location that’s kept about 70 degrees, and after a few weeks, you should see a new plantlet appear.

If you’d like a larger result in less time, try propagating succulents by using stem cuttings.  Snip a 3- to 4-inch piece of stem from the mother plant using sharp pruners, and remove any dried or dead foliage.  Dip the cut stem end into the rooting hormone and plant the stem about 1 1/2-inches deep in the rooting medium.  Soak the medium, and keep the pot in a warm, sunny spot, and the cutting should root in 2 to 6 weeks.

Here are some pictures I took of the succulents in my greenhouse

 

Comments

[Kathy]

Martha,
Thanks for the pictures of the succulants in your greenhouse. They are beautiful. I appreciate the information you gave about the planting process. I learned about planting succulents from my Mom. She had many that were beautiful. I have not used the rooting hormone, though. I will try it and expect even better results.
Thanks again.
Kathy

[Hardboiledegg]

What delicious photos. I do sense that the white pots are Guy Wolff creations--the detail of customizing the pots with with Cantitoe imprint is spectacular. I shall place my order today.

[Jane M]

I made my little succulent garden after reading about it in your magazine 1.5 years ago. I keep it outside all summer - brought the pot inside back in November. It's trying to acclimate to the heat and inside conditions and I just hope it makes it through the winter. It's grown by leaps and bounds since first planting and I just love it! I was also inspired by Alexis's succulents she posted on her blog.

[PAULINE MUCCIACCIO]

Succulants are such interesting plants to have, they are very undemanding. The one I have is the chicks & hen. Since it's starting to get big will propagate & give it to my daughter to add to her collection.
Best,
Pauline Mucciaccio

[Catherine Kurczynski]

Love the pots! I've got a few Guy Wolfe pots myself. Pick them up as souvenirs on my travels. Here a pot--there a pot--I'm gathering a nice little collection. Thanks, Martha, for introducing us to Guy Wolfe in a segment in that charming potting shed you did on your show a while back.

[Hardboiledegg]

Mea Culpa my apologies to Ben -- Ben Wolff -- the white pots are Ben's unique designs. I was so enchanted with the elegant proportions of the pottery I I was so eager to comment that I failed to fact find -- see for yourself hint hint everybody's gone surfing --surf the world wide web

[Margie]

If I am able to propagate a plant and it does make it to spend time outside I fear the county weed control officer will notify me I have a noxious easily spread weed. I did a Christmas cactus and although successful the stem was never sturdy for the aggressive top branching body. It also shed petals/branches acting as if it could propagate quite nicely without me.

[fleur]

Love everything about succulents and the bonus truly is that they are so easy to take care of. This propagation advice is appreciated!

P.S. I just discovered this blog (and blog-rolled it immediately) -- the informality of it is such a nice approach.

[Jan Erickson]

Hi Martha, I don't know how you do it but almost every blog you post is about something I am very interested in! The photos of your succulents are absolutely beautiful! Last spring, I bought an herb plant and it had a small unknown 1/4" extra plant growing with it. I removed it and put it in a pot of its own and low and be hold it grew into a giant succulent with huge leaves and lots of plantlets along the leaf edges. Now it is propagating itself! Happy New Year. Jan

[Emily]

Hi Martha!

Thank you for the beautiful pictures - such nice light! I'm encouraged to try a few succulents of my own.

Emily

[Diana]

Hmm...I've never thought about getting these before but the seem like a great houseplant...especially since they are low maintenance! I think I saw one of this in one of the kitchen photos in the January Martha Stewart Living? pg 74

[christina(apronstrings)]

oh how i love them! for awhile i lived in tucson, arizona. i should take your lead and try to grow some indoors. they produce such a lovely shade of green. and would be a nice reminder of a place i used to live.

[bpfister]

I think that I have found some new plants to try this year. I think they will make a wonderful addition to my containers.

[Roe Winters]

Martha,
I have been following your recipes and tips for 25 years. Starting with your book "Entertaining" and following with your television shows, I have loved your attention to detail, showing the best of everything, understanding and use of antiques, color sense, and your help to make entertaining more fun. Since I am off of work this week, I got to watch your show which comes on at noon in Chicago. Your ideas and your recipes are just as creative and fun as they were years ago. Thanks for maintaining your quality and creativity and continuing to inspire me throughout the years!

[Lilia Valencia]

thanks for all your useful help in a lot of activities, but sometimes is a little difficult for mi because i'm mexican and my english is not so good
do you have a special page in spanish? if not, it's ok i'll continue with you in english, thank you!

[Liz Benefield]

Posted 12/26/07
Martha,
I own a couple of mini-bake pans (8 to a pan) I use frequently. I ready my dough in my breadmaker then slice & arrange it in the mini-bake pans to bake. I can then individually wrap the mini-loaves & place them in the freezer to retrieve when I need. This saves an exorbitant amount of time & effort and the mini-loaves are so festive at holiday time.

It would be so nice to be able to purchase at the store parchment paper sized to fit the mini-bake pans. I can't imagine why no one has thought of this.

Could you use your considerable influence to interest someone, perhaps Reynold's to patent such a product? It would be a dream. Thank you!

Liz Benefield
Matthews, NC

[Jeff]

Martha,
I wonder if you can grow TickleMe Plants in this fashion. I found this cool website about the plant that moves when you Tickle It. Love to have you tell your readers and viewers about the TickleMe Plant
(Mimosa pudica) it has been a real conversation piece in my home. Every one loves the watch the leaves fold and branches droop as if they were ticklish.

[Wendy]

Martha,
Pass this to Jeff-Tickleme plants are easy to grow. However they need more water than your succulents. Don't let the seedlings dry out totally. However, in three weeks expect a plant that moves when you tickle it!. Ours in the North East are kept as a houseplant. We take it outside in summer and the tickleme plants then flower pick puff balls. Martha can you show a picture to your audience?

[Jennifer Fancher]

Martha- Hi, the third photo down is good for doing a painting...the light shining through creates a great beauty. This is what I meant in my other post about photographing artistically to prepare for painting.

[Linda Sherman]

Hi Martha,

I have some succulents, but, have them planted in my garden. Should I move them to a container? They grow very well during the summer and I leave them in the garden for the winter.

How does Paw Paw's grave look now? Did you plant some pretty flowers for him? Beautiful dog, he was!

[Kiley]

MARTHA!
My mom loves you and your show. She has me constantly trying to recreate various things around our own house that she sees from your magazine and show all the time. I think im going to try and grow some succulents for our back porch. The pictures are inspiring.

[Yvonne]

Hello Martha,
I enjoyed your succulent photos (pun intended). I started my first succulent garden in an old wooden wheelbarrow and became enchanted with them. The following year I planted a succulent dish garden in an old cracked cement bird bath and last year I planted what I call a texture garden as a ground cover for Dracaenas growing in large Chinese egg pots. I wish I could send photos.......

[Chris]

I love your succulent garden. I have always liked them myself. I live in a high rise and have them growing in little containers on my patio (a tomatoe cup, saucers and a boot with two elfs peeking out. They are low mainteneance and as I scatter and place them in different heights they make a nice presentation and I always have my own little garden to look at at all times. (mine are all chicken and hens) Then I collect little flat rocks from my favorite lake and place in a terra cotta saucer and create another look. (little bronze green frog sitting on the top) In the summer I add my pots of flowers of petunias and ivy geraniums.

[barrie petersen]

Hi Martha,
What are the latest , greatest books you've been reading, fiction and non.

Thanks,
Barrie

[Marty Risteen]

Martha,

I have recently saw the movie, Regarding Jane and was overwhelmed with the beauty of the wallpaper or stenciling in the library of Higginsbrook house, I have run into roadblocks trying to find source of this beauty could you advise?

Thank-you

Marty Risteen