Starting plants in water is an easy, carefree way to multiply many types of trees, bushes, perennials, and even some annuals. Although some may take weeks to develop roots, it’s a simple propagation technique that can be done in winter, alleviating some of the winter gardening blues for those in cold climates.
List of some plants that can be rooted in water:
Herbs: mallow,pothos,rosemary,mint,thyme, salvia, basil, oregano, patchouli, and sage.
Flowers, vines, ornamentals: wild clematis, coleus, begonias, arrowhead vine, philodendron,corn plant,spider plants,swedish ivy,sedum,geraniums,christmas and easter cactus,most succulents, dumb cane, spurge, kalanchoe, fushia, african violets, and ivy.
Trees and shrubs: citrus trees, maple trees, fig trees, cherry trees, mandevillas, bouganvillas, willows, lilac, hydrangea, quince, hearty hibiscus, gardenias, schefflera, forsythia, and avacados.
Vegetables: Sweet potatoes, and tomatoes.
You can also root a whole bunch of vegetables from the unused ends, that usually go into the compost bin. This will work for romaine lettuce, leeks, chives, celery, garlic, green onions, and lemongrass.
A few tips:
Change the water periodically, perhaps once a week or so.
Putting artificial rooting hormone in water doesn’t work well. You can, though, use a willow tea to help speed up the rooting process.
Keep the water level the same at all times. If you let the water evaporate out before you refill it, the plants will have a hard time figuring out where the “soil surface” is and it will be harder for new roots to form.
Make sure there are no leaves or dead plant tissue below the water level. The rotting will just encourage bacteria and fungus to grow which will use up all the oxygen in the water and inhibit root growth.
Place your cutting in direct sunlight. A bright window works well. This is not ideal for cutting started in soil, but works well for water propagation.
Swirl the water once in a while for aeration.
Wait until the roots are between 1/4 and 1/2 inch long, then plant in soil.
If you would like to add to the list of plants that can be propagated this way, add your comment to this link on Facebook!
To find locally grown vegetables, flowers, trees, and other great stuff, check out Pick-A-Pepper.com!
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