Seed Propagation

Seeds are spread in various ways. While some fall straight to the ground, others have been provided with some device that allows the wing to carry them further from their point of production.

Birds and animals help to spread some seeds. The fruit or seed is taken in as food. The undigested seed is sometimes broken down to a state more readily germinated and deposited by these creatures in their travels.

Others seeds such as the burr plants produce, have been provided with little attachments.

Cuttings and Rooting Plants

Cuttings also provide a very common method of plant propagation. Although common, the process requires attention to detail to present the best success. Not every leaf or branch you cut from a plant is capable of rooting.

The donor of the cutting should be a healthy, growing plant. It is not nearly as successful if the plant is entering dormancy for the cool period. For best results you should cut a branch end of fresh growth three to four inches long. Try to select a stem that does not have a flower or a flower bud. Remove any flowers and buds if present, and remove the bottom leaves. There should be four to six healthy leaves on the cutting.

Some cuttings require water to allow roots to form. Other cuttings will grow roots in moist soil. Ensure the tender new roots do not dry out. After a healthy new root has developed you can then transplant your cutting.

Some plants, like African Violets, work well with leaf cuttings that can be placed in either water or moist soil.

 Starting new plants from cuttings is possible on a wide range of houseplants, bushes and shrubs. For bushes and shrubs, if the stems are soft wooded, the cuttings will likely produce roots when the process is properly executed. These might include plants like Roses, Lilacs, Pussy Willows, Rose of Sharon, and many more

ABC’s of root cuttings.

· Select a section of new growth on the end of a branch

· Do not select old woody, unhealthy stems, or stems with flowers on them

· Cut the end section of the stem cleanly at an angle with a sharp knife or pruning shears

· Remove leaves at the bottom of the stem

· Place the stems in water

· Maintain and add water as needed

· After the cuttings have developed a nice root, transplant them

Root Division

Plants such as grass, chives and asparagus demonstrate this principle. Dig out a clump and spread the ball of roots. Replant them in a spread out pattern. They proceed to fill in the blanks and you can do it all over again. There is a constant and seemingly never ending supply of the new plants.

Grafting

Grafting is not true plant propagation but it does produce new plants and fruits for your pleasure. Using this principle you can actually graft several varieties of fruit or flowers on a single root stock. It can be a real attention grabber to produce up to seven different fruits on a single root stock.
Shoots

Some plants will send out shoots or runners that produce new plants. Good examples include spider plants and strawberries. The runners can be allowed to root randomly or trained to root in a specific pattern and area.
Bulbs

A wide variety of flowers grow from bulbs and corms. The parent bulb grows smaller bulbs as offshoots. Separate the bulbs in the summer after the plant has died back. Replant the bulbs in the fall and fertilize. Start all over again.