Clone Your Favorite Plants
Last summer I was at my uncles house roaming his garden. He usually loves to let me pick out plants to bring back and add to my garden. I came across this really neat plant he had but he only had one. I couldn't dare ask him for it, or try to split it.
I mentioned to him how much I loved the plant and how I need to find one for myself. He said, "I can give you a cutting!"
I thought, "What the heck am I going to do with a cutting?"
Little did I know, that is how you can clone a plant!
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In the following steps I will show you an easy way to clone your favorite plants!
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Fun Fact: All apple seeds produce a new, unique plant. This means that every "Haralson" apple comes from one tree, or at least a cutting from that single original tree! Neat huh?
Tools & Materials
Water
Root Hormone (Liquid or Powder)
Potting Soil
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3-4" Pots (I use Solo cups)
Pruning Knife
Pick Your Plant!
Pick the plant you want to clone.
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Here I am going to clone a Black Eyed Susan.
Pick a Stem
- Your cutting should have at least a couple branches sticking off of it.
- Try to get a newer "baby" branch. This branch has a better chance of being in a rooting mode.
- Cut branch at 45 degree angle.
Water Dip
- Dip the cut end into a glass of water.
Root Hormone
- Stick the wet end into the root hormone
- Tap on side of dish to knock off excess powder.
In the Dirt
- Fill your pot with loose dirt
- Stick the cutting into the dirt 2 inches.
- Tamp around the cutting so the cutting has good soil contact and stays upright.
Grow!
You now have a clone of your favorite plant!
- Maintain a damp soil moisture
- Keep in partial shade and gradually increase sunlight
- Increase pot size after 4 weeks or transplant.
Repeat with as many cutting as you like!
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Note: Your transplant may wilt a little bit the first day. It will snap back, its a traumatic experience!
The great thing about this method compared to splitting is that you won't even notice a different in the host plant. It is only a traumatic experience for once branch. If it dies in the process, no biggie, just cut another!