Clone Your Favorite Plants
![image.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FEA/KCNZ/IRWF24AA/FEAKCNZIRWF24AA.jpg&filename=image.jpeg)
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!
-
In the following steps I will show you an easy way to clone your favorite plants!
-
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
![image.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F29/3TCP/IRWF2438/F293TCPIRWF2438.jpg&filename=image.jpeg)
Water
Root Hormone (Liquid or Powder)
Potting Soil
-
3-4" Pots (I use Solo cups)
Pruning Knife
Pick Your Plant!
![image.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FS2/F9KZ/IRWF243N/FS2F9KZIRWF243N.jpg&filename=image.jpeg)
Pick the plant you want to clone.
-
Here I am going to clone a Black Eyed Susan.
Pick a Stem
![image.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FLN/J11D/IRWF2446/FLNJ11DIRWF2446.jpg&filename=image.jpeg)
![image.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F57/RIIH/IRWF244O/F57RIIHIRWF244O.jpg&filename=image.jpeg)
- 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
![image.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F5S/H0CR/IRWF2456/F5SH0CRIRWF2456.jpg&filename=image.jpeg)
- Dip the cut end into a glass of water.
Root Hormone
![image.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FNA/JMRA/IRWF245U/FNAJMRAIRWF245U.jpg&filename=image.jpeg)
![image.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FLV/ZFMJ/IRWF246E/FLVZFMJIRWF246E.jpg&filename=image.jpeg)
- Stick the wet end into the root hormone
- Tap on side of dish to knock off excess powder.
In the Dirt
![image.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FUX/RPKK/IRWF2455/FUXRPKKIRWF2455.jpg&filename=image.jpeg)
![image.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FIU/LR6B/IRWF245T/FIULR6BIRWF245T.jpg&filename=image.jpeg)
![image.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FWK/S81V/IRWF247H/FWKS81VIRWF247H.jpg&filename=image.jpeg)
- 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!
![image.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FLZ/Y2RQ/IRWF248G/FLZY2RQIRWF248G.jpg&filename=image.jpeg)
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!
-
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!