From mint to roses, countless numbers of plants can be successfully cloned with the proper technique. Start cloning plants with these step by step instructions. The results can mature into beautiful foliage and blossoms that continue to grow and propagate the species.
1. Prepare the Cutting
Choose a cutting from your main plant that’s an offshoot from the central stem, which is how to cut clones from a mother plant. Trim the cutting off at a 45-degree angle with at least four to six inches of stem and leaves above the cut.
Trim away any leaves from the stem while leaving some foliage at the cutting’s top section for photosynthesis. You want the cutting to focus on rooting and not supporting a lot of leaves.
2. Moisten the Medium
Cuttings cannot be cloned in regular soil. They demand more attention. Choose a medium, such as Eazy Plug, that holds an ample amount of water. Saturate the medium, and make sure it’s not dripping wet. The medium should be uniformly moist so that roots are encouraged to grow.
Dip the cutting’s trimmed end into rooting gel just before adding it to the medium.
3. Add the Cutting to the Medium
Carefully slide the cutting into the medium’s center hole. Take a close look at the cutting’s progress into the medium so that it reaches completely through the hole. When roots begin to grow, they should have space below and around the medium to spread out.
The medium is designed to offer moisture and support to cloning plants. The moisture should be enough to stimulate growth, but without supporting microbe reproduction that’s detrimental to the plant. Fungus and bacteria aren’t welcome on the cutting or medium.
4. Set up the Growing Area
How much light for clones is necessary? Strive for 18 hours of light on your plants at first. Place the cuttings in a propagator so that the moisture is trapped around the plants too. If you’re using Eazy Plugs, only moisten them every three days when you’re rooting the cuttings. The moisture should be perfect otherwise. Only open the propagators once a day for a few minutes to allow fresh oxygen to flow across the plants.
5. Keep a Watchful Eye on the Cuttings
Cloning plants will always produce differing growth rates based on multiple factors. In general, you should see prolific root growth after about 10 days. Take the lid off from the cuttings at this point while keeping the medium moist on subsequent days. The cutting is still vulnerable, so the moist medium encourages nutrient uptake and vigorous growth.
When you see a rootball under the medium, it’s time to transplant the cutting. It can grow like a typical plant when it’s placed in a pot with everyday soil.
Mistakes can occur as you hone your skills with cuttings and moistened mediums. If you have trouble at first, refine the steps for next time. Cloning plants can be a rewarding process with a little practice.
