How do I start a flower from a cutting?

QUESTION: How do I start a flower from a cutting? Is it pretty easy, or do you have to be an expert to do it? – Kay J

ANSWER: Starting a flower from a cutting is a simple process. Begin by deciding which flower you’d like to propagate.

It wouldn’t hurt to do some quick research before starting. Some flowers grow well from cuttings while others have different propagation methods that they favor.

When you know the flower you’ve chosen should work with this method of propagation, you’re ready to begin.

Use scissors or a knife to remove a six inch cutting from the plant. It’s wise to cut the plant right above a node, the area where blooms form.

Once the cutting is removed, dip the cut-end into rooting hormone. This step is optional. However, it can prove helpful.

Place the cutting in a container that’s filled with well-draining, slightly loamy soil. This will ensure water will drain away from the cutting quickly.

Also, ensure the container drains well. If water doesn’t drain away from the cutting, it won’t take root as water causes plants to suffocate.

Over the next month, spray the soil with a water bottle. You should ensure the dirt remains consistently damp.

It’s a good idea to keep the plant where it will receive sunlight. At the end of thirty-days, the plant should have formed roots and be ready to transplant into its permanent location.

Another method for starting a plant from a cutting is to propagate it in water. Instead of dipping the cutting in rooting hormone and planting it, you should place the cutting in a small container of water. Only a few inches of the cutting should be submerged. 

Leave the plant in a sunny window for thirty days. At this time, you should be able to see roots forming at the bottom of the cutting.

Once this occurs, transplant the cutting into its permanent growing location and care for it as you would any immature plant.

These are a few ways you can grow a flower from a cutting. It isn’t a difficult process. The main thing is to ensure you give the plant the right growing conditions to form roots. 

By providing these things, you should be able to form new plants with a minimal investment of both time and money.

More About Growing Flowers from Cuttings

https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/yardandgarden/extpub/new-plants-from-cuttings-text-only/

https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/plant-propagation-by-stem-cuttings-instructions-for-the-home-gardener

https://extension.psu.edu/creating-a-cutting-garden