renew my lust for plants
March 17, 2006 8:55 AM Subscribe
growing new indoor plants from cuttings from existent plants, and (bonus!) identify these two specific plants and tell me if cuttings will work, etc.
my roomate has two plants, plant a and plant b (2nd pic here) [these are 50-100k jpgs]. i want to duplicate them cause i really like them, especially plant b. Now, can anyone identify them for me (they're pretty common household plants, i'm sure, but i'm really bad with names) and help me out: is there a way i can cut out a leaf, a root, etc and replant another one without killing the original? i definitely don't want to harm the plant but (again, plant b especially) getting more of them sounds great. also, what are some tips for cuttings? growing from cuttings in general? there are a ton of websites but a lot have got conflicting information...
my roomate has two plants, plant a and plant b (2nd pic here) [these are 50-100k jpgs]. i want to duplicate them cause i really like them, especially plant b. Now, can anyone identify them for me (they're pretty common household plants, i'm sure, but i'm really bad with names) and help me out: is there a way i can cut out a leaf, a root, etc and replant another one without killing the original? i definitely don't want to harm the plant but (again, plant b especially) getting more of them sounds great. also, what are some tips for cuttings? growing from cuttings in general? there are a ton of websites but a lot have got conflicting information...
You've got yourself A: a jade tree and B: a rubber tree
The jade tree will be pretty easy. Get yourself some clean sand and some miracle grow. The leaf as steven says above will sprout at the wound end. Stick it down in the sand gently and keep the sand moist with the miracle grow solution. Once it takes root, gently take the sand and all and put it in loose, sandy soil in a pot.
posted by Pollomacho at 9:14 AM on March 17, 2006
The jade tree will be pretty easy. Get yourself some clean sand and some miracle grow. The leaf as steven says above will sprout at the wound end. Stick it down in the sand gently and keep the sand moist with the miracle grow solution. Once it takes root, gently take the sand and all and put it in loose, sandy soil in a pot.
posted by Pollomacho at 9:14 AM on March 17, 2006
The second one is a rubber plant.
Both of them are up at the top of the "cheap houseplants that will live under the blackest thumb" list. Taking cuttings and growing them seems like a lot of work compared to spending ten bucks on each at the grocery store!
Here's a list of some similar "plants for dummies" plants, and another list. Both of them have sections on jade and rubber plants too.
posted by mendel at 9:15 AM on March 17, 2006
Both of them are up at the top of the "cheap houseplants that will live under the blackest thumb" list. Taking cuttings and growing them seems like a lot of work compared to spending ten bucks on each at the grocery store!
Here's a list of some similar "plants for dummies" plants, and another list. Both of them have sections on jade and rubber plants too.
posted by mendel at 9:15 AM on March 17, 2006
Branch cuttings will best grow in plain tap water that should be changed often. Make sure the cutting is kept in contact with the water. Planting in sand will be tricky unless you make sure they are always kept moist. In the pictures, make sure the soil is thoroughly moistened with something like a sprinkler can rather than just a shot of water in one smaller area.
posted by JJ86 at 9:34 AM on March 17, 2006
posted by JJ86 at 9:34 AM on March 17, 2006
Response by poster: huh. i didn't realize it was so popular it was on a dorm-room website, for christ sakes. still, i thought cuttings would be cool since i have weird pot sizes and like to experiment. thanks for the info on the jade tree cutting, any suggestions on taking a leaf off the rubber plant?
posted by yonation at 9:37 AM on March 17, 2006
posted by yonation at 9:37 AM on March 17, 2006
Best answer: Propagating House plants (this page mentions the rubber plant in a few places)
Detailed info on the rubber plant
posted by mojabunni at 10:06 AM on March 17, 2006
Detailed info on the rubber plant
posted by mojabunni at 10:06 AM on March 17, 2006
Using a rooting hormone will increase your chances of success.
posted by junkbox at 10:36 AM on March 17, 2006
posted by junkbox at 10:36 AM on March 17, 2006
Best answer: As JJ86 says, constant moisture is essential to propagate cuttings. I've had very good luck using coir (cocount fiber, available at most garden centers and tons of places on the web), plus covering the pot with plastic to retain humidity. You can use dry-cleaner bags or anything transparent; just make sure you use pencils, coat-hanger wire, or something else to keep the plastic from draping itself on the cutting. (Basically, you're making a tiny greenhouse.) Put in strong indirect light; check frequently to make sure it stays moist.
With woody-ish cuttings like the rubber tree, I'd use a rooting hormone, too. It stimulates root production and most contain fungcides to prevent damping-off and other young-plant problems. Again, you can find this at most garden centers, or order online. (I use a gel formula -- most are powders -- from Lee Valley which works very well.)
If you like the jade plant, you also might like hen-and-chicks, which is super-easy to grow and easy to find.
On preview: Check out mojabunni's propagation link -- it has all the info you need. And what junkbox said!
posted by vetiver at 10:53 AM on March 17, 2006
With woody-ish cuttings like the rubber tree, I'd use a rooting hormone, too. It stimulates root production and most contain fungcides to prevent damping-off and other young-plant problems. Again, you can find this at most garden centers, or order online. (I use a gel formula -- most are powders -- from Lee Valley which works very well.)
If you like the jade plant, you also might like hen-and-chicks, which is super-easy to grow and easy to find.
On preview: Check out mojabunni's propagation link -- it has all the info you need. And what junkbox said!
posted by vetiver at 10:53 AM on March 17, 2006
Response by poster: thanks! propagating is *the* key term i didn't know.
posted by yonation at 11:08 AM on March 17, 2006
posted by yonation at 11:08 AM on March 17, 2006
I transported a Jade in an old black four door sedan, a leaf broke off. The sedan was parked out of doors 100% of the time (hot and cold) many times I would get in in the summer and it would be broiling.
The Jade leaf rooted in the floor mat.
Good luck.
posted by leafwoman at 11:22 AM on March 17, 2006
The Jade leaf rooted in the floor mat.
Good luck.
posted by leafwoman at 11:22 AM on March 17, 2006
Jade plant propogation doesn't quite work the same as that for plants that aren't from arid regions. There's some good advice towards the bottom of this page.
posted by jonzino at 3:22 PM on March 17, 2006
posted by jonzino at 3:22 PM on March 17, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 8:57 AM on March 17, 2006