Kate Inskeep – Page 8 – Houseplant Heaven

Jade plants (Crassula Ovata, also called Money Plants) are beautiful, easy to grow, and some people even say they bring luck and wealth. Another benefit of jade plants is that they are very easy to propagate. This post will walk you through how to propagate jade plants quickly and easily! How to Propagate Jade Plants from a Stem Cutting The quickest way to propagate a jade plant is with a stem cutting. It's relatively easy to take a stem cutting, and if you follow steps properly, you'll have a new baby plant in no time! NOTE: when taking your cutting, it's very important to use clean, sterile equipment. Doing so will protect your plant from mold, insects, and fungus. Step 1: Take a stem cutting The first step to propagating from a stem cutting is actually taking your cutting. You'll want to find a healthy stem on your initial jade plat that is about 3 to 4 inches long. Using a clean, sharp knife (I recommend an X-acto knife), cut your branch away from the original jade plant, cutting as close to the node as possible. Step 2: Treat and dry your stem cutting Once you have taken your jade stem cutting, you will want to treat the end with rooting hormone. This will help your cutting root faster, prevent disease, and prevent fungus. After treating, leave your cutting to dry in a warm, dry, shaded area. Too much direct sun can damage your cutting. After one week, check on your jade cutting. If a callous has formed over the cutting site, you're ready to plant. If the end still appears fresh or damp, leave to rest until you see that a callous has developed. Step 3: Plant your stem cutting Once the end of your cutting is calloused, you're ready to root. You'll want to place your cutting into either a succulent soil mix or a mix of half soil and half vermiculite or perlite. Make a hole about an inch deep in your soil mixture (I like to use a pencil) and place your cutting in the hole. Press the soil around the stem so your cutting stands up on its own. Be sure to keep this soil mix damp but not soaked. Once your jade stem cutting has rooted, you can care for it as you would a standard jade plant. You can gradually expose your new jade plant to more sunlight. How to Propagate Jade Plants from a Leaf Cutting Propagating from a leaf cutting generally takes longer than a stem cutting, but in some ways it's also much easier. Here's the process for propagating jade plants from a leaf cutting. Step 1: Take your leaf cutting To propagate a jade plant from a leaf cutting, you'll first want to find a healthy leaf on your plant and clip it from the stem. Make sure to use clean and sterile scissors or shears — I like these small pruning shears. It's important to let your leaves dry and let the ends callous over. Once the ends have calloused, apply some rooting hormone to your calloused cut. This will increase the likelihood of your leaf taking root and growing plantlets. Step 2: Let your leaf rest The next step is to lay your leaf onto a flower pot full of potting mix. You'll want to use either succulent soil mix or a mix of half soil and half vermiculite or perlite. Once your leaves are placed, give the potting mix a full watering. As you let your leaf cutting rest on the potting mix, water sparingly. The root growth of jade plants is encouraged by dry conditions. New roots will spread out looking for moisture. I recommend giving your jade leaf cuttings a light misting once a week. Step 3: Repot Plantlets After a few weeks, tiny plantlets will begin to appear at the end of the leaf, where it was cut from the stem. Once the plantlets are 3 to 4 inches tall, you can treat them as normal jade plants and plant them into their own pots. Conclusion If you are careful and patient, your one beautiful jade plant can be turned into many! Follow these steps to propagate jade plants, and you'll have more and more of these beautiful houseplants in your life in no time at all! They're the perfect plant for sharing with family and friends.