How to Propagate Succulents
It’s officially freezing out and for me, that means the end of my outdoor garden. Just writing those words makes me sad but, as depressing as this is, it allows for other opportunities in the form of indoor gardening. So I’ll be spending my winter under my grow lights, cultivating microgreens, herbs, and succulents. Today specifically, I’m going to show you how to propagate succulents in just a few easy steps. So follow along and let’s get propagating!
Legalities of Succulent Propagation
Believe it or not, there are a lot of legal implications when it comes to propagating succulents. Just like books and movies, several hybrid species of succulents (and other plants) are subject to copyright laws and are the legal property of those who created them. Unless you know for sure that there is no copyright on a particular species of succulent, it’s best to err on the side of caution.
As long as you don’t plan on selling your propagated plants though, then just go for it and have some fun learning how to propagate succulents!
Create a Good Succulent Mix
You’ll only need a few supplies to get started with your succulent propagation. For soil, you can buy succulent mix or you can make your own like I did. To make your own succulent mix, you’ll need:
-Gardening Soil
-Peat Moss or Coco Coir
-Construction Sand
You’ll create a 1:1:1 mix of these ingredients as I’ve done below. How much you use of each really depends on how many succulent leaves you’ll try to propagate, so just use your judgement.
Which Succulent Should You Use?
I’m gonna let you in on a little secret…I’m not an expert on the different types of succulents! I know the basics, like being able to identify an Echeveria from an Aloe, but beyond that I would need to consult google.
For this article, I’m going to propagate some sort of Echeveria (and maybe a Jade?). I bought both of these succulents from the plant section of my local over-priced, Amazon-owned grocery store for just a few bucks each.
Harvest & Cure Your Succulent Leaves
To increase the chances of a successful succulent propagation, it’s important to properly harvest and prepare your leaves. You’ll want to harvest the more mature, outer leaves of the succulent because they have the highest totipotency (ability to grow new plant tissue and propagate), and are easiest to handle without damaging other leaves.
You’ll want to grab the leaf right at the base, and carefully work it side to side until it cleanly separates from the stem. Once you’ve done this with a few of the leaves, it’s time to cure them.
The base of the leaf will have exposed flesh where it was attached to the stem. It’s important to allow this area to dry out and callous over. To do this, just lay them out in a warm, dry, place for two to three weeks. It you plant the leaves without giving them a chance to callous over, they will probably rot and die.
Planting Your Succulent Leaves
Once the base of your leaves are calloused over, they are ready to plant. I left some of the leaves out for over a month and when I checked on them they were already growing roots!
You can really use any container you want, but I used recycled yogurt cups to transplant my leaves. They are the perfect size for a single leaf, and I always jump at the chance to recycle something! Since succulents don’t require much water, I didn’t even bother drilling a drainage hole in the bottom.
Fill each container with your succulent mix, and then lay the leaf on it’s side so the base is gently pressed into the soil. If your leaves already have root development, make a small hole in the center of the soil mix and place the roots inside, gently filling in soil around them until they are hidden just beneath the surface.
Succulent Maintenance
The only thing left to do is give them a good watering so they are thoroughly moist (but not soaked), and place them somewhere warm, sunny, and dry. A windowsill would work fine, or you can place them under grow lights like I’ve done.
Succulents prefer a drier environment, so don’t over-water them. A moderate soak every 1-2 weeks should be plenty. Too much water may lead to root-rot.
5-Month Succulent Propagation Update
I started this project in early June, so after five months, I’m really happy with how everything is growing so far. Let’s take a look!
Conclusion
Propagating succulents is a fun and easy project that will hopefully distract you from the cold winter blues that keeps you out of the garden. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different plants and soil mixtures, because you may discover something that works even better than what I’ve outlined! If you decide to learn how to propagate succulents, I’d love to see how it turns out for you, so make sure to reach out in the comments below, via email, or even on Instagram!
Happy Succulent Propagation!
Cody
Thistle Downs Farm
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