Succulent Propagation: What Your Plants Want You to Know

Tips & Tricks

Nov 30

Did you know propagating succulents can be extremely easy and also look cool as fuck? There are just a few simple guidelines that will massively increase your success and have you growing more plants than you know what to do with.

There are many ways to propagate succulents, from soil, water, sand, and even air (though this usually requires high humidity or fairly frequent mistings).

But the simple steps I lay out below should make any method you choose fun and lazy. And of, course, one of the most important parts will be leaving them the fuck alone.

I Like Them (Leaves) Larger and Older

While it is possible to use stem cutting, I find these to be (generally) more hassle than they are worth unless it is a particularly nice or old stem cutting. To keep the plant upright with no root system I have to bury the stem deeper than I want. Also, any small bump usually knocks these top-heavy plants over leading to constant disruption of the fragile new roots. Feel free to experiment with what works for you but if you can’t be fucked then just use big leaves!

2. Pull it From the Base

It increases your odds of success to get as much of the leaf as possible. You want to separate it from the mother plant as close to the mother plant as you can. Half-leaves often have a harder time and some won’t root at all.

3. Let it Callous a.k.a. Leave it the Fuck Alone

This is a crucial step. It helps prevent rot and increases the chances of success. As the name implies, it’s as simple as finding a shady spot that receives a bit of light and then just leaving them the fuck alone.

4. DON’T Put the Tip In!

No matter what media you use to grow your propagation, don’t bury your calloused ends. I mean, you can, but it generally leads to more rot and few successful propagations. This is especially true if you are propagating in water. Putting the tip in water will almost certainly lead to a wilted and rotted prop.

5. Dry isn’t ALWAYS a BAD Thing

Remember that these are succulents. We often want to do stuff to help our plants, but one of the best things we can do is observe rather than act. Water sparingly, slowly increase the light up to full strength, and Leave them The Fuck Alone.