How to Propagate Succulents? 3 Methods

In just a few years, succulents have become a favorite among gardening enthusiasts for many reasons. One of them is undoubtedly the incredible ease with which they can be propagated.

It’s a simple way to replicate a plant you love or even to repurpose a stem that’s broken due to an accident. Because that’s one of the great things about succulents: you need very little to enjoy them in as many pots or spaces as you like.

Propagating succulents is, by definition, multiplying a plant . It’s an ideal gardening task if we want to give away some of our specimens, for example. But that’s not the only reason to consider it.

It’s the perfect technique for decorating a rock garden with them or, for example, for creating a vertical garden using pallets . We each have our own goal. What’s truly important is knowing how to do it correctly.

And no, there isn’t just one way to propagate succulents . In fact, we can do it in several different ways. And they all have one thing in common: how incredibly easy it is.

3 WAYS TO PROPAGATE SUCCULENTS

You don’t need to be a gardening expert to successfully propagate succulents. In fact, you simply need to follow the easy instructions for each method. And yes, you will need patience.

Whether propagated from leaves or cuttings, succulents take time to develop the roots necessary for planting. Therefore, this process isn’t suitable for impatient people or those looking for quick results.

However, before you start propagating succulents, it’s important to know a few things. Even if you follow the instructions precisely, the success rate is very high, but you can still experience losses.

In other words, some of the potential seedlings might not take root. Therefore, when you begin propagating them, it’s ideal to start with a good number of plants to multiply. This way, even if some don’t thrive, you’ll still have plenty to plant.

Before we look at the three different ways to propagate succulents, it’s important to know what you’ll need. This is a gardening task that requires very few materials. So few, in fact, that all you’ll need is a potting mix for cacti and succulents and a container, the type of which will vary depending on the method.

With that in mind, let’s look at the three methods we can use to propagate succulents. Each has its own particularities, but all are equally simple.

1. Propagate succulents through leaves

It’s one of the most common ways to propagate succulents. But be warned: it’s also one of the methods with the highest mortality rate. It’s usually the perfect way for sedums, crassulas, and other leafy succulents.

The upside: each one will grow into a new plant. This technique is perfect for leaves that have fallen off the parent plant due to a bump, but also for those we remove intentionally. To do it properly, the ideal is to gently twist the leaf from where it joins the stem so that it detaches.

To ensure success, it’s important to choose the leaves carefully. Their condition will determine whether they have the strength and resources necessary to multiply. To propagate succulents through their leaves, never use:

• Those that are damaged or have a bad color
• Wrinkled leaves
• Those that are infested with insects
• Leaves that have not detached properly from the stem

Steps to propagate succulents with leaves

Once the candidate sheets have been selected, the process is simple:

1. Let the leaves dry for two or three days. This will allow the cut to heal. Ideally, place the plant in a shady spot. And no, don’t water it during this time.
2. Once the wound is dry, place the leaves on the cactus and succulent potting mix. This means literally resting the leaf on the potting mix, ensuring the cut end doesn’t touch the soil. To encourage faster growth, it’s recommended to use a propagation tray or a greenhouse.
3. Every two days, mist the dormant leaves with water. Don’t overdo it: just moisten them. Proper watering of succulents is often a challenge in their cultivation. And, in the case of our potential little plants, simply misting them with water is sufficient. Continue watering like this every day and a half or two days for four weeks to a month, always avoiding over-wetting the substrate.
   Propagating succulents in a propagator accelerates the rooting process.

After that time, you’ll see new little plants forming at the base of the leaf . Again, you’ll have to wait a little while. When they’re fully formed, it’s time to plant them in potting mix. And don’t worry if you see the original leaf starting to wilt. It’s simply giving up its energy to the new plants.

2. Propagate succulents by division

One of the most common methods, which again requires patience, is the ideal technique when we see that our original plant has offshoots— the common name for those small plants identical to the original that sprout around it.

To propagate succulents using this technique, we’ll have to let the offshoots grow until they reach a good size. Only then can we guarantee that, planted in new substrate, they will thrive.

How to propagate succulents by division

1. We removed the original succulent and its pups from the pot. Often, removing them from the parent plant is as simple as gently twisting them. However, in many other cases, the roots may be tangled, so we need to take our time separating the pups. And don’t rush: this task must be done patiently to avoid damaging the roots.
2. With the plants separated, we planted them in a cactus and succulent potting mix. It’s also a good idea to use one of the types of potting mixes that aid drainage: perlite.
3. For one month, we will water our new plants with a spray bottle every day and a half, moistening the substrate.

After that time, we will have new, strong, and healthy succulents that we will water as normal.

3. Propagate succulents by stem cuttings

We’ve arrived at the ideal technique for propagating succulents with stems. And, on this occasion, we have two ways to do it: directly in substrate or in water. Let’s look at the specifics of each.

How to propagate succulents from cuttings in substrate

The fastest way to propagate succulents, as it will be practically like having a new plant in a short time.

1. We cut a stem between 10 and 15 centimeters long from the succulent we want to propagate. We remove the lower leaves, which will be the ones we later plant in soil.
2. We let the cut heal for a week.
3. After that time, we planted them in a substrate for cacti and succulents.
4. If the wound has healed properly, you can water normally. If you haven’t allowed it to heal for that long, wait 15 days before watering.

Steps to propagate succulents from cuttings in water

This method can also be used to propagate succulents with leaves. If we choose this technique, we will need to find a small container, such as a jar lid, and submerge only a small part of its base.

If we want to propagate succulents from a plant cutting in water, the steps are different. However, just as when propagating succulents in soil, we will need to choose a good-sized stem and let it callous over for a week.

1. We look for a container with sufficient depth, such as a glass or jar. With the lower leaves removed, we place our succulent on the rim and add water until the base of the stem is slightly above the surface.
2. We placed our succulent in a window where it would receive light.

It’s probably the fastest way to propagate these plants. And also the most decorative. Because once the roots grow, the big dilemma is whether to enjoy the view of them in glass or deprive ourselves of it by planting them in potting mix.

Have you used any of these techniques to propagate succulents? Tell us about it!