To start a plant from a leaf cutting, you'll essentially encourage the leaf to sprout roots and new growth at its cut edges or along its veins. Here's a breakdown of the process:
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Choose a Suitable Leaf: Select a healthy, mature leaf from your plant. Larger leaves often work best.
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Prepare the Leaf: On the underside of the leaf, use a clean, sharp knife or razor blade to make shallow cuts across the major veins. These cuts should be approximately 1-2 inches apart. The goal is to disrupt the vascular tissue, encouraging root formation at these points.
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Prepare the Propagation Medium: Use a well-draining potting mix or a propagation medium like perlite or vermiculite. Moisten the medium thoroughly.
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Place the Leaf on the Medium: Position the underside of the leaf in direct contact with the moistened propagation medium. The cut veins should be facing down.
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Secure the Leaf: To ensure good contact between the leaf and the medium, gently weigh down the leaf. You can use small pebbles, toothpicks, or even a piece of clean plastic wrap secured around the edges of the container.
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Provide Humidity and Light: Cover the leaf and container with a plastic bag or humidity dome to create a humid environment. Place the setup in a location with bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight, which can scorch the leaf.
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Maintain Moisture: Keep the propagation medium consistently moist, but not soggy. Water gently as needed.
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Wait for Rooting and New Growth: Over the next several weeks or months (depending on the plant species), new plantlets should begin to emerge from the cuts made in the leaf veins. Roots will also form.
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Pot Up the New Plants: Once the plantlets have developed a few leaves and a decent root system, carefully separate them from the original leaf and pot them up individually in small pots filled with well-draining potting mix.
This method works best for certain plant species, such as:
- Snake plants (Sansevieria)
- Begonias
- African violets
- Gloxinia
Keep in mind that success rates can vary, and not all plants propagate easily from leaf cuttings.
