What's cuter than a succulent? A baby succulent. And how do you get a baby succulent? You grow one of course! Luckily for you, growing a baby succulent is pretty easy. You don't even need seeds! Succulents have an amazing super power called propagation, which means that a new succulent is able to grow from a part of an old one, like the leaf or stem. This is a fascinating process to watch, and doesn't require much to start. Plus, you end up with more plants, and who wouldn't want that? If you read my last blog post on pruning, and decided to give it a go, you may already have extra succulent leaves lying around. If not, you can take a few from your arrangement or collection. To do this, gently pull of a few of the bottom leaves by twisting them or wiggling them from side to side, like this. Some succulent's leaves are easier to remove than others. For example, sedums like burro's tail or golden glow usually have leaves that are easier to remove. Echeverias, which are flower-shaped succulents like Perle von Nurnberg or the plant in my example video, also have easily removable leaves. It is important that when you remove the leaf, you get the entire thing. The end of the leaf should look smooth, like the top leaf in this picture. If you can, try to choose large leaves because the larger the leaf, the faster the baby plant will grow. Once you have the leaves you want to propagate, it's time to find a place to put them. You can use anything from a small pot to a plastic tub to an ice cube tray. Basically, you're looking for a wide, shallow container that can get wet. When you have your container(s), fill them with soil. For succulents, I normally use a mixture of cactus potting soil and perlite, which makes the soil very well-draining. But, because these dishes are so shallow and baby succulents need more water than adult ones, I'm using just the cactus soil. Normal potting soil would probably be fine as well. Now you can place you leaves. I suggest spacing them out at little, and alternating which direction they are facing. Don't place the leaves with all of their ends grouped together because that is the area that the plant will grow from. If you do this, you'll end up with all of your babies crowded together and a bunch of open space where the original leaves used to be. That said, you can lay them pretty much any way you want. You can even make your propagation a piece of art! After you've laid out all of your leaves, let them sit for a couple of days. If you just removed them, the ends need time to heal before they come in to contact with water. If they get wet before they have had time to heal, the may not propagate. So, DO NOT WATER THEM. If your leaves have already been sitting out for a while, then go ahead and get the soil wet. And now, you wait! Remember to water your leaves about twice a week. You can also mist them with a spray bottle if you like. You should start to see signs of growth in a few weeks. Once the baby plant starts to grow, the leave will begin to shrivel. When this happens, you can removed the leaf. Remember, all succulents grow at a different pace. Some baby plants may start to form right away, while others put down roots first and grow more slowly. In addition, some of your leaves may be duds. But, with patience and care, you will have your very own collection of baby succulents. I wish you luck!
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Common Name: Classic Jade Scientific Name: Crassula ovata Variety: Crassula
Megan’s Thoughts:
I especially like jade’s height, and the way that they look like miniature trees. I often use them to create a landscape scene or sometimes put a tiny house in their branches. I also love how hardy they are! I bought my first jade three years ago, and over the course of the next few months, unwatered it, let it get infested with mealybugs, and badly sunburned it. But it survived! And, when it was fully recovered, I planted it in this beautiful arrangement, which quickly sold. So, if you’re new to succulents, a jade is the plant for you! Like last month’s succulent, 'Golden Glow', there are several different varieties of jade. Here are a few of the more well-known ones. They all share the red-green color scheme, but notice the different shapes of their leaves. |
Megan KamperHi! I am the creator of Thrive Living Art! I love to learn about how to help plants thrive, and then combine that knowledge with my creativity to make living art! On my blog, you'll learn more about taking care of succulents and other plants. You'll also find out what Thrive is up to, and where I'll be selling my art next! Buy your creation in person!Archives
December 2020
Are you struggling to keep your plants alive?Get some advice!
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