Calathea is a popular houseplant known for its beautiful and unique foliage. It’s commonly grown indoors, but with the right care, it can thrive outdoors as well. Propagating Calathea from cuttings is an excellent way to increase your plant collection without spending a lot of money on new plants or seeds. In this blog post, we’ll discuss how to propagate Calathea from cuttings in detail.
What you’ll need
Before starting the propagation process, you will need the following items:
– A healthy mother plant
– Sharp scissors
– Clean potting soil
– A clean container for planting (with drainage holes)
– A plastic bag or clear plastic wrap
Selecting a healthy mother plant
The first step in propagating Calathea from cuttings is selecting a healthy mother plant. Look for mature stems that are at least 6 inches long and have several sets of leaves. Ensure that the stem is free from pests and diseases before taking any cutting.
Taking Cuttings
Use sharp scissors to take several 6-inch long cuttings just below where two leaves meet on the stem. Make sure your scissors are clean to avoid introducing any infections into the new cutting.
Preparing The Cutting For Planting
Once you’ve taken your cuttings, remove all but one or two leaves at the top of each stem using sharp sterilized pruning shears. This helps reduce moisture loss while allowing enough leaf material above ground level for photosynthesis during rooting.
Planting Your Cuttings
Prepare a suitable container by filling it with fresh potting soil up to about an inch below its rim leaving room so watering does not cause spillage; too much water can lead to root rot which will kill off your newly propagated calatheas quickly after they begin growing roots .
Place each cutting in individual containers filled with moist potting soil mixture ensuring that at least half of their length protrude above ground level; this allows for better air circulation around the stem’s cut end, which can help reduce the risk of rot.
Covering Your Cuttings
After planting your Calathea cuttings in their containers, cover each pot with a plastic bag or clear plastic wrap to create a mini-greenhouse effect that helps retain moisture and heat. This will speed up the rooting process, but be sure to remove them regularly from their bags or wraps so they don’t become waterlogged.
Watering Your Cuttings
Calathea plants prefer moist soil conditions; thus, it is essential to keep your cuttings moderately moist throughout the propagation process. Water them when you notice that the top inch of soil has dried out completely. Be careful not to over-water as this can lead to root rot.
Light Requirements during Propagation
While propagating Calathea from cuttings, ensure they get indirect bright light with no direct sunlight as this can cause damage to young plants’ leaves due to dehydration and burning.
Checking For Root Growth Progress
You need patience while waiting for your Calatheas cutting roots growth updates since it takes time for new roots development before you see any visible progress on its above-ground parts such as stems and leaves.
Don’t give up too soon!
Conclusion
Propagating calathea from cuttings is an easy way to expand your plant collection without spending too much money on new plants or seeds. Just remember always use sharp pruning shears when taking cutting from parent plant because dull ones will crush and damage stems making recovery difficult.
This method requires more care than buying already grown plants but also offers satisfaction in watching tiny babies grow into big greenery beauties! Happy propagating!
