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Control Bugs In Potting Soil » Potting Soil For Cuttings

Leaf Cuttings

One of the easiest and cheapest ways to fill your garden with flowers and just one leaf can produce many plants.


The first thing to do is prepare a tray with potting compost in preparation for your leaf cuttings.


One of the easiest plants to grow from a leaf cutting are the begonias. Remove one of the more mature plants which are usually found towards the outside of the plant. It may not be the best looking leaf but that really doesn't matter. The leaf should be removed close to the base of the plant. Once you have your leaf remove the stem as close as possible to where it joins the leaf. A clean and sharp knife should be used for this to prevent rot. To encourage three or four plants from each leaf, make a small cut across each of the main veins on the underside of the leaf near to the area where you cut the leaf from the stem.


Once you have prepared the number of leaves you require, place them onto the prepared tray, right side up. Hold the leaves in contact with the compost using pins to wire. Pins should be placed over a vein in the leaf near to the cut. When you have placed the leaves, water the compost. When growing plants from leaf cuttings it is also better to use a fungicide such as Chestnut Compound.


Place the tray into a propagator or plastic bag. Don't let the compost dry out and keep an eye out for any signs of rot. If rot becomes evident in any of the leaves, remove and discard.


In 3 to 4 months once the cuttings have rooted and plants have developed, lift each the main leaf gently and separate each of the plantlets. Each plantlet should be placed into a pot, approximately 8cm, filled with soil-less compost.


Once the plants are well established plant out in the garden/baskets and enjoy the rewards of this easy method of propagating plants.


Some other plants which are easy to propagate from leaf cuttings include Sedum, Lilies and African Violet.


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