If you haven’t gotten into propagation yet, you’re seriously missing out on one of the best parts of being a succulent parent! Not only does propagation mean more succulents, but it’s SO rewarding when you see that first tiny rosette. While there’s a bunch of different propagation methods to choose from, there are some constants that you’ll always need to start with.
Those leaves that shriveled up and fell off the bottom of your plant are not going to work for propagation. You want the leaves you take off the mother plant to be healthy. This means they’re firm, well hydrated, and free from any cuts or pest damage. Same goes for an offshoot. If it’s limp or rubbery, give your plant a good soak and time to firm up before cutting.
Now that you’ve got a healthy leaf, you want to gently twist and pull it away from the stem. Twisting will encourage the leaf to cleanly break off the stem. If the break isn’t clean, the plant will have a harder time callusing, which brings us to our next point.
A callus appears as a hard, dry layer across the fleshy area where your leaf or offshoot detached from the mother plant. Simply leave the leaf or cutting sitting out somewhere for 1-3 days and do NOT spray it with water during this time.
Whether you’re laying a bunch of leaves across soil, or setting them on the lip of a glass jar, your propagation station needs to be somewhere it can get bright, indirect sunlight. They’re still living plants after all!
Propagation isn’t always successful, even if you’re doing everything right. Use a handful of leaves, rather than just one or two, to increase your odds of SUCCess!
Now that you’ve got the basics, you’re ready to set out on your journey to propagation pro. Good luck!