Propagation Of Cacti And Succulents By Cuttings

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Many amateur flower growers grow cacti, do not miss the opportunity to take a copy from friends, buy in stores. Green "thorns" look very attractive, cacti can charm no less than ordinary flowers. How can you independently propagate a cactus or other succulent plant at home?

Most cacti have many daughter plants, like Mamillaria, Echinopsis, so there will be no particular difficulties with their reproduction. But there are varieties that do not form lateral shoots. These specimens are rare and especially desirable for flower lovers. In this regard, they have to be propagated by cuttings. Of course, it is very tempting and joyful to grow a new rare specimen. By propagating such a cactus, you will get both a rooted stalk and a stump on which offspring are formed. Over time, they can be used as cuttings. This method will not work if the plant has a single stem.

Sometimes cuttings have to be done involuntarily, when the cactus has rotted, and this is the only option (except for picking) to save the plant.

Cuttings should be done in spring or early summer. July is not a good month for propagating cacti because the roots of the new cactus will not develop and the plant will be poorly prepared for winter. Prepare a sharpened scalpel or grafting knife before grafting. Disinfect the blade with alcohol or heat it on a fire before each cut. Cut off the stalk quickly, one movement is enough, strictly perpendicular to the axis of the cactus, while trying not to touch the ring of conductive bundles from where the roots should grow, otherwise the middle will dry out inward, and the roots will begin to form along the edge of the stump. It is recommended to sharpen the stem of a cut cutting as a pointed peg, except for prickly pears.

After the procedure, sprinkle the cut with crushed charcoal or sulfur. Then dry the cutting. Specify the timing of drying, based on the variety of your cactus. At the site of the cut, a special tissue is formed in the plant, which is called callus, which in Latin means corn, this tissue promotes healing. In the process of drying the cuttings, a thin layer of callus is formed. Subsequently, the layer will become thick, dense, like a cork, which will create an obstacle for the development of young roots.

It is best to dry small and thin cuttings for 2 - 3 days, large - 5 - 7 days, preferably in an upright position. Such drying will prevent the formation of lateral roots of the cactus. To do this, you can take an empty clay pot, place the cuttings there and remove the container in a dry, warm place. Cuttings dried in this way are ready for rooting.

Rooting can be done in various ways. For dry rooting, place the cuttings on dry sand and do not water, just spray from time to time. Decay is rare with this option, but the roots are formed very slowly. In soil or water, roots form faster, but cuttings often rot. Root the cuttings in a container with damp sand covered with a thin layer of gravel, rinse and steam both substrates well beforehand. It is important that the soil of the mixture is loose. Small stones are needed so that the cactus does not accidentally fall as it grows. Instead of gravel, you can put a circle made of plastic with holes of different diameters and place it under the sand to a depth of 5 mm. After rooting the stalk, move the container to the window, but make sure that the place is not sunny. Moisten the sand in the pot regularly.

With this method, the roots are formed after 1 - 2 weeks, and after a month, the cuttings can be transplanted into the main soil.

When saving a rotten cactus, remove the rotten stem area. Cut off the rotten part so that not a single brown or red speck is visible. Carry out further rooting in the way described in the article.

If even after such measures the stalk is very small, then only grafting can save the plant.