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A portion of a stem taken from a
plant
and used to
propagate
a new
clone
of that plant through
rooting.
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| Stem
cuttings
are the most commonly used method of
vegetative propagation. A stem cutting is plant
stem including a tip (e.g.
shoot,
twig,
sucker, ) or a
portion of a stem without the
apex that
includes one or more
nodes removed from a
parent plant
and capable of
rooting; A
stem cutting is used
to grow a
whole new plant, which is also known as
cloning
(because you are creating an exact copy of the
parent
plant, a clone).
The stem sections should be free
of diseases
and pests. Cut
below a node.
For tip cutting remove
foliage
from the bottom half of the stem leaving only few
leaves in the top. When a cutting is made, injured
xylem and
phloem
cells plug the
tubes so
that precious
fluids
are not lost. Usually a
Callus forms
at the cut. Cells near the callus area reorganize to form
adventitious roots.
The cutting
is then placed into
rooting
medium so that the
base of the
cutting is below the surface. Some plants will
reproduce
readily from cuttings while others take a considerable amount of
time and care. Rooting condition may vary considerably in
different
species but in general the best
conditions needed for most kind of cuttings to root comprises
high
humidity,
indirect
light and
soil
temperatures of 20°C to 25° C.
These conditions may be created by keeping cuttings enclosed
under glass or in plastic bags in
dappled
shade. Rooting can take from a few days up to several
months.
Rooting hormones may be used with this method as they helps
to stimulate
rooting.
There are different typology of stem cuttings: |
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Herbaceous cuttings: |
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Are stems or pieces of stems taken from
nonwoody plants, such as perennials and houseplants and rooted in
the normal way. |
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| Softwood
cuttings: |
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Are pieces of new growth taken from
woody stock plants. These cuttings are taken from first-year
branches that have not yet become woody. Flowering shrubs are often
propagated by softwood cuttings. Late spring and early summer are
the best times for success with this method. Make a diagonal cut.
The larger diagonal cut gives more area to develop roots. Keep
cuttings in water before moving them into rooting medium. Make
cuttings 5-30 cm long with no flowers or buds on them. Larger
cuttings produce larger plants sooner. Make cuts slightly below a
leaf node , and root in the
normal way. |
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| Hardwood
cuttings: |
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Are taken from tissue which has become
woody and the plant is dormant. Cuttings can be taken anytime from
late autumn after a
killing frost until late winter. Select healthy
wood that was produced the previous summer. Several cuttings can be
made from the same branch of some shrubs. Make cuts at a slant, 10
to 25 cm long. Basal cuts should be just below a node, while
the upper cut should be slightly above a bud. Mark the most terminal
end of each cutting with a tag. Bury cuttings vertically in moist
vermiculite or sand. Cuttings should not freeze, but must remain
cool. A callus will form on the lower cut end during storage. Callus
formation indicates that cuttings are ready to root. In spring,
remove the cuttings from storage. Plant in a hotbed or other
protected site with morning sun exposure or filtered light. Leave 1
to 2 inches of cutting above ground. Keep cuttings moist until a
root system forms. Transplant the cuttings the following spring
while they are still dormant. |
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Succulent cutting: |
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Growing a cactus and succulents from a
stem cutting is usually very easy! But for successfully results some
particular precautions are needed, above all avoid to make the most
common mistake consisting in planting the cutting before it has
callused, this error is often fatal. |
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How to successfully grow cactus and
succulent cuttings: |
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 CUT:
Chose a healthy stem sections. Make a straight, clean cut with a
sharp knife. Use a saw for larger plants with woody skeletons. The
application of both a rooting hormone as well as fungicide on the
cut surfaces helps prevent infection and accelerate rooting. Cactus
cuttings root most easily when taken during their natural growth
season (usually in warm weather).
DRY & LET CALLUSING: Place the cutting in a cool, dry area
out of direct sunlight until the wound is fully callused over. This
will take a few days for a small cut surface, or week or month for a
large cut surface. Erect stems should be kept erect during this
period, or else turned frequently, to prevent formation of roots
along the side that is on the bottom, and to prevent possible
curvature of the stem. If cuttings stay for a along time out of soil
they start spontaneously producing adventitious roots (see photo)
when roots are visible the cutting can be successfully planted.
PLANT: Plant the calloused cutting into a container with good
drainage holes filled with a well-drained soil mixture just deep
enough to hold it upright. The soil mixture should contain enough
gravel, coarse sand, perlite, or pumice to ensure good drainage.
During cool or humid weather, cactus cuttings should be rooted in an
especially well-drained mixture. Rooting is best accomplished with
some shade to prevent sunburn of the plant. Cuttings in full sun
will require more water and sunburn very easily. For cacti which
crawl along the ground or that have long, thin stems and for
stapeliads, place the cutting lying down on the surface of the soil
mix, directly on top of loose soil. For opuntias, or any other
cactus that branches freely, place the pad or stem in the soil or on
its side, so that new growth will be clean and upright.
WATER: Water immediately after planting and thereafter every
time the planting mix becomes totally dry. Never allow the planting
mix to remain totally dry for more than a few days. Over watering is
the most common problem with growing cactus. Remember, these plants
live in areas which have very little annual rainfall and the main
reason for rooting failure is rot especially in cool or humid months
when soil does not dry out quickly. In cool weather, it may not be
necessary to water the plant after the initial watering until the
weather begins to turn warm. Winter is “dormant” season for cactus.
Do not water unless plant looks noticeably shrivelled.. Water held
by the cactus stems can freeze, killing the entire plant, and will
also cause root rot and fungus problems Keeps cacti dry and cool
during winter is essential. Do not allow water to collect into a
saucer beneath the pot, cactus roots do not like continued exposure
to moisture.
CHECK: Cactus will begin to root in anywhere form 2 to 6
weeks. When roots have established, the plant will then start to
show new growth. Check for roots every two weeks by gently moving
the plant in the soil, using tongs or wearing gloves. If there is
strong resistance, the cutting is rooted. New growth is evidence
that rooting has occurred, but sudden swelling (turgor) of the stem
is better proof that water-absorbing roots are present. As long as
the cutting still contains moisture, and is not diseased, it still
has the potential to eventually make roots, even if it is somewhat
shriveled.
Following these instructions, cactus should do well and last many
years. |
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