I've propagated nearly every houseplant I own – and this is how I speed up the process

My home looks more and more like an indoor jungle as the weeks go on, and it's all thanks to propagation. I love being able to multiply my already-sizable houseplant collection and having gone through trial and error with houseplant propagation means I now grow new plants regularly.

to avoid. Familiarizing myself with these mistakes has actually led me to discover how to make houseplant propagation more effective.

Each houseplant cutting will take a different amount of time to develop roots, but there are some general rules to follow to speed up the process. Whether you're attempting to propagate a succulent or an indoor tree, the tips below can help you speed up houseplant propagation.

5 ways to speed up houseplant propagation

There are two ways to grow houseplants from cuttings: in water and in soil. While it's true specific plants will propagate better with one or the other, generally speaking both methods work well and require the same environment in order for roots to develop. Here are five ways you can speed up houseplant propagation, with expert tips.

1. Place your propagations in a greenhouse

provide the perfect environment for this, retaining humidity and letting lots of light in.

, indoor plant expert at Healthy Houseplants.

? Using jars and plastic containers can be an effective way to create a greenhouse-like environment.

.

It's worth noting greenhouses work best for soil propagation because water may evaporate more quickly in this environment, resulting in you having to top up your water propagation more often.

2. Install a grow light

. This is especially useful when propagating houseplants during fall or winter, where the amount of natural light has been limited.

'Lighting can sometimes assist in propagation. It doesn’t necessarily help with root growth, but it will keep the mother plant healthy while roots form,' notes Julie.

is important, as you don't want to waste electricity if the light isn't going to be effective. Use it to boost light levels for your cuttings, but also make sure to turn it off for an essential period of darkness that gives plants rest from photosynthesis.

, to boost growth even further.

3. Choose a sunny windowsill

It's taken a bit of time to figure out the best place to propagate houseplants in my home, but, unsurprisingly, a sunny windowsill is the ideal spot. This provides cuttings with plenty of light and warmth to encourage root development.

to dapple the sunlight.

Nevertheless, if you don't have a particularly sunny windowsill in your home, using a grow light can help, as mentioned above.

4. Dip cuttings in a rooting hormone

. This is a substance with chemicals and nutrients that replicate the root-growing hormones in the plant.

'Rooting hormone contains plant auxins, which are plant growth hormones that initiate and control plant growth,' explains Julie.

It's as simple as taking the end of your houseplant cutting and dipping it into the rooting hormone. Take care to ensure it has an even coating and covers the bottom leaf node before placing the cutting in soil.

Be aware using rooting hormone for a water propagation is unlikely to be effective. This is because the rooting hormone can be washed away in the water.

.

5. Use pothos cuttings as a rooting hormone

If you have opted for water propagation but are still keen to use something like a rooting hormone to speed up the process, try popping a pothos cutting in with your other cutting.

'Pothos can be used as a natural rooting hormone, as this plant species has a high amount of auxins and cytokinin,' explains Julie.

to plant up.

can help display your cuttings neatly and in a beautiful way.

FAQs

Can I fertilize houseplant cuttings?

indicate which nutrient plant food is high in. However, it's not wise to use plant fertilizer on houseplant cuttings that have not yet developed roots. This is because it can oversaturate the soil and cause the cutting to rot. Having said that, once the cutting has developed roots and shows signs of new growth, using fertilizer moderately can help boost nutrients and encourage more growth. Opt for a fertilizer with a higher phosphorus number for strong root development to help your young plant to establish well.

and results in a build-up of dirt and debris, which can attract pests and diseases. If you take care to change out the water and apply the above methods, you'll see your cuttings develop roots within weeks.