How To Plant Succulent Cuttings

One of the best things about succulent plants, other than their immense beauty, is that they can be propagated successfully by taking cuttings from the plant. This means that you can separate a stem from the main plant and create a whole new plant!

Creating new plants from cuttings is relatively easy to do and can be a fantastic way of growing your collection of succulent plants and also makes it easy to share your new plants with friends and family. Check out our tips and tricks for how to plant succulent cuttings to grow lots of these striking ornamental plants.

Tips for Taking Cuttings From Succulent Plants

There are some essential things to consider when cutting away a piece of a succulent plant. These tips will help ensure a healthy base plant as well as successful cutting propagation.

Size of the Succulent

When considering your cutting, it is crucial to assess your main plant for size and maturity. The more mature a succulent plant is, the more tolerant it will be of having a cutting pruned away. You can take a larger piece of the plant away from a more established plant than you would be able to from a smaller plant. Keep that in mind before you snip.

The Best Time to Plant Succulent Cuttings

Spring and summer are the best times to take cuttings from succulent plants.  This is the time of the year when plants are growing most vigorously.  Taking a cutting at this time gives the mother plant its best chance at recovery and overall health.

Tools and Materials for Succulent Cuttings

• Clean and sharp pruning shears or a sharp knife
• Cactus and succulent soil mix
• Small pots with drainage holes
• A mature succulent plant

How to Take Succulent Cuttings

1. Locate a healthy growth or an offshoot on your succulent plant
2. With your pruning shears, make a quick, clean cut through the base of the desired stem.
3. Remove the severed piece from the mother plant. This is your cutting.
4. Remove lower leaves if present on the succulent branch so that one to two inches of the stem is cleared away above the cut.

Soil Composition and Pot Selection

Prepare your pot with a potting mix specifically formulated for cactus and succulent plants.  The soil should be sandy and well-draining.  Sufficient drainage is crucial to succulent success.

You can choose a small pot to start your cutting.  Be sure that the container has drainage holes and if using a saucer underneath, be sure to empty the water from the saucer after watering.

How to Plant Succulent Cuttings

Follow these easy steps for how to plant succulent cuttings for ultimate success.

1. Place cuttings on a paper towel in a dry area that is void of direct sunlight.
2. Allow succulent cuttings to heal and dry on the cut end for two to three days.
3. Fill a pot with a drainage hole full with a soil mix specifically formulated for cactus and succulent plants.
4. Moisten the soil slightly. You should not water the cutting for three to four weeks.
5. Place the cut end of the cutting one to two inches deep. The soil should support the cutting. If it does not, then plant it a little deeper.
6. Set the pot in a warm spot that receives only indirect sunlight.
7. After about four weeks, when roots have been established, water the new plant and move the pot to an area with full sun.
8. You can check for root development by gently moving the cutting in search of some resistance.
9. Allow soil to dry completely between waterings.

How Long Will it Take My Cutting to get Established?

Now that you have learned how to plant succulent cuttings, you may be wondering how long it will take for them to grow and flourish as independent plants. While it takes cuttings approximately three to four weeks to start to take root in the soil, it can take a couple of months to see new growth from your succulent cutting. With some patience and care, you’ll have new plants that you’ll be proud to say that you propagated successfully from succulent cuttings.

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