Propagating Plants from Cuttings

A medical practitioner with more than three decades of experience, Dr. David Heimbinder is an anesthesiologist with NAPA at the Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire. With a passion for gardening, Dr. David Heimbinder is knowledgeable about growing techniques such as propagating plants using cuttings.

The process begins with selection of a healthy, disease-free parent plant with abundant foliage. The best stems are those that are green and not woody, which is newer growth. The stem should have a bump, or node, on it, which is a point where flower buds or leaves attach. In the ground, this will be the spot at which new roots emerge.

A clean cut should be made right below a node with a blade sterilized with alcohol. The cutting should be long enough to span at least two leaves. Keep in mind that cuttings beyond about six inches have a tendency to dry out in the growing medium. Before placing the stem cutting in a soilless potting mix, remove all except one or two leaves. This refocuses plant energy toward root creation, while allowing some leaf growth that will enable photosynthesis to occur.