Multiplying Plants from Plants

Plants can be made into more plants from pieces of themselves. This is called asexual propagation or cloning. The cloning is not done in a petri dish but the results are the same...new plants identical to the parent plant. This is because there is no exchange of genetic material as with seed production which requires a male and a female (or at least both sexual parts such as found on self fertile flowers). Unless a spontaneous mutation occurs, and it happens though rarely, the plants will be identical in genetic make up.

Cuttings.

Many plants can reproduce by asexual means. This means no parents or seed are involved. Leaf, stem, and root cuttings are a viable means to get plants quicker than from seed. Many plant cuttings will root in a glass of water and then can be potted up to continue growing. African violet leaves, the mint family, and often most green stems (not woody) can be rooted this way. The commercial way of propagating stem cuttings is to root them in a mix of half perlite, half vermiculite, sand, or any other well drained, yet moisture holding, sterile mix.
The vermiculite and perlite is a sterile mix that provides good support for the cutting, moisture, and good aeration…all things needed for root formation. To further encourage rooting, the cut stem ends can be dipped in a powdered rooting hormone. This is a natural hormone called auxin that exists in the plants all ready. It is responsible for making the plants lean toward light and so is found in the stems. It also is responsible for root initiation. Applying the hormone powder, usually has a fungicide in it to discourage rot, encourages the stems to produce roots quicker. If woody stems are being propagated it is almost essential to have some sort of rooting hormone and there are some labeled specifically for woody material. If you would like to stay organic, you can make up a batch of willow water. Willows have a naturally high amount of auxin in the stems. It allows them to drop branches and have them take root on their own. Auxin can be extracted by simmering branches in water for an hour or so and then soaking the cuttings in the cooled liquid for a few hours. After preparing the cuttings by removing leaves (fewer leaves for the stem to support during root formation) and just leaving a few, and the cuttings need a few leaves to make auxin for rooting and sugars for continuing to live, and perhaps dipping it in rooting hormone, make a hole in the media and insert the cutting. Firm the media around the stem so the cutting stays upright on its own. Cover the cuttings in some way either with a plastic lid on a store bought propagation tray, a tent made of a plastic bag and sticks to keep it from touching the cuttings, or a glass jar or drinking glass. This aids in keeping the humidity high so the cuttings do not dry out. Keep the cuttings moist and air out the propagator by lifting the lid for a few minutes a day. I check every day for anything that may be decaying and remove any I find so it doesn’t spread. I check for moisture at this time as well as let the cuttings air out a bit. Keep the cuttings in good light but no sun. The sun can cook the cuttings because there is no way for the heat to escape.

Root cuttings

The roots of many plants can also produce plants from pieces. Horesradish is one example. Comfrey is another. Tiny pieces of root can root and become menace in a few years from the rampant spread. Root cuttings can be handled by planting them half inch or so below the surface of the soil and then kept moist. No rooting hormone is needed.

Rhizomes.

These are another means of vegetative reproduction. Some plants put out vegetative growth that is essentially an underground stem which grows some inches from the plant and then surfaces and becomes a plant of its own. The mint family, skullcap, sweet grass, arnica, and yarrow come to mind as ones that can be propagated this way. Just take the rhizomes from the parent plant and plant them within half inch of the surface.

Division.

Some plants that grow in clumps can be divided. Banana, peace lily, some cacti, and occasionally African violets, and many of the outdoor plants that grow in clumps can be divided. Make sure there are some roots that go with the division. If not, it will need to be rooted like a stem.
Stolons. Strawberries, strawberry begonia, and spider plants reproduce this way. They send out naked stems with a small plant on the end of it. These can be removed and rooted or rooted in another pot set close to the parent and removed when they have taken root.

The really nice thing about asexual propagation is that it is easy to trade pieces of plants to increase a collection without much expense.