What’s better than a succulent plant? First of all, having five succulent plants is better. Secondly, we can all agree having ten cute baby succulent plants to watch grow up is even better.
Now that we’re all on the same page, let’s turn our single succulent plant into many baby plants!
Easy Succulents to Propagate:
- Jade Plant
- Kalanchoe (Panda Plant
, Mother of a Thousand
, Flapjacks
)
- Aloe
- Echeveria
- Sedum (Jelly Bean Plant
, Donkey Tail
)
, 
, 
)
, 
)
Materials
- Succulent Plant
- Cactus and Succulent Planting Mix
- Containers
Directions
Day 1
Carefully pluck a leaf right against the stem (this is called “leaf cutting”) or cut 3-6 inches of the tip of a stem (“stem cutting”). You may also use a leaf that falls from the stem, rather than tossing it.
Bonus: Sometimes plucking a stem from a plant will encourage new shoots on the original, mother plant. That’s what happened with this panda plant after my cat knocked if from a high shelf and half the leaves instantly dropped on the floor. The practically naked stem started to fill in with new leaves!
Day 1 through 5
Lay the leaf or leaves on a counter, tray or shelf that’s away from direct sunlight for five days. Setting the leaves in the open air gives the wound time to heal and form a callus.
Tamawi’s Tip: I’ve waited up to two weeks before doing the next step. Don’t worry if something comes up on “day 5” and you don’t have time for the next step immediately.
Day 6
Fill a container with succulent and cactus planting mix. Succulents need a loose soil that water drains through quickly. Give your baby plants their best chance at a healthy, long life without rot.
- If you have a leaf cutting, then lay it on the soil surface and just barely cover the leaf end with soil. The roots will shoot out and know what to do.
- If you have a stem cutting, rather than a leaf, then make a hole as deep as the stem and bury it, so the first set of leaves is just above the soil surface.
Water the soil but avoid wetting the leaves and stems. Keep a close eye on the soil moisture and give a little bit of water whenever the soil surface is dry to the touch. The first few weeks of watering and care are the most critical, but remember that succulents store water well and the soil should be allowed to dry slightly in between watering.
Day 7+
Once the roots sprout, then you can safely back off watering frequently and monitoring quite as closely. Your new plants will be low maintenance again in no time!
Don’t be afraid to try starting your own new succulents. Once you’ve gotten the hang of how to care for your mother plant, then you’ll have all the skills you need to grow a new baby plant. It’s like having an ant farm or sea monkeys, except they can’t escape from their container and you can leave town for a week without worry.
Are you ready to try it? Do you love succulents and sea monkeys as much as I do? Tell us about it in the comments!