Avoid these mistakes when propagating succulents and make sure you always successfully clone them to add to your collection. If you already have beautiful succulents and are looking forward to propagating them soon, make sure you don’t make these common mistakes when propagating succulents.
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Common mistakes when propagating succulents
Here is a list of 8 common mistakes when propagating succulents that you should and can avoid for a successful grow.
1. Water immediately after planting
When propagating succulents from leaves or cuttings, do not water them at planting time.
Just mist them lightly with a spray bottle once you’ve planted them in the growing medium and keep them in an area that gets plenty of bright but indirect light.
Spray again only when the growing medium is dry to the touch. This will ensure they stay dry and free from rot and fungus issues.
2. Choosing the wrong blade
For better propagation, it is important that you choose a healthy mother plant whose leaf you will use to grow a new one.
Water the plant 2-3 days before cutting the leaf for propagation.
Healthy succulents cannot be expected from broken or damaged leaves. Always choose a healthy, oily and large leaf for propagation. Do not take leaves that look dry or appear wilted.
The small leaves don’t carry much water or nutrients to support new plants.
It will be a good idea to propagate 3-5 leaves and cuttings in a pot to increase the chances of success. If one leaf/cutting does not root, the others will.
Also keep in mind that not all succulents do well with leaves. Aeonium and Sempervivum do not do well when grown from leaves and do best when grown from cuttings.
Echeveria and Sedum are the best succulents to propagate from leaves.
3. Remove puppies too early
When hatchlings appear, do not remove them immediately. Give them time to grow and develop. This will increase the chances of successful propagation when you plant them in a new pot.
Wait 4-5 weeks before removing them to replant them in a new pot.
4. Don’t wait for cuttings and calloused leaves
Some gardeners make the mistake of repotting cuttings and succulent leaves immediately after taking them. Avoid doing so at all costs. Always let the cuttings and leaves rest for 2-4 days so that a callus forms in the cut area.
If you go and plant them without this happening, you will increase the chances of them rotting, eliminating the chances of successful propagation.
5. Not exposing yourself to the right amount of light
After propagation, it is essential that succulents receive indirect light. People often keep them in a dark, shady place, which helps reduce the chance of spread.
The ideal is that the cuttings receive sunlight but indirectly, if it receives a little direct sun nothing happens, not because you leave them for a long time.
Leave the cuttings where they will receive indirect light until you see new growth on the plant.
6. Not using the right propagation medium
To ensure the best propagation for your succulents, it is essential to avoid planting them in normal garden soil.
Pure coco peat or peat moss are the best mediums to start these plants using cuttings or leaves.
You can also opt for a commercially available cactus or succulent mix.
Whatever growing medium you choose, make sure it is not too nutrient dense.
If you can’t get the above, you can make your own homemade blend. Use equal parts river sand and regular garden soil.
7. Wrong pot size
Do not use a container that is too large and too deep to propagate succulents. The container should be shallow with drainage holes.
Using trays, saucers, polystyrene or plastic boxes is a good option as long as they have a hole in the bottom to let excess water out.
This will keep the growing medium dry and not too wet all the time, which could attract root rot and fungal issues.
8. Expose the cuttings to the weather
Exposing growing plants to direct sunlight, rain, and frequent or sudden fluctuations in temperature can kill it instantly.
You may also want to read: 7 Common Mistakes When Growing Succulents You Should Avoid
When propagating succulents, make sure they stay in a location that receives indirect light, a temperature above 10 degrees C, and wind is not an issue.
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