For houseplant lovers, a new plant may be as close as the one already growing on the windowsill.
Wood County Master Gardener Lynette Walker showed local gardeners how to turn existing houseplants into new ones during the Master Gardeners’ monthly Lunch and Learn program Thursday, Aug. 27.
“We love free,” Diane Schrage said while introducing Walker, a four-year Wood County Master Gardener and certified entomologist.
Walker focused on two ways to propagate houseplants: rooting cuttings in water and using sphagnum moss.
Propagation is the process of creating new plants from plants a gardener already has. Besides saving money, it can be used to make more of a favorite plant or preserve one with desirable traits, such as variegated leaves.
The first step is starting with a healthy plant.
Walker held up a golden pothos as an example. A plant that has become long, sparse or stressed may still produce a successful cutting, but starting with a healthy parent plant gives gardeners better odds.
“You want to start with healthy parent material,” Walker said.
Pothos, philodendrons, spider plants, snake plants, dracaenas, and Christmas cacti are among the plants that can be propagated in water, though some take longer to develop roots.
For many plants, the key is finding a node, the point on the stem where leaves grow and roots can develop.
Walker demonstrated making a cut below a node, removing the lower leaves and placing the node beneath the water.
“You don’t generally want more than two or three leaves on the plant that you’re propagating because it doesn’t have any roots,” Walker said.
Walker recommended placing cuttings in clean water and bright, indirect light and changing the water about once a week. She adds a small amount of liquid plant fertilizer and sometimes a few pieces of horticultural charcoal to the water.
She cautioned that horticultural charcoal is not the same as charcoal briquettes used for grilling.
Asked whether she uses filtered or distilled water, Walker said she keeps things simple.
“I’m very no fuss, no frills, so this is just all done in tap water,” she said.
Walker also urged gardeners to be patient. Before moving a cutting into soil, she likes to see secondary roots, the smaller roots that branch from the first roots.
“I generally don’t give up on a prop until it rots. I’m not a quitter” Walker said.
Brown, mushy roots can indicate root rot, while algae may be a sign of too much light or a container that needs cleaning. Cuttings may also fail to root if they lack a node, receive too little light or are exposed to fluctuating temperatures.
For plants that do not root well in water, Walker often uses sphagnum moss.
The moss holds moisture while allowing air around developing roots. Walker said she has had particularly good results propagating Hoyas this way.
Compressed sphagnum moss must first be soaked and then squeezed until it is damp but not soggy. Walker places the moss and cuttings in a reusable plastic container with a lid to maintain humidity.
Walker advised gardeners to soak the moss in a separate container rather than the sink because loose pieces can cause plumbing problems.
Once a cutting has rooted and is ready for soil, Walker said the moss should be gently removed from the delicate new roots. Moss left around the roots can hold too much moisture after the plant is potted.
Whether using water or moss, Walker said gardeners should pay attention to light, temperature, humidity and airflow. Because houseplants are grown outside their natural environment, gardeners should try to provide conditions that suit them.
Walker also encouraged the audience to experiment rather than worry about getting every step perfect.
When one attendee asked about trying another natural material in place of sphagnum moss, Walker’s advice was simple.
“Give it a shot. All you’ve lost is just one little piece of plant. If it doesn’t work, then we know,” Walker said.
The program ended with door prizes, including propagated plants Walker brought for attendees.
The Master Gardeners’ September Lunch and Learn program will focus on native plants suited to East Texas growing conditions. The Lunch and Learn program is held the fourth Thursday of each month at the First Assembly of God Annex building in Quitman from noon to 1 p.m.