How to Propagate Succulents
Propagate your Succulent in 5 Easy Steps
To begin, ensure you have clean hands before propagating. For succulent propagation you will want to work on a clean surface, ensure no chemicals were used to clean previously. You will need a clean surface, dish or area for your succulent buds to callous over on. This will take several days and should be able to be placed in an area where the succulent buds can receive some light. You will need a dish or planter pot filled with soil shortly after your succulent buds callous over, approximately three to four days after you remove the buds from the base. The full process from removing buds to potting your new succulent can take a several weeks to months.
Step-by-Step Succulent Propagation Instructions
Step 1: Remove the succulent bud from base
Gently remove your succulent leaf from your succulent stem, pinching at the attachment to pluck the leaf off the succulent. Hold the stem firmly and wiggle the succulent leaf side-to-side, until you feel it release. The succulent leaf should come off easily, if it does not, use a sharp, sterile knife. If you rip the leaf, leaving the base still attached to the stem, it will not be able to grow roots or a new succulent pup. Be sure to get the entirety of the leaf, cleanly removing it from the succulent's stem.
Step 2: Healing the detached bud
Once you remove the succulent leaf, place the succulent on a clean surface where it can sit for the next couple of days. Allow the leaf to heal in a warm, clean area. This should be an area of your home with bright light. Allow the leaf to sit for four days. This will give the succulent pup enough time to callous over. Callousing over is allowing the open area of the succulent, the area detached the leaf from the base, to heal before it can begin rooting on soil.
Step 3: Growing your bud
When the succulent leaf has calloused over, begin preparing your new planter with soil. Scoop top soil into a small dish or planter pot. Place the succulent leaf on top of the soil to begin propagation. Use a spray bottle to mist the succulent leafs when the soil dries out to keep the succulent leafs moist. This will likely be required daily if your top soil dries out quickly. You will begin seeing roots form from the calloused over area of your succulent bud. Approximately within three weeks you should begin seeing roots sprout. This means it is beginning to grow a new succulent pup. It will take about two months before a propagated succulent is ready to be potted.
Step 4: Remove the mother bud
The mother leaf, the original leaf you propagated from will die off, turning brown. The reason the mother leaf dies off is because the new root has absorbed all of it's nutrients. This is when you know it is time to pot your new succulent babies!
To divide the new succulent's roots from the base of the parent plant, brush away the top soil until roots are visible. Then gently pull them apart while preserving as many roots as possible. If the offsets are still connected to the parent plant by a stem, simply use a clean, sharp knife to cut them apart.
Step 5: Plant your new succulent
Prepare new planters with cacti-succulent soil, wet it, place the succulent roots in a shallow hole. Begin planting your succulent. To do this fill a planter pot with a drainage hole with tiny rocks. Layer on top with cacti-succulent soil, fill your planter to the top. Use your finger or the handle of your shovel to create a hole, where you will place your succulents roots and base. Cover the roots and base with the soil to secure your new propagated succulent in place.
Be patient if you’re just learning to propagate succulents, there is always a bit of a learning curve and patience is key when it comes to propagation! We aim to provide you with the best information possible to be successful, however every individual will have different experiences when propagating and planting. Note that not all buds will propagate. The more often you try and be persistent, patience and practical, the more likely you’ll be successful!