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Learn to Propagate Cactus From Cutting And More
You may have seen and asked about how to propagate cactus from cutting one or more pieces. Well, wonder no more. This blog post will teach how cacti nurseries often have plenty of these succulents fast. With the technique, you won’t have to say goodbye and have more of your favorite plants. Besides, the cactus propagation is easy and often only involves a sharp tool, water, and a sunny area. It is even unlikely to mess up with such a simple process. So anyone at all who is willing to learn it can breed cacti with ease.
In general, a cactus is a low-maintenance plant. Yet, though this may be the case, it can die of pests, disease, and unfavorable habitats. Thus it makes sense to propagate. Included in this blog entry are tips on how to do it.
Read on to find out how to propagate a cactus with this approach. Good luck!
How To Propagate Cactus From Cutting, Our Way
There are many ways to produce more cacti. Different kinds multiply through sexual and asexual means. With the cutting method, asexual reproduction happens. New vegetation grows from a part of a parent plant. This is quite convenient as it gives room for plenty of new cacti to grow. Many even say that it’s the easiest method for propagation. Thus it pays to learn this technique if you are a cactus owner.
This is ideal for cacti without pads and offshoots. It helps to do this so that a cactus doesn’t get way higher than you want it to be.
Preparation
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Prepare the necessary materials first. For this propagation method, you need an excellent cutting tool. It has to be clean, so get rid of dirt and debris on it and try to disinfect it. A washed and polished sharp knife will do. Also, have a pair of gloves. Covering your hands allows you to touch a cactus without getting injured.
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Buy a pot with drainage holes ready for relocating your stem cuttings. You can get more than one if you’re going to cut a tall cactus into pieces. With it, you need a potting mix to propagate cactus from cutting too.
Steps
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Set your cactus somewhere to cut it. Make it so that the stem cutting has to be about 4 to 6 inches long. This length ensures cuttings root well and avoids being slender and stressed.
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After the cut, find a place where you could keep the cutting dry and make it form a soft tissue to cover its wound. Callus formation often takes 2 to 3 days.
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It’s only after the stem cutting turned dry and scabbed over that it is ready to put in a pot. Use the plant container that you bought to hold it and the potting mix. (Unlike soil, the mix often does not have pathogens and is safe for cacti. Many usually include perlite and peat moss. The whole thing is for root moisture and nutrition.)
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Burry one-third or half of the stem cutting in the potting mix in the container. Place it in a warm area and don’t water it for 1 to 2 more days. Put in topsoil and water it when it’s dry to touch.
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When the roots develop, do deep watering. Leave it to grow on its own. This is an important step when you propagate cactus from cutting. Watering too many times causes the roots to rot and the whole plant to die.
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Usually, after four to six weeks or months, the stem cutting will have then turned into a new cactus plant.
Optional Step
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Use rooting hormone particles onto the cut base by dipping the stem cutting in the powder. This will enhance the development of the cactus cutting roots.
Where Is This Applicable?
Many succulents allow for stem cutting propagation. Examples of these are the Schlumbergera or Christmas Cactus. This one is a perennial plant that has exotic blooms in red, pink, purple, white, orange, and yellow hues. Another one is the Opuntia or Pear Cactus which has green, level, and wide pads. This approach does not only lead to having more cacti. After all, there are many reasons why people create stem cuttings.
This method can apply to plants infested with pests. Succulents with plenty of water attract things like scales and mealy bugs. Cacti can also get diseases from fungi and other pathogens. Removing infested and infected sections can keep cacti species. It beats leaving an entire plant to rot and die. Thus it is important to know how to propagate a cactus from cutting.
Other Ways Propagate Cactus From Cutting
Some people do not propagate cactus from cutting. That’s because there are other means to breed cactus plants. Bear in mind that certain species of cacti need other measures for propagation. In a nutshell, some people cut cacti pups or branching pads off of a parent plant. Others try sexual reproduction. Offshoot and pad propagation work in the same way as using stem cuttings. They involve the removal and drying of parts of a cactus plant. Sexual reproduction involves pollinating cacti flowers and having seeds. To have plenty, growers or hobbyists work on germinating seeds. Thus different options are available for breeding this succulent.
Many find out how to propagate a cactus from a cutting since it is convenient in many ways. Compared to other means to generate new cacti, using cuttings is cheaper. Plus, the process doesn’t take a lot of time and produces new plants fast. This means that you don’t get the feeling of starting from scratch, as compared to planting seeds.
Why People Choose Cactus?
It makes a lot of sense why folks propagate cactus from cutting due to reasons that are too many to mention. In most cases, cacti are beneficial vegetations. They are great when it comes to home design, breeding, and improving the surroundings. There are certain things about how they look and behave as plants that make them worth taking care of. In this way, it comes as no surprise why many even hand them over as presents to family and friends.
Appearance
These succulents are often distinctive compared to other plants due to their design. Given that they are succulent plants, cacti store plenty of water. They look fleshy and are low-maintenance vegetation. They do need humidity but can do well indoors and outdoors. Besides, with the way they look, they make interesting home adornments. In most cases, they have spines while some produce blossoms. Animals cannot get to them with ease and they add colors to wherever they are at. Thus, with the way cacti are, they make excellent additions for aesthetic reasons.
Health
Many propagate cactus from cutting due to their other helpful attributes. Like other plants, they also absorb carbon dioxide and pump out oxygen. So they purify the air in that way. Still, they do more than get rid of other toxins in the air. People discovered that cacti also absorb electromagnetic radiation. With cacti, you have only a few of these that have negative effects on the chemicals and tissues of your body. Thus it’s reasonable to have them around.
In Conclusion
Because it’s easy to propagate cactus from cutting, cacti can be your houseplants. They need less watering and can do well with full or partial shades. Plus, when they get sick, cutting parts of them can keep their species alive. In knowing how to propagate a cactus by stem cutting, it’s also possible to breed plenty of cacti. So it’s the kind of plant that is very convenient to have around.
They are aesthetic and low-maintenance plants with their captivating and practical features. They are often plump and come with spines, with certain kinds bearing flowers and fruits. In most cases, cacti can tolerate drought and can manage various weather conditions. So why not get a few of them inside of your house or as a part of your garden?
Have you tried to propagate cactus from cutting? What advice can you share with us?
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