Propagation – Growing Your Own

The easiest way to get a new plant is to go to a nursery and buy one. There are many reasons why this is sometimes not possible, or maybe you just don’t want to do it the easy way. Some heritage plants can be difficult to acquire as can some of the plants that prefer our hotter, wetter regions. Many plants sold in the larger commercial nurseries are mass produced in large propagation facilities in cooler areas and are not always suited to our warmer tropical regions.

There are also budgets to consider and sometimes we just can’t afford the plant we want NOW. Then of course there is the personal satisfaction of doing it yourself. Also, no matter how cheap a single plant may be, if you are planning to mass plant a new project area and you need 50 of one plant, then the cost can add up, no matter how cheap.

Most plants can be propagated one way or another, some very easily, while others can be difficult and require sophisticated heating and misting systems. Perhaps the easiest plants to propagate are bulbs – these are very easy to lift, divide and replant. Some bulbs clump up more quickly than others and the only thing you need to watch is to make sure you get some roots with each bulb and don’t try to be too greedy and leave the little ones to grow a bit more before you repeat the process. This process is similar for the rhizome families, such as iris and other similar plants. The plant can be divided, making sure each section has some roots, and then either planted directly into the garden or into pots or planter bags.

When doing a lot of propagation, whatever method you use, it is often easier to use planter bags or pots and create a small nursery, where it is easy to give these new plants the love and attention they need to give them a good start to life. A small shade house is ideal; this can be as simple as a small lean-to off the side of your house or a commercial store bought model. A simple design that is easy for even the most amateur builder is using galvanized star pickets and poly pipe for the structure. The star pickets define the shape and fix it to the ground and then the poly pipe is fitted over the picket and arched up and over and attached to the picket on the other side, so producing a tunnel. Wire is then attached to the frame that will support your cover and hold the shape in place. You can then attach shade cloth or, if you want to protect your new plants from excess rain, then you can use special UV protected plastic. If you use plastic then you need to consider the airflow or you will have issues with moulds and other diseases that like a humid hot atmosphere. More comprehensive plans can be found on the internet.

Seeds are another great way to propagate plants. You can either collect your own or purchase them from your local store or from one of the many online stores. The range is endless. If ordering from other countries or even other states, you need to check out the biosecurity regulations and what you are allowed to import. Remember, these laws are put in place to protect your environment and your local Industries so do make sure you follow them. If the seed is for plants that are not common in your area, please make sure they are suited to your climatic conditions. As much as I love lavender and can still sometimes be tempted to buy a packet, the truth is this Mediterranean climate-loving plant just hates our tropical humidity.

Some seeds are very easy to germinate while others require very specific treatment, all the information you require is available on the web and most sites selling seeds will have detailed instructions for how to germinate their seeds. I find that it pays to check several sites, as there can sometimes be conflicting ideas on the best method to use, but the more you read the better informed you will be. Also check germination times as some seeds will take many months to germinate, so you do not want to throw out seeds that may still be good.

Just remember that some plants take a very long time to grow and mature, and this especially applies to fruit trees. Some can take over seven years to fruit from seed. Most of the fruit trees that are commercially available in nurseries are grafted; this means the fruiting part has been attached to a different root stock. This is often done to protect the plants from specific root diseases and shorten the time to fruiting and the grafted material is an exact genetic match to the parent plant. The only thing you need to watch is that the root stock does not send up shoots; this will affect the vigour of the graft and, left unchecked, the root stock will eventually take over. If you see this happen just snip off the offending shoot.

When purchasing fruit trees make sure you do your research to find the varieties that best suit your climate and soil. There is now a huge range and some great suppliers. Some of the more exotic fruit trees can be hard to find but you will find that your persistence in finding them is worth it when you taste your first crop.

Cuttings are probably the next most popular method of propagation, after seeds. Most shrubs can be successfully grown from a cutting. Some are very easy and it is just a matter of sticking them in the ground and they will grow. Some are trickier and there are various methods to improve your success rate. I find the best success normally comes from using wood that is not too old but is not new growth. Make sure there is a growing node at the bottom of your cutting and another at the top. All new growth will come from these nodes and if there are lengths of stem either below or above these nodes, then this will start to rot before the cutting has a chance to start rooting and this then spreads to the rest of your cutting and so your cutting will fail to grow.

I use normal soil for my cuttings but some like to use a sand mix; this stops waterlogging but you will have to be more vigilant to prevent drying out. I have found for some plants the success varies depending on the season or if the plant is flowering or not.

The final way to propagate is through grafting (already mentioned briefly) and marcotting. While grafting is attaching one plant to the root stock of another, (they are normally related) marcotting is convincing a part of a mature plant to produce roots which can then be detached from the parent plant and replanted. A portion of the bark is removed and then surrounded in a medium like sphagnum moss, moistened and then wrapped in a moisture proof fabric and left to allow the plant to produce roots. Again the marcott is an exact genetic replica of the parent.

There are hours of pleasure and self-satisfaction to be gained from propagating your own plants. These can be used in your own garden or I find then great way to give someone a special gift for that special occasion: this could be a fruit tree for their garden or a special plant for their home. There are now many people propagating plants to earn a little bit of pocket money and selling them in the local markets or craft days. If you do not have the time or inclination to propagate your own, then this is a great way to buy the plants you want.

There is a new trend and this is growing plants in water this limits their growth and for those of us now living in tiny or small homes it is a way to still have your plants around you without taking up too much space. There are many plants that can be grown this way including the large philodendron family. This method can also be used to start plants growing before you transplant them out into a soil medium. Children enjoy this process and like to watch the plants growing and it is easy for them to have their own plant to look after and so introduce them to the love of growing at an early stage. Everybody will remember the old method of suspending an avocado seed over water and watching it grow.

Once more everyone make sure you enjoy life and take time to smell the roses, happy gardening!