TheNaturePlanet

Who understands the joy of having one succulent plant turn into many! Today, I'll teach you step by step how to propagate succulents by leaf cuttings, and even beginners can easily achieve "succulent freedom"!

Selecting the Leaves: Picking the Right Parent Plant

Criteria: Choose plump and healthy leaves without any diseases or pests. Gently shake the leaves from side to side and remove them completely, while keeping the growth point intact.

Pitfalls to Avoid: Directly discard shriveled, waterlogged, or leaves with black spots.

Drying the Leaves: Prevent Root Rot

Operation: Place the leaves in a cool and well-ventilated area for 2 to 3 days until the cut wounds dry and form a scab.

Pitfalls to Avoid: If the leaves are not dried properly, they are prone to become waterlogged.

Preparing the Soil and Placement: The Flat-laying Method

Soil Preparation: Mix granular soil and peat soil in a ratio of 1:1. After mixing, spread the soil in a pot. This soil mixture is breathable and won't suffocate the roots.

Placement: Lay the leaves flat on the soil surface with the front side facing up, leaving a 2-cm gap between each leaf. Place the pot in an area with scattered light and good ventilation.

Pitfalls to Avoid: Don't bury the leaves in the soil, and avoid direct sunlight exposure.

Watering: It's Better to Water Less Than Too Much

Before Sprouting: Don't water! When the soil is dry, spray mist along the edge of the pot to increase humidity, but don't spray the leaves directly.

After Rooting: Use a curved-tip watering pot to drip a small amount of water along the roots. Make sure the water doesn't touch the budding points, and keep the soil slightly moist.

Transplanting: When the Mother Leaf Dries Up

Timing: When the young seedlings grow to the size of a one-yuan coin and the mother leaf dries up naturally, transplant them with the soil into a small pot.

Precautions:

1. Flipping the leaves frequently will cause the growth points to fall off, which directly leads to failure.
2. Exposing the leaves to the sun before they sprout is like turning them into "succulent jerky". Be patient and wait until the roots grow before exposing them to sunlight.
3. Succulents are drought-tolerant. Too much water will definitely cause root rot. Remember the principle of "water thoroughly when the soil is completely dry".
4. Spring and autumn are the prime seasons for leaf cuttings. When the nighttime temperature is between 10℃ and 15℃, place the flower pot by the window. The temperature difference can stimulate the leaves to sprout more easily.

Recommended Varieties for Beginners

Purple Delight: It takes about 7 days to take root, and small seedlings will sprout within a month. The leaves can survive just by placing them on the soil.

Alan: It has an extremely high survival rate. The leaves are plump and round, and the seedlings are very cute after sprouting. It's suitable for beginners to practice with.

White Peony: The King of Common Varieties. It's easy to form clusters, and the leaf-cutting seedlings can grow into old stems quickly.

Common Problems

Waterlogging: Immediately discard the waterlogged leaves, ventilate to disperse the moisture, and avoid infecting other seedlings.

Only Rooting but No Sprouting: Gently bury the roots in the soil and wait for one month. If the growth point hasn't fully healed, the sprouting may be delayed.

Leggy Growth of Young Seedlings: Increase the amount of light, provide 3 to 4 hours of scattered light every day, and reduce the frequency of watering.

In short, by mastering these key points, you can easily harvest a pot full of succulents.