Propogating Plants = FREE plants-- for the BLACK thumb people out there

I am always looking for ways to NOT spend money. I don't want to say I'm cheap, but OK, I AM.

Actually it's not so much that I'm cheap as it is, I hate spending on things that I don't need, or on things that I know I can do or make myself. Let me tell you that I actually have no problem dropping a few hundred at the local HOME depot, and filling my home with beautiful plants, only to kill them. Thank goodness they have a one year warranty on them, right. After several trips returning dead plants, I finally just said, OK, let me look around and see what CAN survive in this hostile environment. I have a few winners, who bless their little hearts, have stuck with me. Don't know how, but they live.

Naturally then, I can say that propagating them to make more hearty little plants is a GOOD thing. More plants for me, makes me HAPPY, and well little guys should go on to live happy lives, even with me as the plant lady, he he.

This beauty, has grown beautifully, and while I think the directions said that it likes more shade, than anything else, I actually have it next to my front door, with a huge window on top, so it gets filtered sun all day. It seems to be happy, and let me tell you, I forget to water my plants ALL the time. Even then, it doesn't mind too much, it might lose a leaf or two, but that's about all.

It has grown A LOT since getting it maybe a year ago. It used to be just maybe 3 or 4 leaves tall, now you can see it is cascading over the ledge. So it was time for a quick trim, and BELLA has new plants. Just in time too, because I was itching to go on a shopping spree again.

Here is how I did it.

Isn't this a cute jar? My new plants, I got three jars full, which = at least three new plants.

Here's the donor plant, he he.

See how long it was getting, time for a trim baby.

These little roots, are at every node. Any plant that you see this on, is SUPER easy to propogate in water.

Another look at one stem. I cut this baby, into 3-4 new stems.

Cut ONE, make it a diagnal, right BELOW a node.

Then remove the remaining stem, up until the new node. That stem will rot, if you don't cut it, as there is no way for it to root, without that node on the bottom.

Then remove the bottom 2- 3 leaves. So you are left with a stem, and a couple leaves on top.

Want proof, ok, here is a sample from my other long time water dweller plant cuttings. This one also barely had a tiny leaf on it, but it is clearly growing just fine. I'm telling you, as long as there is ONE leaf, and a node, it will grow.

Again, my plants in their new jars.

With any unruley stems, I just bobby pinned them down, and where they make contact with the soil, guess what they will root.

Here she is after her trim. You feel better, me too!!

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