You may have a really pretty plant in your home. Maybe the plant has luscious foliage and fresh fruit-or maybe you can't take your eyes off the shiny stalks. You feel like spending the rest of your life with this plant, but you realize that it won't last forever. You can grow it from other seeds, but that's not a reliable method; there is no guarantee the plant will grow the way you want it to. How do you preserve the immortality of these beautiful plants and create other organisms through asexual methods? You will feel restless and panicked, then immediately look for information on the internet without realizing it. Then you came across this wikiHow and found the solution: it's time to clone your plants.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Gathering the Right Ingredients
Step 1. Choose a container for the cloning process
The type of container you choose will depend on how big the plant will be and how many plants you want to clone in one container. Do some research on your plants first to determine how big a container you need.
- Some people prefer to use flower pots as containers for cloning, while others will use simpler containers such as plastic cups with holes in the bottom.
- Transparent containers are the best because you can see when and where the plant is starting to take root.
Step 2. Decide whether you want to clone the plants in rockwool (one of the growing media that is widely used by hydroponic farmers) or soil
When you clone a plant, plant it in soil or rockwool so it can take root and grow.
- Applying rockwool is more complicated and requires more preparation than soil. This plant medium should be soaked overnight in water that has a pH of 4.5, and does not contain the same nutrients as natural soil. You will also need time to drill holes in the center of the rockwool lump so that it is the right size (neither too big nor too small) for the cloned plant.
- Soil requires little preparation other than unwrapping the soil you bought or shoveling it out for the garden or yard.
Step 3. Decide if you want to use hormones for the roots
Root hormones are used in the cloning process to promote plant cell growth. Plants naturally contain a hormone called auxin. This hormone helps the plant determine whether it should multiply leaves or grow roots. When you buy root hormone in a bottle, you will be using a synthetic auxin. When this auxin is given to a plant, it will grow more roots, and the cloning process begins.
- If you like growing organic crops, root hormone may not work for you. Most root hormones contain pesticides and chemicals that are not very environmentally friendly. Popular brands like "Garden Tech's Rootone" contain chemicals that can cause upper respiratory tract irritation and skin rashes. Very unpleasant.
- If you don't use hormones, the cloning process may not work. Plants such as tomatoes are very easy to clone because they produce a lot of natural auxins, but other plants may only root from roots growing at the tip of the stem-which will make it harder for the plant to take root without synthetic hormones. Do some research on your plant before making a decision to find out what is needed in this situation.
Part 2 of 3: Planting Stems
Step 1. Fill the flowerpot or container with soil or rockwool
- If you choose to use soil, fill the soil into the container until it is full. Punch a hole in the center all the way to the bottom of the container.
- If you choose rockwool, you can put a piece of rockwool in the container.
Step 2. Water the soil in the container
Water the soil until it feels wet, but not to the point of flooding it. If you're using rockwool, you've probably soaked it overnight, so there's no need to water it anymore.
Step 3. Make a diagonal cut on the stem of the plant using a sharp knife or scissors
Choose lateral rods, not terminal rods. Terminal rods are the main stems that emerge from the ground, while lateral stems emerge from the sides of the terminal rods.
After cutting it, look at the stem and remove any leaves or flower buds from the base. If there are too many leaves or flower buds in the stem cutting, the leaves and flower buds will suck most of the water from the base of the stem and the plant roots will not grow
Step 4. Dip the stems in root hormone (if you have determined root hormone is a good choice for your plant)
Root hormone can be liquid or powder. If you're using powdered hormone, dip the stem pieces in water and then sprinkle the hormone powder on the end so the powder sticks. Do not cover all parts of the stem with root hormone. Just focus on the bottom.
Step 5. Insert the stem pieces into the holes in the ground or rockwool
Try to insert 1/3 of the stem into the hole..
Step 6. Cover the container with plastic or glass
A plastic bag can be used for this process if you don't have any other covering material. When you cover the plant, the moisture will be stored so the plant can use it to survive while trying to grow roots. The cover you use will depend on the container you choose to clone.
Part 3 of 3: Letting Plants Grow
Step 1. Put the container in a warm place so it will get LITTLE sunlight
If you put the plant in a place with direct sunlight, you will "stress" the stem and kill it.
Step 2. Water a little every day to keep the soil moist (but not soggy) as the plant begins to take root
After about a week or two, the plant will begin to take root. Hurray! The cloning process has been successful.
Tips
- Instead of cutting the stems of the best stems to clone, you can simply break them off as they will trim well. Curved stems may be too old to take root well, and soft or flexible stems may be too young. If you can't find a stem that breaks easily, try to find the healthiest one and cut it with a knife.
- After cutting the stems, scrape the sides. This will allow more auxin and nutrients to be absorbed into the stem and can help the plant to grow roots.
