Taking Root, Houseplants to Share



Starting house plants from cuttings is much easier than you may think. Many plants will take up root anywhere they can. Members of the Pothos family (Wikki Info) are easy to start, very tolerant of poor care and live well in limited light. I have one that was given to me as part of a gift from my office when my son was born 18 years ago, I have drug it back and forth across the county a few times, forgotten to water for  long periods, it's been mangled by cats, dogs and kids and yet it is still around. Over the years I have rooted many cuttings for myself and for friends. We have three pots in our house that are all from the same plant. I've started a few cuttings for a friend recently with only a few simple steps.





  • Find the nodes on the vine. They are small, dark raised bumps, usually just below a leaf. You can cut off as long of a piece as you'd like, but three or four leaves from the end of the vine works well.
  • Snip the vine above the leave that is after the node with a sharp pair of scissors. You will have three or four leaves, the node and a stump that is anywhere from one to three inches long. There may be more than one node in a section; this is a good thing, you will have more than one place for the roots to begin. 
  • Find a small glass or jar to start the plant in. The node must be under water. If your bare end is short cutting off the leaf closest to the node will make it easier to keep it in water. You should avoid having any
    of the leaves in the water, they may begin to rot. Using a rubber band around the glass can be useful to keep the cutting in place. 
  • Now you wait. Changing the water weekly will keep any bacteria from growing in the water. Make sure to keep an eye on the water level to keep the node and the roots that begin to grow below the surface. 

After the roots are several inches long, you can put your new in the dirt. Choose a three to five inch pot to start, use indoor potting mix and make sure the pot has drainage so water doesn't collect in the bottom. Pothos can tolerate low light, do well in indirect light, but grow the best in a sunny window. Don't be afraid to ask a friend for a piece to start and when your plant needs a trim, start another piece to share!



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