WATER
“Water rooting is often the gateway for those interested in making more plants,” writes Halleck. This method seems almost too
simple to work. For water rooting, you submerge stem cuttings from a plant in water and set them out in a windowsill. Here are
the elements you need for successful water rooting.PLANT. Many plants can be rooted by
placing the stems in water. Ideally, the
plant you use for water rooting will have
soft, fl eshy stem cuttings and leaf cuttings.
“Many tropical houseplants and fl eshy
garden perennials root easily in water,”
writes Halleck. It is best to avoid woody
plants as they will rot before they root.VESSEL. Make sure your container is
transparent, as you need to keep an eye
on the water. Until the plant has developed
adequate roots, change the water when it
becomes cloudy.WATER. Don’t use tap water, as it contains
various minerals that will damage the
plant. Collecting rainwater is best, but if
that’s not an option, choose spring water
or well water instead. If tap water is your
only option, set it out in a clear container in
natural light for 24 hours to remove most of
the chemicals.Roo ting
An example of water rooting in
action. These airplane plants (also
known as “spider plants”) are easy
to propagate from the off sets they
produce at the end of the plant.
(opposite) Plant propagation comes
with a bit of a learning curve. Once
you get the ball rolling, though,
achieving that elusive green thumb is
bound to happen.16 • AMERICAN FARMHOUSE STYLE