In a previous article, we wrote about growing vegetables in a small garden and mentioned some of the items you need for germinating seeds. This article deals with taking cuttings for rooting and their aftercare but some of the items you will need are the same as for germinating seeds. You will need the following:

1. Seed box prepared with a drainage layer as for seed sowing but this time fill the box with one part cocopeat (the composted fibre from coconuts) mixed with three parts of coarse sand (or similar size pumice) – this mix is excellent for rooting cuttings. Or if you prefer you can use pots for your cuttings rather than the seed box.
2. Sharp secateurs: make sure the blades are really clean.
3. A really sharp knife and make sure it is really clean.
4. Rooting powder.
5. A pencil or a small stick to act as a “dibber”.

If you are a beginner, let’s take one or two plants that root easily so that you get the hang of things, like plectranthus or chrysanthemum or coleus or pelargonium (geranium) or salvia or duranta and so on. Take a 20- to 30-cm stem from any of these plants. Cut this stem into short pieces 10 to 15 cm long, containing 3 to 5 nodes, with the base of the cutting being cut just below a node. Remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting without damaging the stem. Dip the base of the stem in the rooting powder, knock of any excess and with your dibber make a hole, 2 -to 3-cm deep, into which the cutting is placed and then slightly firm the rooting mix around the cutting so that it stands upright.

With geraniums it is better to leave the cutting to wilt for a few hours before placing into the rooting mix. Water the cuttings gently once they are all in place so that the mix is moist rather than heavily saturated. Place the box where it is away from the wind and in shade. To keep the cuttings in an area of high humidity, a simple clear polythene tunnel can be formed for the box using fencing wire as the frame over which the plastic is placed. Spray moisture into the tunnel once every day or so and in a matter of three to six weeks, depending on temperature, new leaves will start to sprout. Once these new leaves are fully formed, the cutting should be rooted and this can be checked by carefully lifting one plant. If good roots have formed the next stage can be embarked upon.

Start by leaving one end of the tunnel open so that the humidity is reduced to that outside and this will start to acclimatise the newly rooted plants to the outside world. After 7 days or so the tunnel can be completely removed and the new plants carefully lifted out and potted into small containers using a potting mix containing some compost and bonemeal. After potting up it is still important that the new plants are slowly hardened off, as too rapid an exposure to sunlight, wind and rain, will spoil all the good work done to date.

When the new plants are fully adjusted to the surrounding environment and are of an adequate size, they can be planted in the garden or into a larger container.

We hope some of you will try propagating a few plants and we wish you luck as it can be very satisfying growing your own plants.

Plants Galore Garden Centre
Directions: Use the Limuru Road from Muthaiga and continue past the Village Market and the turning into Runda.  200m beyond the Runda turning take the murram track on the right hand side, where there is a Plants Galore signboard. After the bridge over the river, fork right; the Centre is 100m on the right. You can’t miss it! Telephone: 0773 612589. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.