Roots themselves are also light-sensitive, so despite the fact that they will absolutely grow in a clear container in sunlight, you will find more success and faster propagation as well as avoiding algae growth in a dark glass or opaque container.
Clear glass vessels are actually better for supporting root growth—and they look pretty, too. However, you can propagate vigorous new plants from cuttings with an opaque container like a ceramic vase or even a coffee can.
Quick tip: While you can theoretically use almost any small container to water propagate, clear glass is preferable because it allows you to easily monitor the root growth and water level/quality. Plus, it's fun to easily see those roots developing!
Cuttings can take in water from the air through pores in the leaves called stomata. To trap humidity, plant your cuttings in wet soil, use a spray bottle to mist the leaves, and cover them with clear plastic as described before. Then, place your cuttings in a warm spot.
Containers for plant propagation come in various forms, sizes, and in different materials — polystyrene, polyethylene, fibre or paper. New forms and materials are constantly being developed and tested. The type of container selected depends on the plants to be raised, their purpose and size.
Old egg cartons with the tops cut off make great planters! People have long used them to start seedlings, but they also make awesome containers for propagating cuttings. They are perfectly separated so that you can transplant them in to bigger planters once they develop sufficient root systems.
Cover the Pot With Plastic
Place the container with the cutting into a plastic bag. The bag will keep the humidity high and hold in heat. Do not seal the bag completely because some airflow is necessary to prevent fungal rot.
The sooner you can get your cuttings into a more normal environment with air flow and no dome, the better off they'll be. After about a week, remove the dome and monitor your cuttings to see if they begin to wilt. If they do, they're not ready to go dome-less, so try again in 1-2 days.
Clean, coarse construction-grade sand may be used for rooting cuttings. Avoid very fine sand because it has poor aeration, which hampers root formation. A mixture of half sand and half peat moss is a better rooting medium. Vermiculite, a lightweight expanded mica product, is suitable for rooting cuttings.
The Art of Water Propagation:
As long as you give them proper nutrients in the water, they can thrive indefinitely without soil. Propagation is a great way to create lovely gifts for your friends and family, practically for free!
Cuttings need water for hydration, but also enough oxygen for roots to respire and grow. Using a substrate with adequate air porosity, and using the 1 to 5 moisture scale can help to prevent overwatering that leads to slow rooting and increased risk of disease.
Many times, it is perfectly fine to take cuttings and create baby plants from purchased plants. That being said, you cannot propagate patented plants without the inventor's permission. Violating plant patents is against the law and a form of stealing.
You can replace the water every few days, or simply top off the vessel with fresh water when it's looking low—as long as there is no murkiness or fungi growing. If the water is murky, we recommend replacing it for the health of the growing root system.
The medium should be moist, but not soggy. If you added too much water, leave the lid off the box for a day or two to allow the excess to evaporate before adding any cuttings.
Adding supplemental lighting to cutting (clone) production can greatly increase the chances of a successful crop, along with faster root emergence and crop times. If the Daily Light Integral (DLI) is too low during propagation, leaves will be unable to get enough light for photosynthesis and rooting can be delayed.
A typical misting frequency during sticking (Stage 1) and callusing (Stage 2) of vegetative cutting propagation is to initially mist for 5–8 seconds every 5–10 minutes over 24-hour period. After three to four days, reduce mist to 3–5 seconds every 10–20 minutes during the day, and less frequently at night.
Give cuttings bright light but not sun. Keep soil moist but not wet. The cuttings should root within three weeks. Admit air gradually to wean the cuttings from their humid environment, then pot singly before outdoor planting.
Ideally, the bag can be kept shut from the time the cuttings are inserted until they are rooted in 10 days to a month. Another related hazard is seepage of moisture from the bottom of the bag to the surface on which it is resting.
Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag held in place with a rubber band or similar around the pot, to keep the compost moist. Place the pot on a well-lit position indoors, but out of direct sunlight. Keep compost moist and your cuttings should root in six to eight weeks.
Technically, you can transfer your cuttings to soil at any time. In fact, you can actually propagate directly into soil, however, it's much harder to do within your home. When you propagate in soil, you have to keep a good balance of soil moisture, air flow, and humidity.
Drill or punch 3/8-inch drainage holes in the bottom of one box. The hole size isn't critical; they just need to be large enough to let excess water out while keeping the rooting material inside.
Transport of Plastic in Root Tissue. The uptake of MPs and NPs in plants has been detected and plastic particles are especially absorbed on root hairs.
Cut stems just below a bud
Using a sharp knife (or pruners) cut just below where a leaf attaches to the stem (the node). Roots grow easiest from this location. If you leave a section of stem below the node, it often rots.