Plants for nothing? Plants in just days? You bet – and all it takes is water. Some plants are just made to develop roots in days when placed in a glass of water. Arm yourself with a few tips on how to get them started, and your house and garden will soon be overflowing with free plants.
Choosey
Not all plants develop roots quickly in water. Check out our list of suitable plants (at the end of the article) to get you started. Whichever plants you choose, check that they are disease-free and are not hiding unwanted insects such as whitefly or aphids.
Snip, strip and nip
Use clean scissors to snip a 20cm long piece off your chosen plant. Use your fingers to strip the leaves off the lower two thirds of the piece. Use your finger nails to nip off any flowers or buds you can see.
Choose a clean glass jar that is at least two thirds the height of your piece of plant. Fill the glass with water and pop in the piece (leaves should be out of the water). Place the glass jar away from direct sunlight. Change the water every second day.
Rooting hormone
It’s an optional extra, but some people like to add a drop or two of rooting hormone to the glass of water. Rooting hormone help plants develop roots. It can be bought from a garden centre or you can make your own by boil a handful of willow stems (bark and all, but not leaves) in a cup of water for 10 minutes. When cool, strain off the liquid and store, covered, in a jar in the fridge.
Potting up
Once you plant pieces have grown a fine tangle of roots, it’s time to pot them up. Although garden soil will do, your plant will thrive and grow more quickly if you pot it into a container of commercial potting mix. The young roots are delicate so don’t push them into the potting mix. Instead, fill your container 1/3 full of potting mix. Place the rooted piece on top, and spoon in enough potting mix to fill the container. Gently water the potting mix to help it settle in around your new plant.
Try me!
Impatiens flower in pretty pastel colours. Because they’re annuals (plants that last just one growing season), they die down as the weather becomes cooler. Snip pieces off your outdoor impatiens and root them in water. Pot them up for pretty windowsill pot plants to brighten he house until summer returns.
Members of the mint family are among the easiest of plants to root in water. And there are so many varieties to choose from. Peppermint is very fragrant while pineapple mint sports pretty variegated leaves.
Think colour – think coleus! These outrageously bright-leaved plants grow outdoors in warm regions over summer, and just love to come inside and be your favourite potted plant in winter. No two coleus are the same – from deep purple to bright orange (and every colour in between) these plants are full of fun.
More plants that grow roots easily in water
- African violet
- Basil
- Begonia
- Ivy
- Lemon verbena
- Oregano
- Willow (choose ornamental varieties)