Open Grow Guide

Water propagation

By Open Grow Guide Updated

Water propagation starts with a cutting from a parent plant that is free of disease, insects, and stress. Choose a stem with no flowers on it. Remove any flowers or buds already there so the cutting's energy goes into forming new roots. Use sharp, clean tools to take the cutting. Place it in water deep enough to cover the spots where leaves were removed, in a warm, humid spot with bright, indirect light. Roots should begin to develop in about 3 to 4 weeks, though some plants root shortly after propagation while others may take months. The baby rubber plant, Peperomia obtusifolia, is one species that roots easily in water. This guide covers taking the cutting, rooting it in water, and moving it into a pot once roots have formed.

When to do it

Most cuttings begin to grow roots in about 3 to 4 weeks after you place them in water. A Monstera cutting usually roots in about 2 to 4 weeks. A lantana cutting takes several weeks before it's ready for soil. A trailing sweetpotato vine roots within about 10 days. Timing varies widely because some plants send out roots shortly after propagation while others take months. Check for roots by gently lifting the cutting with a popsicle stick, plant transplant tool, or small spatula rather than pulling on the stem. If roots are few or haven't developed yet, put the cutting back in the water instead of moving it to soil. Once roots have grown in, the cutting is ready for a potting mix. If you're repotting an already-established plant, spring is the best time. That's when it naturally begins its seasonal growth.

What you need

You'll need a few basic supplies for this method. Use sharp, clean tools to take the cutting; the same clean, sharp approach applies if you're taking a leaf or stem-section cutting instead, along with sterilized media for those methods. Dipping the cut end of a water cutting in rooting hormone before placing it in water speeds up new root development, but use only a small amount, since too much will slow root development. A popsicle stick, plant transplant tool, or small spatula lets you check for roots without pulling on the stem. Once roots form, you'll need a container at least 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter and 5 inches (12.5 cm) deep, with at least one drainage hole about the width of a pencil. If you're reusing an old pot, wash it and sanitize it with a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. For a cutting rooted in solid media instead of water, that media should stay between 75°F and 80°F (24-27°C).

Step by step

  1. Step 1

    Start with a healthy parent plant

    Check for disease, insects, and stress first.

  2. Step 2

    Choose a stem with no flowers

    Skip any stem that is blooming.

  3. Step 3

    Remove any flowers or buds on the stem

    This sends energy into new roots.

  4. Step 4

    Use a clean, sharp tool for the cut

    Keep the blade sharp and clean.

  5. Step 5

    Cut a piece 3-6 in (7.5-15 cm) long

    Include at least two nodes.

  6. Step 6

    Find a node with an axillary bud

    Cut right at that node.

  7. Step 7

    Avoid cuttings with no node or bud, like a lone leaf

    They won't grow and will rot.

  8. Step 8

    Remove leaves from the cutting's bottom half

    Strip that whole lower section.

  9. Step 9

    Remove the lower two-thirds of leaves on a trailing-vine cutting instead

    That's more than for other cuttings.

  10. Step 10

    Trim about half of each remaining leaf blade

    This cuts down moisture loss.

  11. Step 11

    Dip the cut end in rooting hormone first

    This speeds up new root growth.

  12. Step 12

    Use only a little rooting hormone

    Too much slows root development.

  13. Step 13

    Place the cutting in water

    Cover the spots where leaves were removed.

  14. Step 14

    Set the cutting somewhere warm and humid

    Give it bright, indirect light too.

  15. Step 15

    Keep humidity high around the cutting

    This stops it from drying out.

  16. Step 16

    Change the water once it turns cloudy

    Cloudy water signals it's time.

  17. Step 17

    Expect roots within 3 to 4 weeks

    That's the typical timeline.

  18. Step 18

    Expect Monstera roots in about 2 to 4 weeks

    This is specific to Monstera.

  19. Step 19

    Expect lantana roots to start in several weeks

    Then you can move it into soil.

  20. Step 20

    Expect a trailing sweetpotato vine to root within 10 days

    Ten days is its typical window.

  21. Step 21

    Check for roots using a popsicle stick or small spatula

    Don't pull on the stem.

  22. Step 22

    Put the cutting back in water if roots are few

    Hold off on transplanting.

  23. Step 23

    Move the cutting into potting mix once roots grow in

    It's then ready for soil.

  24. Step 24

    Use a container at least 4 in (10 cm) wide and 5 in (12.5 cm) deep

    This size suits a rooted cutting.

  25. Step 25

    Make sure the pot has at least one drainage hole

    It should be about pencil-width.

  26. Step 26

    Leave about 2 in (5 cm) of mix between the cutting and the pot's edge

    Keep it even on all sides.

  27. Step 27

    Plant a rooted sweetpotato-vine cutting two to three weeks after rooting starts

    That's its window before soil.

  28. Step 28

    Choose a new pot no more than 1 in (2.5 cm) wider than the old one

    Too-large pots cause root rot.

  29. Step 29

    Expect roots grown in water to be weaker

    Roots grown in solid media are sturdier.

  30. Step 30

    Watch for roots turning brown and soft

    That signals overwatering or poor drainage.

  31. Step 31

    Be cautious with woody plants like citrus and hibiscus

    They tend to rot in water.

  32. Step 32

    Expect most ivy to root easily in water

    It's one of the easier plants for this.

  33. Step 33

    Leave no more than a half inch (1.3 cm) of petiole on a leaf cutting

    Treat it like a branch tip.

  34. Step 34

    Cut a 2- to 3-in (5-7.5 cm) stem section

    Include at least two nodes.

  35. Step 35

    Use sharp, clean tools for any cutting

    Root it in sterilized media.

  36. Step 36

    Keep rooting media between 75°F and 80°F (24-27°C)

    This gives the best root growth.

  37. Step 37

    Expect some plants to root shortly after propagation

    Others may take months.

  38. Step 38

    Watch for mix that dries out very fast

    This means it needs repotting, even in cool weather.

  39. Step 39

    Watch for growth that slows or stops

    This signals repotting is needed, even with regular feeding.

  40. Step 40

    Check the roots for circling around the root ball

    Circling roots mean it's time to repot.

  41. Step 41

    Repot the plant in spring

    This is when its seasonal growth naturally begins.

  42. Step 42

    Choose a new pot slightly larger than the old one

    Only a small size increase is needed.

  43. Step 43

    Avoid a pot that is too large for the plant

    It can look out of balance.

  44. Step 44

    Water the plant before repotting it

    Let it rest for one hour first.

  45. Step 45

    Moisten the potting mix before use

    Do this every time you repot.

  46. Step 46

    Wash a reused pot thoroughly first

    Sanitize it with one part bleach to nine parts water.

  47. Step 47

    Loosen any matted or circling roots gently

    Do this before adding new mix.

  48. Step 48

    Set the root ball slightly below the pot's lip

    Leave about an inch (2.5 cm) of space.

  49. Step 49

    Firm the mix gently around the root ball

    Don't pack it too tight.

  50. Step 50

    Move the plant to its spot after repotting

    This is the final step.

  51. Step 51

    Check for roots forming a solid mass

    That means it's time to repot.

  52. Step 52

    Turn the pot upside down to remove the plant

    Knock its rim against something solid.

  53. Step 53

    Skip adding clay pieces or rocks to the pot's bottom

    That layer actually slows water movement.

  54. Step 54

    Wait about four months before fertilizing a repotted plant

    That's the typical wait.

  55. Step 55

    Cut a 3- to 5-in (7.5-12.5 cm) piece of stem

    Take it from the parent peperomia plant.

  56. Step 56

    Remove leaves on the lower third of the stem cutting

    Leave the rest in place.

  57. Step 57

    Dip the peperomia cutting in rooting hormone

    Insert it into soil or a rooting medium.

  58. Step 58

    Cover the potted cutting with clear plastic

    Keep it out of direct sunlight.

  59. Step 59

    Remove a peperomia leaf with at least an inch (2.5 cm) of petiole

    Keep that length attached.

  60. Step 60

    Watch the base of the petiole on a peperomia leaf cutting

    New plants form there.

  61. Step 61

    Try the baby rubber plant, Peperomia obtusifolia, for this method

    It roots easily in water.

  62. Step 62

    Take a peperomia cutting 4 to 6 in (10-15 cm) long

    Remove its lower leaves.

  63. Step 63

    Cut just below a leaf node for a peperomia cutting

    This is specific to this method.

  64. Step 64

    Place the cutting in a small container

    Give it bright, indirect light.

  65. Step 65

    Wait for roots and new leaves to form

    Then it's ready to be potted.

  66. Step 66

    Choose a pot only slightly larger than the grower's pot

    A big size jump isn't needed.

  67. Step 67

    Skip yearly repotting for peperomia

    It can stay in the same pot for years.

  68. Step 68

    Fertilize peperomia only when it's actively growing

    That means spring and summer only.

Mistakes to avoid

One common mistake is taking a cutting with no node or axillary bud, such as a single leaf. Without one, the cutting won't produce new growth and will eventually rot. Another mistake is using too much rooting hormone, which slows root development instead of speeding it up. Checking for roots by tugging on the stem is a mistake too; lift the cutting instead with a popsicle stick, plant tool, or small spatula. Moving a cutting into soil too soon is another misstep. If roots are few or haven't developed yet, put the cutting back in water rather than transplanting it. Potting a rooted cutting into a container much bigger than its grower pot is also a mistake. A pot more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) larger in diameter can keep the soil wet too long and cause root rot. An oversized pot can also look out of balance with the plant. Brown, soft roots are a warning sign of overwatering or a container that isn't draining well. Roots grown in water are weaker than roots grown in solid rooting media. Rooting woody plants such as citrus or hibiscus in water is risky, since they tend to rot this way. Adding a layer of clay pieces or rocks to the bottom of a pot is another mistake, since it slows water movement through the pot.

How this page was made

  • Written with AI assistance from the sources listed on this page. AI is never the source of a fact.

How we work