Propagation made easy

Boost your house plant collection via leaf cuttings with the latest of Nick Bailey’s plant propagation masterclasses

- Nick Bailey

With temperatures and light levels rising, now's a good time to make new house plants via leaf cuttings - tropical and subtropical species are ideal candidates. And what's more, this is one of the most simple, rewarding and speedy ways to take cuttings.

Years ago, when I taught horticulture, we managed to fill a vast glasshouse very inexpensively by bulking up classic house plants such as streptocarpus (Cape primroses and African violets), begonia rex and sansevieria with leaf cuttings. Placing cut leaves in contact with compost initially looks so unlikely to reap a reward but it works like magic. Let me tell you how...

Taking leaf cuttings

Tropical and subtropical plants such as streptocarpus, our example here, are perfect for propagation via leaf cuttings in June. Here's how to get great results

1 Fill a 9-12cm pot with a mix of multi-purpose peat-free compost and sharp sand, firming the surface down to within 1cm of the top.

2 Use a sterile, sharp blade to cut a few healthy, active leaves from low down. Make sure they are free of pests and diseases and are well hydrated.