Gardeners World: Monty Don's advice on topiary
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‘How to propagate succulents’ is one of the biggest searches on Google and luckily, Joe Bagley, 21, is on hand to guide you through the process. Joe, who was inspired by his grandmother from the tender age of two, has grown up and developed an already encyclopaedic knowledge of plants and horticulture. Alongside his website ukhouseplants.com and Instagram page @ukhouseplants, Joe has helped create the House of Plants feature at this weekend’s BBC Gardeners’ World Live. So what tips does he have for someone who wants to breed their favourite houseplant?
How to take a leaf cutting for a Jade/Money plant (Crassula ovata)
1. Select at leaf that is midway down the stem
2. Place thumb and index finger over the leaf and pull down – be careful not to bruise or tear the leaf
3. Put leaf on top of dry cactus/ succulent soil in a 7cm pot
4. After two to three weeks roots will start to appear
5. DO NOT WATER as it will encourage the roots to develop to find moisture
6. Use little finger to make a shallow indent and gently press rooted tip into the soil.
7. Start watering with only one tablespoon of water to dampen the soil around the rooted tip
8. After 1.5 – 2 months a rosette of leaves will appear
9. Remove the ‘parent’ leaf once it starts to ‘crisp’ up
How to take a stem cutting for Jade/Money plant
1. After a plant is over a year old roots will sometimes appear on the stem below a node (join where leaves sprout from)
2. Break off the plant at this point being careful not to damage the roots
3. Place directly into cactus/ succulent suitable compost in a 7cm
4. Water and place onto a bright spot out of direct sunlight
5. After 1-2 months new leaves will appear.
Joe’s top tips
- Always use sharp clean knives or secateurs
- If you’re rooting cuttings in water make sure you change the water approximately every week
- Never submerge leaves into water as it can cause disease
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If you haven’t got a Jade/Money plant, Joe reveals there are several other plants you can easily propagate.
- String of Hearts – Ceropegia woodii
- Devil’s Ivy – Epipremum
- Jade/ Money Plant – Crassula ovata
- Dragon Tree – Dracaean
- Cheese Plant – Monstera deliciosa
Speaking about his website – ukhouseplants.com – Joe said he created it to “influence and teach people about” the best way to care for houseplants in a “simplistic, standardised way”.
Each article is created in a set format and offers lots of top tips, as well as listing the care requirements for the plant.
Common issues regarding the plant are also mentioned as well as “a whole load of other useful information”.
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