Propagation by Leaf Cuttings

Placing a "sprout cutting" into the medium is simple. A vertical hole is, or is made in the medium, the cutting is placed in the hole, and the medium is tucked up around the stem to hold it in place as shown in the adjacent picture. The sprout is relatively small, and well balanced and stays in the medium even when the tray is jostled.

Leaf cuttings tend to be large and top heavy and prone to falling out of the medium. If the medium is too dry, the stem and meristem are likely to flip out of the medium. On the other hand, too wet a medium is not good for the growth of the cuttings. A balance between these two extremes is required. Lacking equipment to determine the moisture content, judgment must be exercised.

In the adjacent picture the cutting is being placed in an Oasis cutting cube. Enlarge the hole if it is not large enough to let the cutting be placed in the hole without forcing. A 3/8" drill bit dipped sprayed with alcohol works well. A twist or two with the fingers is all that is needed.

Next, insert the cutting and using your fingers or a pencil press the Oasis medium up against the stem and the leaf stalk. Make sure the meristem is visible--it needs light and air.

In the case of a soilless potting medium, or a sand, perlite, and vermiculite mixture enough water should be added to make the medium moist (not damp, not wet). If the medium is too dry, it will be difficult to make the cutting stay in place.

No matter what growing medium is used, the cutting must be inserted in such a manner that the medium holds the leaf cutting in place and the meristem is showing as in the picture on the right. In some cases it may be easier to stand the cutting in the medium and in others it may be easier to let the cutting lay down with the leaf from one row of cuttings overlapping the next row of cuttings. The difficulty with the latter is that the leaf of one row may block the light from reaching the meristem of the next row.

The adjacent picture shows the leaf cutting in a soilless potting medium.

The cuttings should not be fed until evidence of significant root growth is visible. Even then, a very dilute solution of a high phosphate water soluble fertilizer (such as Shultz 10-60-10) should be used. Follow the instructions "for cuttings" that come with the fertilizer. Some people do not fertilize their cuttings until three or four weeks after starting. See Gary Meiner for a different approach.