Natural Touches that are So Simple to Maintain
Starting houseplants (aka Propagation) can be so simple, even for beginners. Nudge yourself to do something different today. Breathe, be balanced, naturally, with plants in your home. Do this for yourself. No green thumb necessary!!! Starting new plants might seem very … ummm …. horticulturally complicated …. but it doesn’t have to be. Many plants will grow in water! Really! I have been doing this for years. Transform your workspace, your home, and your life with touches of green. Bring it in, bring nature in. The other secret here is that with the low cost and the abundance of materials that you can find, it means that if one cutting is not happy, you can toss it back to nature and get another and another and another … this hobby is meditative, creative, and calming because of its qualities of simplicity and abundance.
Tools – Chop and Drop, in the Water it will Grow
Scissors. Vase. Water. Leafy Stemmy Thing.
Most houseplants that have runners are perfect to take a cutting from. Cut 2 -12 inches (the plant and the container will help you decide how long) and then just pinch or cut off the last few leaves to encourage rooting and also so that no leaves are below the waterline (causes rot) and place the cutting in water. There are also some plants that do not have runners that you can cut along a main stem, and without removing any leaves (there are none along the stem to be submerged), it will grow roots and last in water almost indefinitely. For example the plant that looks like it is in the Palm Tree family … chop and drop, in the water it will grow. There are oudoor plants that root in water, and are sooooo ….. well …. not cheap …. but even BETTER, free 🙂 🙂 🙂 I have had success with chop and drop mums, sedums, impatiens, and vinca….and so many more. Experiment, why not now?
Starting houseplants on a windowsill in a clear vase you can watch the roots grow. Most plants do prefer some light. However there are many spots that are so much more cheerful with a small cutting in a pretty receptacle, so experiment, what have you got to lose? Cuttings have different lives but usually live in water for surprisingly long. At any point after rooting they can be put in a pot with dirt of course! Master gardener stuff I know. Surround yourself with living plants. Bring it in, bring nature in! Get a cutting from a friend’s plant or from that plant at work. Liberate yourself from that “no green thumb” label, expand your enjoyment with more natural elements in your daily life.
Adventure and Hunt
Vases and ceramic containers can be purchased on trips, on weekends or lunchbreaks, and in a variety of stores, thrift shops, or at estate and garage sales. The adventures will be fantastic! Having lots of containers for starting houseplants lets you creatively group plants in your home. Gifting just the right container with perfect little cuttings is so much fun! Check out all of the akTRIM DIY quick projects to explore new activities for downtime and be balanced, naturally!
