Step 2: Place Cuttings in Position
Take several cuttings from plants you like. The
cuttings should be about 3-5 inches in length and
have at least 2 leaves. Plants that are fl eshy like Jade
plant or Hydrangea or common indoor plants like
African violet or Spider plant work very well with this
type of setup. Make sure the cuttings have enough
stem to fi t down past the mesh by at least an inch or
two. Start placing the cuttings through the wire mesh
and the mesh will catch the leaves and hold the cut-
tings in place.
Step 5: Experiment
Take time to experiment. You can do a little re-
search online beforehand or see what plants work the
best by trial and error. Some plants can stay in water
for a very long time and continue to develop. Other
plants need to be potted in soil at some point. GG
Mike McGroarty is the owner of McGroarty Enterprises
and the author of several books. You can visit his
website at Freeplants.com and read his blog at
Mikesbackyardnursery.com.
Step 3: Fill with Water
Fill the container with water to just slightly under
the wire mesh. The plant stems will now slowly start
to develop new root nodes along the stems. Place the
container in a sunny, warm location near a window
or under a grow light.
Step 4: Allow Roots to Develop
The cuttings will take 2-4 weeks to develop de-
pending on the type of plant. Certain plants can take
months but many indoor varieties develop new roots
quickly. Once the plants have rooted they can be
transferred to smaller mason jars fi lled with water to
create a year round hydroponics display. The initial
container arranged ahead of time can also be a long
term garden display. This system can also be used to
propagate plants that will be placed in soil at a later
date.
November 2018
www.GardenandGreenhouse.net
29