Cuttings are like friends – if you take good care of them, you can have them for life. At the same time, cuttings are unique in that you have the opportunity to share your favorites so that more people can appreciate them. To be able to grow small cuttings into nice green plants, you don’t really need much more than a favorable environment and a little love. Of course, it’s good to know that a warm place is better than a cold one – and you can also help the cuttings develop new roots by cutting a slit in the stem. But if you don’t have a particularly demanding variety, you can usually get a top cutting, leaf cutting or root cutting off to a good start with basic help in the form of nutrition, light and water.
– Most cuttings don’t need to be put in a greenhouse, but it can be easier to get that even climate that keeps them from drying out. “Instead of using a greenhouse, I usually put my cuttings on an irrigation tray so that they always have access to water from below,” says plant professional Mattias “the cuttings thief” Mattisson.
Mattias Mattisson uses his social media account to share both photos and plants with others. And as a plant enthusiast, he’s used to seeing which potted plants will grow into fine cuttings.
– It’s important that the plant you want to take the cutting from is healthy and lush. Most often, it’s the leaves and stem you should look at. In many cases, there is a big difference between those with a strong stem and those with a lanky stem. When it comes to plants that develop aerial roots, such as monstera, I look to see if there is a fresh tuber with some green shoots. If it’s dried out, it usually doesn’t make a good seedling,” he says.
Mattias 5 tips for good cuttings
- Since every plant is unique, it is important that you read up on your particular plant and adapt care to the plant. Here, Youtube is usually perfect for getting unique tips while you can also see how to do it.
- Above all, a cuttings needs water, light, nutrition and oxygen. Therefore, think about giving the cuttings all the components they need instead of just one thing – just putting them directly into water, for example, is not the first or best option.
- Once you’ve taken a cutting, try to keep an even and humid climate around it. A mini-greenhouse or a plastic bag around it works well. Just be careful that it doesn’t get too humid and start to mold instead.
- Remove excess leaves. This will save the cuttings’ energy and allow them to focus on forming roots. And also make sure that the leaves don’t end up in the water the roots are in.
- Patience, patience, patience! If you can’t get good cuttings from one plant, try another plant for a while and then try again.
Pack the cuttings you send by post
Since cuttings are usually small and don’t weigh much, they are also easy to send in parcels by post. However, they can be much more fragile than other things you find for sale on Tradera. Here are some tips on how to send the cuttings so that they can make the journey to a new owner.
How should I send the cuttings?
– For my own part, I always send my seedlings rooted. That way, the cuttings are already well on their way to becoming a seedling. I think it’s fair to the new owner,” says Mattias Mattison and continues:
– Since I almost always use rooting cubes, it is easiest to send the whole rooting cube. But if you’re rooting in water, I recommend wrapping some damp paper towels around the roots. Then put the cuttings in a plastic bag or wrap the roots with plastic wrap before packing.
What type of package should I use?
– As far as shipping is concerned, I recommend a rigid package that is no more than three centimeters thick so that it fits in the mailbox. It’s also a good idea to carefully pad or tape the cuttings to the inside of the package so that they don’t bounce around too much during shipping.
After receiving a cutting – what is the first thing I need to do?
– If it’s rooted, soil is usually the way to go. Don’t water too much, and don’t give any plant food other than what’s in the soil for the first few weeks,” says Mattias Mattisson.
Buy & sell cuttings on Tradera
On Tradera you will find a wide range of cuttings. Discover great cuttings at Tradera and follow Mattias’ advice to grow small cuttings into beautiful green plants in your home or garden.
Text: Amanda Blennborn, freelance journalist
