With temperatures and light levels rising, now's a good time to make new house plants via leaf cuttings - tropical and subtropical species are ideal candidates. And what's more, this is one of the most simple, rewarding and speedy ways to take cuttings.
Years ago, when I taught horticulture, we managed to fill a vast glasshouse very inexpensively by bulking up classic house plants such as streptocarpus (Cape primroses and African violets), begonia rex and sansevieria with leaf cuttings. Placing cut leaves in contact with compost initially looks so unlikely to reap a reward but it works like magic. Let me tell you how...
Taking leaf cuttings
Tropical and subtropical plants such as streptocarpus, our example here, are perfect for propagation via leaf cuttings in June. Here's how to get great results
1 Fill a 9-12cm pot with a mix of multi-purpose peat-free compost and sharp sand, firming the surface down to within 1cm of the top.
2 Use a sterile, sharp blade to cut a few healthy, active leaves from low down. Make sure they are free of pests and diseases and are well hydrated.
This story is from the June 2023 edition of BBC Gardeners World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2023 edition of BBC Gardeners World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Travel Ideas For Garden Lovers
Looking for green-fingered holiday inspiration? The GW team share recent destinations for garden getaways
Your wildlife month
December is a time for reflection in the garden. What worked for wildlife in 2023 and what didn't? How could you do more? Looking at the bones of the garden now, is there space for more plants? Are your fences bare? Are there enough berries and hips? You have until March to plant bare-root trees and shrubs. What would look good? What would better serve wildlife?
The Full Monty
I can, and occasionally do, manufacture jobs in a kind of gung-ho, boy-scout spirit
Expert's choice
Smaller variegated ivies still pack a big punch all year round, says Graham Rice
YOUR PRUNING MONTH
Frances Tophill explains what to cut back now, including grapevines and hardy shrubs
Hardwood cuttings
It's the zero-fuss way to make free new shrubs - just follow our guide from Nick Bailey
Hassle-free harvests
While veg-plot activities slow down in winter, there is still plenty to do, from planting fruit trees, and harvesting sprouts and salads to taking stock of your growing year so you can plan next year's crops, says Jack Wallington
The happy house plant guide
In the first of a seven-part series, Jane Perrone shares expert advice on how to give your house plants the best start to a long and healthy life in your home
The science of soil
Healthy soil is teeming with life - Becky Searle delves below the surface to explore how this fascinating system works and how it can benefit our plants
'It's like another lung - like having oxygen on tap. It makes you breathe in a different way'
Helen Maxwell's garden in rural Carmarthenshire surrounds the house that her husband (who's an architect) designed.
