One of the most empowering (and thrilling) ways to propagate plants by taking herbaceous cuttings. This may sound intimidating, but with the proper technique and tools - it is really quite simple.

For your class project, you'll take an herbaceous cutting to quickly double the size of your house plant or herb garden. If you don't have any plants, you can take an herbaceous cutting from a friend or family member to start your own indoor or outdoor garden.

After you've taken a cutting, share photos to your class project on day 1, day 7, and day 14. As a bonus for the project, you'll be prompted to do some research on 3 plants that you'd like to grow in your garden.

Materials you'll need for the project:

Sharp pair of scissors or pruners
Glass of water
A plant you would like to take a cutting of
A pot of soil or a place outdoors where you can plant your rooted cutting

A few suggested plants for taking your cutting include Mint, Rosemary, Lemon Balm, Rosemary, any species of Willow, or Pothos (house plant). With a few basic rules, you will learn to use this technique on a wide variety of plant species - resulting in fast growing, healthy clones of the original plant.

As a helpful resource check out the Suntrap Seed Starting Calendar to learn how I organize and plan for the plants in my garden.

Here are the basic steps for making a cutting:

1. Cut diagonally at the leaf node, about 4-6in from the tip of the most vigorous growth of the plant. Cut away excess leaves, leaving only 1-2 leaves, so that the plant can focus it's energy on growing roots.

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2. Place in a glass of water, and wait for about 2 weeks for the roots to begin growing. Share pictures from Day 1, Day 7, and Day 14 in your class project.

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3. Once the roots have formed, plant the cutting in a small pot.

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I'm excited to see the photos of your beautiful cuttings!

Rhonda Skains

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