The best way to grow extra herbs is to propagate some cuttings! Learn how you can grow new herb plants from old herb plants.
Once you learn how to propagate perennial plants you will want to propagate so many things. You can literally cut part of a plant off and turn it into a whole new plant.
Buying herb plants can be expensive, so propagating them is a great way to stretch your gardening budget. I have bought oregano once and I continue to propagate new plants from that original plant.
If you want to multiply your herb plants, keep reading to learn how to propagate herbs from cuttings.
How To Propagate Herbs From Cuttings
In the past I have had rotting cuttings that would never put down roots. I finally changed the way I propagate cuttings with the below technique. Here are 4 simple steps to propagating herbs from cuttings.
Step 1: Take a cutting
You first need to decide what plants you are going to take the cuttings from. I suggest you look for a mature plant that needs pruning that way you can propagate and prune at the same time.
If you don't have any herbs that you can take cuttings from ask a friend or family member if you can taking cuttings from their plants.
When you take a cutting make sure you take both a growth tip and 2-3 plant nodes. These plant nodes are simply where the plant is growing leaves from the stem.
This is extremely important because these plant nodes are where the new roots will grow from. If you don't take the proper cutting, your herbs will not propagate.
Below is the example of the perfect cutting for propagation.
After you have the cuttings you will want to strip them of all the leaves except the growth tip. Here is what your cutting should look like after you have stripped the leaves off.
Step 2: Honey and Molasses
After I take my cuttings, I will then dip them in a mixture of 50% honey and 50% molasses. This may sound strange, but here is why I do it.
Honey has compounds that act as a natural antifungal. This protects the cuttings from rotting in the wet soil, so your cuttings will have a better chance of propagating correctly.
Molasses is actually a natural fertilizer. I add molasses to my cuttings to help them grow healthy leaves and roots.
You only need a little bit of this mixture, and I just dip the cutting in until it is coated up to the growth tip. I have rooted cuttings without using this solution, and they can still put down roots so this isn't necessary.
Step 3: Moist soil
I used to propagate my herbs in a glass of water. While this method can work, I always found that my cuttings were rotting in the water.
I finally got tired of this and just put my cuttings into damp soil. This is now the only method I use because it works so well.
So after you have your cuttings stripped of leaves and coated in honey and molasses, you can just stick them in a small pot with really wet soil. I like to make my own soil mix and it works great for propagation.
I then place my pots in my greenhouse or under a grow light indoors. For good propagation results your cuttings should be at room temperature.
If temperatures go above 800F or below 500F your cuttings will not root well, so I like to keep them indoors where the temperature is perfect.
Once you see the top layer of soil drying out make sure to water it. It is extremely important to keep the soil moist until you notice new growth.
Step 4: Watch them grow
After a few weeks in the moist soil you should notice new growth on your herbs. I recommend that you propagate more plants than you want because some cuttings will die off in the propagation process.
Once you notice that your cuttings are growing, you can treat them like other potted plants. I will allow my plants to grow in the soil for 4-6 weeks before I transplant them.
You should allow the soil to dry in between waterings as this will force your herbs to grow stronger roots. Once your plants are big enough then you can transplant them after the danger of frost.
Note: Some herbs, like mint and oregano, are best grown in pots because of their spreading behavior.
Herbs that are good for propagation
Not every herb is easy to propagate from cuttings. Here are some common herbs that I have found are easy to propagate: Thyme, lavender, oregano, rosemary, basil, sage, and mint.
All these herbs are easy to propagate! If you want to harvest herbs through the winter, you can take cuttings from them and grow them inside through the winter.
When spring comes you can then propagate more cuttings for outdoor plants! This is a great way to extend your herb's lives and keep you from buying new plants.
What is the best time to take cuttings
For perennial herbs you can take cuttings from them anytime of the year. I have even trimmed my perennial herbs in the middle of winter and successfully propagated those cuttings.
It is best to take the healthiest cuttings possible from your plants. Don't take cuttings if the leaves are brown and dying.
If you take cuttings during the summer, don't cut them during the heat of the day. This will stress the plant. During the summer the best time to take cuttings is in the morning right after the dew has dried.
How long till my herbs root
Patience is key when propagating herbs as most can take a few weeks before they start to root. Some herbs like basil and mint will root faster than thyme.
A good rule of thumb is three weeks; if you don't notice any growth after three weeks, your herbs are most likely not going to propagate.
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