Propagating Cactus and Succulents

Many of these will root and may then be potted. Cuttings also can be started in a shallow, well-drained pot or in a box that is at least 5 inches deep. Be sure the container you use has adequate drain-age. Use a sandy rooting mix 3 parts sand to 1 part loam and set the cuttings in place so they are in contact with the soil. Do not push them deeply into the soil. Keep containers slightly shaded and the soil just moist to the touch. When color and plumpness appear in the young plants-indicating that roots have formed they can be potted individually. Another way of getting more plants is by taking offsets; these are small plantlets that appear on flower stalks of aloes, agaves, haworthias, andcrass sulas. Many times offsets will appear at the base of a plant. Any o.ffset can be put directly into a sandy soil where it will root. Plants that form a dense mat usually consist of several crowns; these individual crowns can be severed with a knife or pulled off and each one planted by itself. Offsets and divisions both require the same basic treatment: warmth, shading from sun, a sandy mix, and even-but-moderate moisture.