The Propagation Handbook: A Guide to Propagating Houseplants

Indoor gardener/plant stylist Carter (Living Wild) shares his extensive knowledge of houseplant propagation, which is when a new plant is grown from an existing one. He begins with the reasons to propagate indoor plants and lists the necessary tools for success. Rooting cuttings in water is his preferred method to propagate most plants, and he demonstrates how specific plants can be propagated with different methods: by placing stem, tip, or leaf cuttings on soil; by seed; by air layering; or by division. The book’s entries offer a timeline for root development and the cultural requirements for caring for the newly rooted plant. Carter talks about choosing the proper soil blend and selecting appropriate containers that will highlight the rooting cuttings and baby plants and also help the newly rooted plants to thrive. He also explains how to create propagation bouquets that can be displayed in the home like flower arrangements. Beautiful color photographs, including ones of a lush exhibit of rooting cuttings displayed in test tubes on a wall, illustrate the book.