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Photo: Cuttings: water or soil — Biusch · CC BY-SA 3.0. Photo cropped from the original.
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Cuttings: water or soil

MYTH

Any cutting will root in a glass of water.

FACT

Plenty of houseplants root in water, but those roots are coarser and take a while to settle into soil. And some cuttings rot in water before they ever root.

What actually matters

  1. Who roots well in waterBegonia, ivy, philodendron and coleus, for example, root easily in water.
  2. Leaves above the waterStrip any leaves that would sit under water. Change the water once or twice a week and keep the roots covered.
  3. Pot it up earlyWhen the roots are about 2–3 cm (an inch) long, plant the cutting in a pot of soil and water until it drains from the bottom. It may wilt or drop a leaf at first; with steady care it recovers.
  4. Or go straight to perlitePlant the cutting in damp perlite and cover the pot with a plastic bag, but don't seal it. Give it bright light, out of direct sun.
  5. Not every cutting likes waterHibiscus and citrus usually rot in water before they root. Succulents mostly root poorly in water too. Let the cut end dry until it seals over — usually a few days, sometimes several months for a cactus — then plant it in cactus mix.
Sources: Iowa State Extension, Missouri Botanical Garden, NC State Extension.