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How to successfully propagate plant clippings? HELP PLEASE!!!

5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago

Can anyone help me with propagating clippings from a meyer lemon tree and other clippings? I am a newbie at all of this!





On the right is from a gardenia plant, the middle is a meyer lemon, and I have no idea what the one of the left is. I am just trying to grow that too.


I have humidity domes on them and a grow lamp as well. I just took the domes off to take the photos. If you zoom in the photo, some of the leaves are turning yellow and are falling off and some have bright yellow main veins. I bought ”Open Sesame“ for a nutrient supplement but haven’t used it yet bc I don’t want to kill them in case it is too early to use it.


I planted these about 2 weeks ago. I just don’t know how long to keep the domes on them for. The hardware store I bought the planters from told me to buy an led grow lamp and have that on during the day to help them grow. I have that on for about 8-12 hours a day, they are in a south facing window, and mist them every morning with distilled water.


I just need all the advice I can get on how to successfully propagate plants. I am nervous about root rot and fungus.


Thank you.

Comments (15)

  • 5 years ago

    It's not easy. One of the things you should do is put a clear plastic bag over it to help hold in the humidity.

    Coating the bottom in rooting hormone can also be very helpful.

    Keep in a warm location, but too much warmth can cause the plant and/or soil to dry out. The cuttings will be very vulnerable to drying out since they don't have roots yet.

  • 5 years ago

    I would increase the lamp hours to 12-14 or so. Rooting hormone is advised. Other than that, just patience at this point.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    So it is ok the leaves are turning yellow and falling off? I haven’t watered it since planting it bc of the dome.

  • 5 years ago

    Someone else had mentioned to water with diluted H2O2. Is this a good idea?

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Soil needs to be just moist. Humidity high. If leaves are falling off there's a chance you left too many on the cuttings. They need only 2 or 3, and of those, I usually cut in half to reduce transpiration. Your cuttings may lose a leaf or two, but should stabilize. Then it's just a waiting game.

  • 5 years ago

    As I said in the other thread the leftmost plant is most likely a star jasmine. It likes to climb but I have kept mine bushy. Easy to root and so are the others you have there. The key is to have the soil warm and humidity high. If the humidity is constantly at 100% you risk fungal attacks. So ease off on misting every day unless your humidity dome does not hold humidity properly. In a properly contained environment you may need to mist/water every 3 or 4 days. If you use a heat mat you may lose water more quickly. A soil temperature of 75F-80F is sweet spot for most plants.

    Yellowing leaves are fine and some will drop off. Pick them out and keep your pots clean. This will prevent any dead material rotting in your pots.

    Usually rooting hormones are not needed unless it is a particularly difficult species and/or using hardwood cuttings. I rarely use hormones and I do 100's of cuttings. Depending on the species I get 75%+ success for most tropicals and sub tropicals. Conifers and deciduous are more tricky.

    After you see new growth (can take anywhere from 2weeks to 2 months) ease of on the humidity slowly. My humidity domes have adjustable vents. Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Sunlight-Supply-Tall-Humidity-Dome/dp/B003B5RM5C

    Those are expensive on amazon. I buy locally at hydroponic store for $7 each for the domes only. And they last for years.

    I have never felt the need for using peroxide except to clean my tools.

    And then just need to be patient. The longest I have had to wait was for cinnamon cuttings. I started a few last Fall and finally noticed some roots poking out of the small pot a couple of months back. More than 10 months. Stayed green all through without dropping a single leaf.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Thank you all so much for the advice!!

    The dome I have has a vent on the top that can be opened or closed and 3 little holes at the bottom. So the dome is never 100% in humidity. They get about 80% humid. Some days it is 50% humid. I just think bc of varying temperatures. Only 3 of the star jasmine seem to have new leaves. Should I wait until all have been leaves to remove the dome? Also, would I be able to water with the fertilizer? Or will that harm the plants this early?

  • 5 years ago

    Also the leaves that fell off were the only 2 leaves I had on that cutting. 😬

  • 5 years ago

    Wait till the leaves have hardened. That is they look like a normal leaf before starting to fertilize. Start with 1/8th the strength for fertilizer. That too may be alternate watering. I would wait at least 2 weeks after new leaves appear to start fertilizing. If you have a cutting that does not show signs of rooting then fertilizing the soil is going to be detrimental. So just wait. Remember just because new leaves show up does not mean it has actually rooted or has enough roots. Without proper roots fertilizing is useless exercise and often detrimental.

    Leaves falling off is normal. You juts have to wait and hope the root.

  • 5 years ago

    Easiest thing to do is cut off all but top two leaves, cut those leaves in half. Dip the stem in a rooting hormone, stick them in damp sand, vermiculite or soil, cover the soil and pot with a ziploc bag, with a couple of small holes poked in it. Set it in a shady, warm place and forget about it for a month. And presto! you have rooted plants. You don't need anything fancy, and you don't want to fertilize until they have roots. I have rooted many things in this way. Good luck!

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    When a plant has the top or roots removed it directs it's stored energy towards restoring the root/top balance. Pruning the top initiates vigorous replacement top growth.

    If a cutting is removed, the first priority is to initiate roots to establish a root/top balance. Bottom heat and rooting hormones assist in root initiation and development.

    Growth of new foliage should be discouraged until roots have been established. Fresh top growth will deplete the stored energy if it precedes new roots.

    Although difficult to provide, the ideal temperature is warm root zone and cool stem temperatures. This promotes root growth, while retarding premature foliage initiation.

    Fertilization is pointless before new roots have developed.


    The lower the temperatures are during winter, the less light is required, as photosynthesis is greatly reduced. A downside the moist, low light conditions is the potential for the proliferation of fungal diseases.

  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Yes, the leaves need to be mature leaves on the cuttings, not new soft growth. Mature, hardened leaves retain more moisture within them, prolonging the life of the cutting.

  • 5 years ago

    When would I be able to take off the humidity domes from them? They have been in the dome for about 5 weeks now. I was thinking of leaving the Meyer lemon clipping in it’s humidity dome until spring? But removing the star jasmine and gardenia domes?

  • 5 years ago

    If you think the plants are rooted then you have to wean them out of the dome over a week or so. Leave the vent open half way for a few days and then fully open for another few days. If you notice wilting of the new leaves then dial back the vents and wait a few more days to try again. Last couple of days I usually prop up the dome so air can flow easily from the bottom. If there is no drooping then I take it off completely.