Sometimes, it’s just useful to take the lazy approach, right? Like propagating cuttings in water. Yeah, you’ll read a lot online about how you should dip cuttings in rooting hormone and place them in a sterile medium, waiting several weeks to see if the roots are growing. But sometimes, it just works to put them in water and see what happens.
Some plants are pretty reliable rooters in water. The first pic here shows some perennial morning glory that we swiped from a neighbor’s yard while out on a walk (they have a HUGE fence full of the stuff, so a few little tip cuttings can’t hurt, right?) and curly willow branches that came with a bouquet, and Santia noticed roots forming in the vase. I was pretty sure the morning glory would root easily (it’s so vigorous), and willows are always easy to sprout in water.
In the next pic, we’re experimenting and trying to get some eucalyptus cuttings to root. These are tip cuttings with new spring growth from two small eucalypts (Sunset Western Garden book says that’s the way to say it!) in our front garden. We bought them last year, sold as Eucalyptus gunnii ‘Steel Tower’ which is listed to only get 2-3 feet tall. Well, ours are now 6-7 feet, but we also had 2-foot zinnias get 6 feet tall last summer, so maybe it’s our good flowerbed soil. I’ll be watching them this year to see if they look like they were mislabeled and actually will become large trees. If so, they’ll have to come out.
But on the chance that they’ll stop growing much taller, I’ve taken the cuttings and may use them as a hedge to block out the view of our neighbor’s camper trailer. They’re great neighbors, but their big trailer now lives in the front yard next to our too-short rose hedge on the edge of the front yard. If the eucalyptus cuttings work, we may be planting them as a tall hedge to keep our garden pics looking lovely.
I’ve done this lazy cutting propagation so many times, and it usually works pretty well. Wish us luck on the eucalypts! I found at least one website saying eucalyptus can be propagated from early spring cuttings.
The not-so lazy method with a special twist
Oh, BTW, if you do go the distance and try rooting cuttings in some kind of sterile medium or potting mix, try using clear plastic cups as your pots (with a hole in the bottom for drainage). That way, you can see the roots when they develop, and you won’t have to worry about whether you’re ruining the cuttings by tugging on them to test whether roots have formed. You’re welcome! :)
I have it in water for more than 3months now and its still going strong. the water is a deep green now and there is a gel like growth on the roots.. im excited to plant it someday or I may just keep watering it.
That’s great news that yours are doing well. My eucalyptus did not eventually grow roots, but plenty of other plants have for me. Eventually, you need to get them out of the water — it’s not great to keep them in water too long after the roots develop. When you first pot them in soil, you might try partially covering them (like with a plastic bottle turned upside down and kept in the shade while covered – NOT sun) to keep the humidity high so they don’t wilt as they adjust to life in soil.
Hi! Did this end up working?!
Sadly, no, it didn’t work. It works with plenty of plants but I don’t think eucalyptus is a good candidate. I have read that eucalyptus can be rooted in the spring in perlite or some other soil substitute, with rooting hormone and covered to control humidity. But probably not my lazy way!