Just last week a friend and I visited a large greenhouse to stock up on last-minute herbs for the growing season. As we walked the aisles, I felt more than a little guilty, if not mischievous, about the number of times I whispered to put a plant back since I already had it and would happily give her a cutting. When you’re stocking a garden for the growing season, every $3 and $4 savings really adds up quickly!
Plants such as basil, mint, and oregano are incredibly easy to reproduce from cuttings — and a heck of a lot faster than growing from seed. So easy in fact, that it is practically criminal how quickly you can stock your entire garden from one small plant. I save time and money every season multiplying my basil crop in this way.
What You Need
Materials
Your choice of herbs
Small cup or jar
Pot or planter
Soil and compost
Tools
Scissors
Instructions
1. Allow new plants to grow for a few weeks to a month. When they’ve doubled in size, cut a few stems about 4 or 5 inches long just above or below a node (the juncture on the stem where leaves are attached).
2. Pluck off one or two sets of leaves, and remove any flower or buds that have formed. The goal here is to keep the plant focused on growing roots and leaves; flowers (a different form of reproduction) are a big energy drain.
3. Stick the stems in a small cup or jar of water and place in a sunny but protected spot. Add more water as it evaporates; at least one node should always be submerged in water since this is where the roots will form.
That’s it. You should see roots in less than a week. Once healthy roots have formed, pot up or plant the new plants in-ground and you’re done. You can add a little vermicompost to the hole if you want and of course water them in well to get things going.
Additional Notes: Plants with woodier stems, including rosemary, scented geraniums (aka pelargoniums), and lemon verbena tend to have a little trouble producing roots in water, but will work just as easily in a soil-like medium. Follow the directions for growing in water, but push the cutting into a small plastic pot or tray filled with well-draining potting soil, coir, or a mix of 1 part vermiculite and 1 part perlite.
Keep the soil moist, but not sopping wet. I have had especially good luck allowing geranium cuttings to scab over for a day or two before potting them up.
Herbs to Start in Water:
- Basil
- Broadleaf Thyme/Cuban Oregano
- Mint
- Oregano
Herbs to Start in Soil/Coir:
- Broadleaf Thyme/Cuban Oregano
- Lemon Verbena
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Savory (Summer and Winter)
- Scented Geraniums
- Stevia
- Thyme
Gayla Trail is the creator of the popular gardening project YouGrowGirl.com, a community for laid-back but enthusiastic gardeners where she also shares her personal experiences tending four very urban gardens: a rooftop edible container garden, 2 community garden plots, and a guerrilla garden planted in a once derelict space on the side of her building. Her work as a writer and photographer has appeared in O Magazine, The New York Times, Newsweek, ReadyMade, Domino, Budget Living, LA Times, Life Magazine, and more. She is the food gardening columnist for The Globe & Mail and the author of Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces and You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening.
(Originally published 2010-06-24)
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I was wondering if rooting hormone was required for this? Also could I do this with herbs I buy from the grocery store or farmer's market?
Hey Caeebe: I have never found rooting hormone to be necessary with these plants.
You can definitely use market bought plants for this. No sweat. Just look for the freshest looking plants and take fresh cuttings.
If basil has already started to change flavor (become bitter and lose aroma), even a little, because it's about to bolt, will the clone of that plant revert to its 'young' condition and produce good-tasting leaves? Or is the clone the same chronological age as the original plant, and it will immediately start flowering?
I always have basil and mint on hand... Mint in Iced Tea is so refreshing for Summer... Great post!
Laura @ Bright Bold and Beautiful
http://brightboldbeautiful.blogspot.com/
I notice parsley isn't on the list. Is that because it doesn't work?
I'm also curious about SoRad's question.
I'm curious about cilantro (as well, as parsley). Any thoughts, anyone?
@jezibel I have not had any luck with growing cilantro and worse luck trying to move it to new pot. The roots don't like to be disturbed. Maybe cloning is better. Try a larger pot from the start so you don't have to move it and let us know how it worked.
I grew flat leaf parsley last season and it was very strong in NJ, grew back after cutting it almost to the ground. I think it would be a good one to try with this method.
Stupid spam bots...
Anyway, i just found this article today and thought I'd contribute to future peoples!
I generally have great luck with cloning my cherry tomato plants and cilantro. However, with the cilantro, they can have a bit of a failure rate, so make a bunch of clippings. Shouldn't be too hard; it's a hardy plant!
Wow ... I didn't know that herbs would grow from cuttings. Thanks, so much, for the tip!
Great idea. Love your blog, Gayla! Fellow Torontonian... :)
Oh, excellent re-post! I was just thinking of going out to get (of all things) another mint, but now I see there is no need. Thanks for the heads-up!
Cloning won't really work with parsley or cilantro - you have to wait until a new plant starts to grow off the original and divide it. I'm curious too about the a plant when it's about to bolt.
No more buying planted basil for $7 at Whole Foods. Bless you!
I have tried several times to propagate mint but maybe I've been doing it wrong. I will try your method and maybe I'll finally have lots of mint to enjoy! (I've tried with mint I got at the supermarket; do you think that's the problem? I have worried it was not fresh enough but have also heard mint spreads so rampantly I thought it might work out).
Any idea if this would work with hardy kiwi vines?
They're quite prolific and I'm constantly pruning them - but I feel bad just trashing the cuttings. I thought it might be interesting to try propagating them.
wow, feeling guilty for NOT being a consumer? The things society has taught us!
This is a GREAT idea- thank you!
I've been trying to get my rosemary to root in some water for about a week! Maybe I should try soil.
Yay for Gayla on the Kitchn! I have also successfully rooted Asian herbs and greens like ong choy, Thai basil, and tung ho using this method.
@sarabclever--I know I'm super-late in seeing this, but I learned from my MIL (who has a super green thumb) that for asian basil, mint, lemon balm, and red perilla at least, you can just put cut herbs from the market in the ground and they'll often grow. I've done it successfully with leftovers that have been in the fridge a few days even--didn't use all the mint? Throw it in the windowbox!
What about what type of water should be used? How often should teh water be changed? Should fertilizer be used? And what type soil mixture? is there a complete list of what herbs can be propagate from cuttings?