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Share roots with your Valentine

Text by Hanna Piippo.

Houseplants can be propagated (reproduced) by taking stem cuttings from a healthy plant, placing them in water until they develop roots and then planting the rooted cuttings into a favourite pot.

Not only is it fun to share cuttings with friends and family, it’s an inexpensive and sustainable way to spread and grow house plants. It also brings a personal touch when you gift a piece of your botanical treasure with its own history and sentimental value. You’re not just giving someone a beautiful houseplant but you’re giving them a unique gift that will always remind the receiver of your warm thoughts towards them. Something special that breathes life into any room and has an emotional tie to you.

Indoor gardening boosts our well-being and brings joy when we watch our plants thrive. This Valentine’s, show your caring by sharing your roots.

Propagate in these vases

What you’ll need

plant
pruners or knife
glass or vase
water
for potting: pot, pebbles, soil, water

Steps

1. Take cuttings from a healthy plant with plenty of leaves. Make sure the cutting has at least 2-3 leaves and a stem. Use a sharp knife or pruners to make a clean cut just below where a leaf at-taches to a stem (the node).

2. Remove lower leaves but keep 2-3 leaves on the top part of the stem.

3. Put your cutting into a glass or vase filled with enough water to cover the stem. Place in bright light but avoid direct sunlight while waiting for the roots to grow.

4. Be patient – the rooting will take weeks. Check the water regularly. Top off the glass/vase when the level gets low or change the water out completely when it looks murky.

5. After some weeks, when the roots have grown long enough, you can plant your cutting in a pot with soil. Keep the soil very moist so the water roots have time to convert to soil roots.

6. Take care of your plant by considering the amount of water and light it needs. Enjoy watching it grow. When your plant is healthy and has plenty of leaves, share a cutting with a friend.

If you want to keep growing your cutting in water then just make sure to add the proper nutrients to the water. The cutting will continue to grow in your vase and pretty soon, you’ll have a beautiful alternative to a cut flower bouquet.

Prepare your pot

Plants to propagate in water:

coleus
monstera
philodendron
pothos

Shop the look

Ruutu vase 205 x 270 mm copper

Ruutu vase 115 x 140 mm clear

Ruutu vase 115 x 180 mm grey

Ruutu vase 205 x 270 mm copper Ruutu vase 115 x 140 mm clear Ruutu vase 115 x 180 mm grey

Gifting the cutting

Pack the cutting by wrapping the stem in moist paper and then covering it with plastic wrap or foil. You can finish the packing with a piece of silk paper or newspaper (note: you’ll need more newspaper depending on how cold it is outside). Place the package into a gift box or wrap it in gift paper. Add the name of the cutting and care instructions with the package. A nice touch is to include a story about the cutting’s mother plant—sharing history and memories always makes a gift more meaningful.

Share roots with your Valentine

See the roots grow

Ruutu vase 115 x 140 mm clear

Alvar Aalto Collection vase 270 mm moss green

Ruutu vase 115 x 140 mm linen

Ruutu vase 205 x 270 mm copper

plant
pruners or knife
glass or vase
water
for potting: pot, pebbles, soil, water

Give your cutting in a special pot

Nappula plant pot 230 x 155 mm white

Nappula plant pot 230 x 155 mm beige

Nappula plant pot 260 x 155 mm dark green

Nappula plant pot 260 x 155 mm white

coleus
monstera
philodendron
pothos

Gifting the cutting

See the roots grow

plant pruners or knife glass or vase water for potting: pot, pebbles, soil, water

Give your cutting in a special pot

coleusmonsteraphilodendronpothos

Gifting the cutting

Explore more

COLLECTION

Nappula by Matti Klenell

Brand story

Annual colour linen

Tips

Bring nature in

COLLECTION

Kuru by Philippe Malouin

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Enjoy the full experience

Enjoy the full experience

plant
pruners or knife
glass or vase
water
for potting: pot, pebbles, soil, water

coleus
monstera
philodendron
pothos