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Skills⏱ 7 min read

Pruning & Propagation

Shape plants, encourage bushier growth, and multiply your collection for free with stem, leaf, and division methods.

Why Prune?

Pruning encourages bushy growth by redirecting energy from one long stem to multiple side shoots.

Basic Rules

  • Always use clean, sharp scissors
  • Cut just above a leaf node
  • Remove no more than 25–30% at once

Propagation Methods

Stem Cuttings (Most Common)

  1. 1Cut a healthy stem with 2–3 nodes
  2. 2Remove lower leaves
  3. 3Place in water or moist propagating mix
  4. 4Roots develop in 2–6 weeks

Leaf Cuttings

  1. 1Remove a healthy leaf with its petiole
  2. 2Insert into moist mix at 45°
  3. 3Works for: succulents, African violets, snake plant

Division

  1. 1Remove plant from pot
  2. 2Separate root clumps gently
  3. 3Repot each division
  4. 4Works for: Peace lily, spider plant, Calathea
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