Plant propagators reproduce plants through sexual or asexual methods. Asexual methods include cutting stems, roots, or leaves, using storage organs like bulbs or tubers, and layering air or soil. Propagators can choose the appropriate method for each plant to multiply populations.
A plant propagator is a person who directs the reproduction of plants, who can be a home gardener or a professional who works in a nursery or greenhouse. The simplest way to propagate plants is through sexual reproduction, by planting their seeds or spores. However, most plant propagators tend to focus more on asexual reproduction methods to multiply plant populations. Asexual reproduction of plants can be achieved through a number of different methods, and it is up to the plant propagator to decide which method is most appropriate for which type of plant. Some of the more common methods of asexual plant reproduction include cutting stems, roots or leaves, using plant storage organs such as bulbs or tubers, and layering air or soil.
Cutting, also known as cloning or cutting, involves removing a small piece of a parent plant and then allowing the cutting to take root and grow as a new, separate plant. Stem seedlings are usually taken from shrubs and woody trees. A softwood stem cutting is taken from a branch that is still green and not yet fully hardened, while a softwood stem cutting is taken from a fully developed branch. The plant propagator usually takes cuttings of leaves from herbaceous plants, such as leafy plants, removing a leaf with the stem intact and allowing it to sprout a new plant. Cuttings taken from the roots are usually obtained from dormant plants.
A plant propagator can make use of plant storage organs that store water or energy for the plant, such as bulbs, rhizomes, corms or tubers. This method of propagation only works with plants that have these storage organs. In the case of bulbs, small pieces called bulbs are taken from a mother bulb. These bulbs are then planted in the ground and allowed to grow for a period of two or three years.
Another method a plant propagator can use to multiply plant populations is known as layering. Soil layering is usually used on woody or climbing plants and involves bending a branch, vine or protruding root so that it touches the ground. The branch is planted in the ground, where it takes root and begins a new life as a separate plant. Air layering works well with ornamental woody plants like holly, roses or gardenias. It involves making a cut in an upper branch to promote root growth, separating the injured plant part from the mother plant using materials such as moss and plastic wrap, and cutting the new plant with its root system free of the mother plant.
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