As we all settle into the new normal of living and working at home, we’ve each found different ways to breathe new life into our spaces. One, in particular, plant parenthood. I’ve always been a lover of greenery, but things definitely kicked up a notch since we first began quarantine. And it seems that hasn’t been the case for just me–so many people online have been showing off their new plant babies. And one thing I’ve noticed in recent months is the growing popularity of Plant Propagation.
Plant Propagation is simply the process of creating new plants. As opposed to buying a pre-potted plant, you’re either using a seed, cutting, or part of another plan to grow your own at home. Given how expensive plants–and planters, are these days, I’m not surprised it’s picked up steam.
I’ve had plants for the past 3 years now, but still consider myself to be a beginner in the space. So, to help me give a better explanation of the propagation process and some best practices I decided to tap one of my absolute favorite people to follow, Brittanie Dacus–or @botanistbee!
Brittanie has an amazing platform in which she shares her journey as a plant expert. She gives easy-to-digest tips and tutorials, updates on her own collection, and sells some pretty chic plant-centric merchandise. Not to mention, the aesthetic is *everything*. So, here’s a little more about her–and how you can begin the propagation process yourself:
Tell us a little about yourself, Brittanie! Who are you, what do you do if you don’t mind sharing? Many may know me as ‘Botanist Bee’ but my name is Brittanie (call me Bee). I am a content curator who loves all things plants. When I’m not caring for my plants, I’m brushing up my skills as a photographer or playing dress-up in my closet.
When did you first discover your love of plants? Do you remember your first one? I have been surrounded by plants my whole life thanks to my mom. She’s always kept a handful of plants in our home. It wasn’t until the end of 2019 that I begin my own personal collection. My anxiety increased tremendously and I wanted to find a healthy coping mechanism to combat my anxiety.
Okay, let’s talk about plant propagation–it seems to be gaining so much momentum these days. Can you share with us what exactly it is? Plant propagation is basically the process of starting a new plant. This is getting a lot of traction/attention I believe due to the accessibility and affordability.
Are there any specific benefits to propagating plants? The main benefit of propagating plants is the array of new plants you get. So in essence, if you have a mom plant that is getting too wide or trailing too long, you can propagate her and create more plants. This is a great way to save money for those who are on a strict budget but want a house full of plants.
Are there different ways in which someone can propagate a plant? There are several ways one can propagate a plant: cuttings, layering, division, budding, and grafting.
Is there a specific method you’d recommend? The propagation method that I recommend and practice the most are cuttings. Cuttings are very simple and take little to no time to root. If you’re wanting to propagate a plant for the first time, I highly suggest checking out my blog post let’s propagate. I share proper do’s and don’ts for first-timers.
