Do you know you can salvage stem cuttings to propagate your String of Turtles plant immediately after a pruning routine? But ensure to take only the healthy cuttings to do the job!
Moreover, propagating the String of Turtles in water or sphagnum moss instead of soil will encourage disease-free plants.
So, go through this article to learn failproof methods to propagate String of Turtles into a new plant with aftercare tips.
Table of Contents Show
Does String Of Turtles Grow Fast?
As a String of Turtle grows best in bright indirect sunlight, you can place them potted both indoors and outdoors.
However, they rarely grow in garden beds, but due to their low root system, they don’t require huge pots to thrive.
Additionally, these slow growers take about 3-5 years to mature and can grow trailing their stems up to 1-2 feet long.
To make your string of hearts grow fast, you must ensure not to expose them to the sun for more than 2-3 hours.
Also, grow them in temperatures of about 65-75°F and well-draining potting soil rich in organic matter to make them grow faster.
How To Propagate String Of Turtles?
You can easily propagate a String of Turtles from stems and leaves, which can root in soil and water.
However, be patient, as the cuttings or whole plants may take 2-5 weeks to root and grow properly.
1. Propagation Via Stem Cuttings
Before taking stem cuttings, make sure you use clean and sterilized tools to avoid any infectious pathogens.
- Make a clean cut of about 4-6 inches from a healthy string of hearts plant.
- Soak the cutting in water and fill the pot with a well-draining potting mix.
- Dip the cutting in the rooting hormone after removing the lower leaves and place it on the potting mix.
- Or, dip the cuttings up to nodes directly into the water, ensuring you change the water daily.
- Wait until you see the root forming on the nodes and plant it on the potting mix.
Propagating stem cuttings in water is the easiest way to propagate String of Turtles but ensure to use distilled or filtered water.
2. Propagation Via Leaf Cuttings
It’s very easy to propagate a String of Turtles with leaf cuttings if you take the leaf-cutting properly, including the nodes.
- Make a tidy leaf cutting with a pruning tool.
- Dip the cutting directly into the water or on the rooting hormone.
- Change the water daily if you dip the leaf in the water.
- If you dip it in the rooting hormone, plant it directly on the sphagnum moss and wait until the root forms.
- But, if you place it in the water, plant your String of Turtles on the pot after the root forms.
Propagation from leaves is also called the butterfly method, as the leaves attached to nodes look just like a butterfly.
Tips For Propagating String Of Turtles Successfully
Before propagating String of Turtles, make sure you use a terracotta pot with enough drainage holes for the best starting.
After you follow these tips, your String of Turtles will grow within a month with healthy roots.
- Always take the cutting longer than 2 inches with nodes. Otherwise, the cutting will fail to root.
- Plant the cuttings or leaves in a succulent-friendly potting mix and amend it with organic compost for the best results.
- Water the cuttings only when the soil is 2 inches dry, ensuring the soil is moist but not waterlogged to prevent root rot.
- Place the cuttings in bright, indirect light for healthy and lush growth.
- While propagating String of Turtles in the winter, provide 8-10 hours of artificial light to the cuttings.
- Once the cutting roots, repot it into the one-inch larger pot as the plant is a slow grower.
- Also, feed the established plants with a balanced fertilizer every month during the growing season.
From Editorial Team
Make Your String Of Turtle Pot Fuller!
Although it’s not the common way to propagate the String of Turtles, you can make your String of Turtles pot fuller by propagating its tips.
Simply touch the tips of a long String of Turtles on the soil without separating it. Water and fertilize adequately during the growing season to enhance rooting.
Once the tip roots and settles, separate it from the mother plant, and you will get your pot fuller with String of Turtles.
