One way to multiply your houseplants is through soil propagation. So what is it and which plants does it work best with? Let’s dive in:

This is a continuation of a previous guide on propagation. To read more about propagating a plant, check out my post titled How to Propagate a Houseplant: A Guide to Water Propagation.

What is Soil Propagation?

Soil propagation is a method of growing new plants from cuttings by placing them directly into soil or a soil-like medium. This technique is commonly used to propagate a variety of plants, such as herbs, shrubs, perennials, and even some trees. The goal is for the cutting to develop roots while embedded in the soil.

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Benefits of Soil Propagation:

• Easier transition for the plant since it’s already in soil.
• Ideal for plants that don’t root well in water or prefer direct soil contact.
• Provides better anchorage for the cutting as roots grow.

This method works well for many species, but success depends on factors like the plant type, cutting health, and growing conditions.

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Which Houseplants can I try this with?

Though the list is not limited to just houseplants, here are a few indoor plants that grow well at home using this technique:

• Pothos: Very easy to propagate in soil from stem cuttings.
• Spider Plant: Offsets or “babies” root well in soil.
• Coleus: Grows rapidly from stem cuttings in moist soil.
• Philodendron: Cutting pieces from this plant can root quickly in soil.

This list is certainly not extensive. I have also been successful with using this technique on my fiddle leaf fig tree. The tree was growing crooked so this is what I did:

1. I clipped a few leaves down and in between nodes of the main plant
2. Once I had my cutting, I dipped it into rooting compound to support root growth.
3. I planted the cutting into a new pot with soil (mixed with perlite) and covered it with a clear plastic bag. This imitates greenhouse conditions.
4. I made sure to mist the leaves daily for the first few weeks. Having adequate humidity was important while the cutting was setting roots.
5. Lastly I positioned the cutting in indirect sunlight.

Both the propagated cutting and the tree are thriving. In fact, a new leaf just sprouted on the original tree. Until next time.