Care tips, Decoration, How to sow, Succulents
Propagation Mandala- Make Your Cuttings Look Good
Oct
Propagating and getting new baby succulents from your favorite species is always fun. However, you have to admit, the process itself isn’t that pretty. Until you plant rooted cuttings, they may look a bit too exposed and raw. Well, that doesn’t have to be the case. You can take some extra time and make your own cuttings arrangement of the sort. Here are some tips on making propagation mandala, a cute way to display cuttings while they’re rooting. This arrangement will also allow you to monitor the whole process properly.
Propagation Mandala- Use What You Already Have
To make a mandala, you’ll need a container to start with. This is a great way to put some old pots and containers in use. If you have an old, maybe broken shallow dish, this is a good start. Since you’ll be propagating more cuttings at once, it’s best for the container to be as wide as possible.
For starters, fill the container with a well-draining potting soil mix. If you’re using a commercial succulent soil mix, it’s always a good idea to add some perlite or pumice to it, to make sure that the drainage is fast enough for baby plants. Don’t press down the soil. The airflow will ensure that the cuttings don’t rot.
When you’re done with the soil, cover it with a layer of sand. You don’t have to go crazy here, just make sure the layer is even and all the soil beneath it is covered equally. Then, top all of that with gravel. Again, make the layer as even as possible.
Now, it’s time to get creative. Besides cuttings, you’ll need some decoration. You can use pretty much anything- fairy garden decoration, pieces of glass, different stones, terracotta, gemstones… Possibilities are endless and it solely depends on your own vision. When you’re done decorating, just place your cuttings around the dish.
There you have it! It’s very easy and you get to express your creativity. Propagating mandala works like any other propagating medium. Allow the cuttings to callus for a few days and start to sprinkle the water around regularly. In a few weeks, you should have fully rooted cuttings ready for planting. Then you’ll have some room for new cuttings to join the mandala.