New plants from old

Spanish gardens are full of succulents, agaves and cacti. So this time of the year save yourself money and create new plants from old. I have been taking cuttings to sell at our annual “Open Garden Day” which is in aid of Campoverde Church.

16th April: Things I have been doing today.

🌻 Take cuttings of succulents. I have been taking cuttings from a range of plants today.

Aloe Vera; one of the many Aloes and one that has long been a standard music hall joke because of its name. These plants send under ground runners that hit the surface in small clusters. Use your trowel to lift a cluster then separate individual plants. Half fill a four inch pot with compost, then stand the plant in the middle and back fill around it with the compost then tamp down. This method allows you to avoid getting compost all over the leaves and lets you get your fingers down the side to tamp down.

Spider Plant; these are a standard in every British bathroom where they can normally be found covered with dust and dead flies. However in Spain they look lovely in your garden and are very prolific. The plants sends out miniature plants at the end of long shoots, given a chance these will root when they hit the ground. All you have to do is cut off the long shoots, then trim them off to leave the baby spiders. Fill a four inch pot to the top with compost and thoroughly soak it. Then with your dibber or a pencil if you are dibberless; make a shallow indent about quarter inch deep and push your mini spider into the compost – root side down of course. This process mimics what the plant will try to do naturally and should be successful.

Aeonium: I know this sounds like a German wind instrument, but it is a lovely succulent. Cut stems from the main plant with a sharp knife. Dip in hormone rooting liquid if you have it; don’t worry if you don’t it will probably work anyway. Fill a four inch pot with compost and water well. With your dibber make a deep central hole in the compost, push the plant well down and firm the compost around it.

Money Plant: Same process as the Aeonium, but you need to strip all the leaves off the stem leaving only four at the top. Unfortunately the name of the plant does not guarantee wealth otherwise I would be worth millions.