Common houseplants such as coleus or philodendron are easy to root. Just place them in pots with moist soil, create a greenhouse for them, for example with a regular bag or plastic cup, and after a few days or weeks, the newly cut plants will begin to form a root system. They can even take root in water, although this method is slightly less efficient.
But for cacti and succulents, the situation is completely different. Cuttings placed in water (or on the surface) are just as likely to rot as they are to root. Even when they take root in the water and you think you've made it, you replant them in a potting mix and then they rot! In addition, succulents planted in pots of moist soil, such as non-succulent houseplants, are also prone to decay. This can be frustrating for new succulent growers!
Let the wound heal!
A wound is an open wound on an incision, an open wet hole that is a real place of treatment for bacteria and fungi. The thicker the stem, the larger the wound...... the greater the likelihood of decay.
However, if you let the wound heal first and force the plant to form a callus, then the risk of decay is effectively eliminated. Most capable succulent breeders will do this.
！ The callus in succulents is the protective layer that forms at the site where the plant has been cut or damaged. This layer prevents water loss and protects plants from infection. Callus is formed before the plant begins to take root or heal the damage.
They separate the cuttings from the mother plant, but do not immediately plant them in pots or put them in water. Instead, you simply drop the detached new plant and expose the cut area to the air. Then you need to wait for the wound to dry, and if the stem of the cuttings is very thick (like the stem of a sedum tree), this can take a few days to a few weeks or even months. But eventually the wound will heal. Once the wound is covered with a callus and becomes hard and lignified, the risk of decay is practically reduced to zero.
But something bad can happen. If your incision has been lying on its side long enough and waiting for the wound to heal, the tip may start to grow towards the light. Because even rootless succulent cuttings are alive and struggling to grow. As a result, you get a new plant with twisted stems.
This is mainly a problem with cuttings that form callus more slowly, such as sedum and euphorbia.
A method for succulents to take root in the air without bending their stems
Of course, there is also a way for the succulent to take root in the air and keep the stem straight. When the callus forms and the cuttings take root in the air, you need to keep the stem upright. Yes, place the cuttings in the air until it grows the waiting roots, not in soil or water.
Here's how:
Take a plastic cup, turn it upside down, and make a hole in the bottom that is larger than the stem of the cuttings. The cut is then inserted into this hole. In this way, the stem will be fixed in a vertical position.
Then place the glass with the cut in a well-lit place, but not in direct sunlight. Forget about it for a moment.
After some time, the incision will be covered with callus, and aerial roots will form in the lower part of the stem. All the while, the upper part of the plant receives enough light and begins to grow slowly.
When the incision is completely healed and the roots begin to appear, the incision is removed from the glass and planted in a pot. Simply use the same soil mixture as the adult succulent mother, usually a mixture with good water and air permeability.