Magical Propagation Method - 100 Percent Success Rate!!!

[@cameronsmith5982]

Would you please do a video of the step by step method in this video?

[@JohnDennery]

Great idea! I'll have to figure out which plant I can propagate right now but then I'll get started on this right away. Thank you

[@WendyWilliamsLiving]

Very helpful, thank you! Trying this method immediately, much easier than water propagation!

[@JohnDennery]

Yeah, this is definitely my favorite method. Best of luck to you!

[@Mar13579]

Yes !!! Water changes are a pain when your life I too busy. I am doing mostly all perlite prop boxes now instead of melting my stems in water

[@easymode_RL]

Geniusly simple. Also love the table to window also. Only thing I was thinking is maybe you could stack some cast-iron pipes to the top of the table so that way you could fit even more plants on there.

[@KuyaCraig]

Oh my I didn’t know this is what it was called. I actually use LECA on the bottom as a reservoir and then stratum with perlite in the middle to route and pumice to on top to keep the cutting/plant from breaking or toppling over!!

[@lourdeslopez9833]

I love working with perlite.

[@markeric9071]

Thanks for the video! I’ve been trying it and it’s been working really well!

[@JohnDennery]

I'm glad it's working for you too! It seriously feels like magic. Cheers

[@ChuspinSpain]

Thanks for this idea. I also love the fact that you ended the video by standing up and pushing the button, just a bit like me, cause I do them without editing or stuff like that, the old way lmao.

[@cplova333]

I was wondering why mold was gathering in my perlite propagation, it was right in front of a west window! I thought more sun would be good but turns out the heat is not!

[@Grrrnthumb]

Probably algae, no mold. You can end that problem by slipping the clear pot into a very slightly larger opaque pot. Just lift it out to check the clear pot for roots. Also growing under lights or a little farther out of the window will grow less algae.

[@lindaiannetta1171]

Step by step video would be helpful

[@irinaonishchenko1868]

Hi John. Thank you so much for your video. It’s very informative and inspiring. I started my plastic been with few plants in jars with perlite. And of course, I am confused with how much water to put in. Today I was checking jars and it seems to much water. I started to drain some. Now I am afraid that it can be to dry there. I am not sure if I need to add some water today. Any advice, please!

[@JohnDennery]

If the perlite is wet, any amount of water at the bottom will keep it moist. If the perlite is dry, it won’t wick water all the way up so make sure you get all of it wet first and then just maintain a small layer in the jar. As long as the water level isn’t so high that the stem/trunk is submerged then you’ll be good to go!

[@irinaonishchenko1868]

Thank you so much John! I will monitor it. One more question. I installed the light on 16 hours timer. Just I am not sure to keep it through the night or not.

[@JohnDennery]

@@irinaonishchenko1868 12-16 hrs is plenty of light, no need to run them at night. We are trying to mimic tropical conditions and 12-16 hrs works great. Best wishes and enjoy your prop bins!

[@irinaonishchenko1868]

Thank you so much John. My cuttings are still alive. Hoping to see some roots soon.

[@sureshgharse878]

Can you do the same with natural light? And do a vedio? That would be a good comparison 🙏

[@luckybarrel7829]

Cool idea. Will definitely try. Sounds like it could work for rose cuttings as well.

[@anitaparikh6415]

May we please have a link to the led lights? 🙏🏼

[@markanderson3852]

Thank you. Have you ever tried Growing roots on Orchids-?--I need Help with this.

[@JohnDennery]

I don't personally have any experience with orchids, but I've seen lots of people grow them very well with leca. I had a friend with several dozen orchids, all growing well in jars of leca. Seems like the orchid roots really love lots of air!

[@markanderson3852]

Thank you John

[@smlhtr]

Do you add any fertilizer to the water? Say 1/5th dilution or so? Perlite is not nourishing for the plant.

[@JohnDennery]

I have done that, but only for cuttings that were rooting for a long time, beyond one month. For most cuttings, I usually transplant after a month of rooting and then feed one week after they have moved to soil. If I see some leafy growth and don't want to transplant yet, then I will feed very lightly as you describe.

[@kiwing3044]

Thank you fo sharing. I tried my first perlite propagation for my monstera albo. Somehow it has stem and aerial root rot after 4 days. I am not sure is it too wet or I did something wrong…. 😞

[@JohnDennery]

So sorry to hear that! My best guesses for why that would happen would be: 1. Not enough light. Any cutting will rot/fail if the light levels are insufficient. I believe this is the most common reason for propagation failures. 2. Mother plant and/or cutting were not healthy enough to begin with. Make sure your plants are actively showing new growth before cutting for best results! 3. If the water level in the jar was up to the actual stem itself, it will definitely rot. I try to always plant my cuttings halfway down the jar and keep the water level below the 1/4 mark at all times. I hope this helps you find more success in the future!

[@lorirader7075]

Trying this on my ppp that had root rot and lost all it roots. I have had it in moist spagnum moss but doesn't seem to be doing anything. Thanks for the tips.

[@JohnDennery]

This is a great method to rehab plants but it can sometimes take a long time. I really hope your plant will pull through for you!

[@alternativemummy9769]

Super helpful, thanks!

[@eleanormcneal516]

I have learned so much from your videos. I have a question. I tried propagating in perlite and my roots rooted including some of my leaves. What am I doing wrong.

[@JohnDennery]

I'm glad this information is helping you! I have two guesses for why the propagation failed: 1. Not enough light/warmth. If the plants don't get bright enough conditions they will struggle to root. Also, if they are cold and wet, this will make it more difficult. 2. Mother plant wasn't super healthy before making the cutting. Was the plant actively growing before you chopped it? Sometimes we take cuttings at a point when the mother plant has low energy and they just don't really have the reserves they need to root successfully. If you have any sort of humidity bin/chamber with leds you can set up, it will boost the success significantly. You can watch a video I did on my humidity bin setup here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gnOUmICvmLeKebc I hope this helps! If you don't think it was either of these, let me know and we can try to figure it out!

[@eleanormcneal516]

@@JohnDennery tu

[@brassteeth3355]

Looking forward to trying this John. Did I miss the timer settings for the light?

[@JohnDennery]

Anywhere from 12-16 hrs of light per day is ideal, to mimic tropical conditions. I run mine for 12 hrs a day and the plants zoom right along!

[@nittaya6929]

I’m trying this have a plant that not growing root!

[@remelescoto17]

Wow!!! Great job! How long did it takes for them to have roots? And how long do they need to stay in that container? Thanks!

[@JohnDennery]

These rooted in 3 weeks and I left them to root for 2 more weeks after that. If you have less light, warmth, or humidity it will take longer. I like to wait until I see a decent sized root system before repotting them, but some people will repot at the very first sign of roots. I just repotted these each into 4 inch containers and they have enough roots that they should grow at full speed ahead! Cheers

[@remelescoto17]

Wow!!! I’ll take note of that. Thank you sir!

[@michellechapman6839]

Can you propagate a cactus in perlite??

[@JohnDennery]

Now that is a good question! I never tried this method with cacti or succulents but maybe it would work well as long as you don’t have it in a humidity bin?

[@jamieb7342]

I'm going to try this method on my ficus. I did it without the the bin and nothing happened. I'll try your method and see what happens.

[@JohnDennery]

Good luck! Let me know how it goes 🙏

[@jamieb7342]

@@JohnDennery Well, my ficus ended rotting in perlite. I might have added too much water, perhaps. I placed them in moss and they are rooting.

[@JohnDennery]

@@jamieb7342 oh dang! Sorry to hear that. Did you sift out all the dust? Also, as long as the cutting wasn't actually IN the water, it might not have been too wet, but I don't really know. Was it a ficus elastica cutting? I've lost some of those to rot in the past, but never tried them with this method yet.

[@jamieb7342]

@@JohnDennery It was a ficus triangularis. Do you mean sift out the dust before propping or afterwards?

[@JohnDennery]

@@jamieb7342 the perlite should be sifted beforehand so that it's nice and chunky. That way you'll have a good balance of moisture and air pockets. If it's too dusty or the particles are tiny then there is a higher risk of rot. I sifted mine to be 1/12" and larger.

[@taylerraine5613]

Did you cut it from a branch?

[@AnthonyGuido]

When done rooting, do u jus pull the plant out of perlite and put it in soil?

[@JohnDennery]

Yeah, I just gently pour it out while tugging on the plant and then pot it into the new mix! Perlite is super light, it makes it so easy

[@AnthonyGuido]

@@JohnDennery jus reptted cuttings from a butterfly bush. Been a few weeks and roots were perfect. Ty. Will def be using this method alot more

[@s_1408]

What color is your grow light?

[@dbo9984]

This is great info. Thank you for sharing. How many hours per day do you run the grow lights?

[@JohnDennery]

I'm glad it helped! I have them on a timer for 16hrs per day. Cheers

[@danisantos6270]

I going to try this method! :)

[@evangelisaanna901]

Is that okay if i don't use grow light? let say i just keep the whole set by the window? Thank you.

[@JohnDennery]

It could work, but you need to be very careful to avoid overheating the plants. Direct light would probably cause some serious problems. If you have a small temperature gauge you can leave in the bin it will help you understand the temperature fluctuations throughout the day. Try to keep the temperature below 85F. It should be possible, your cuttings will just root more slowly since they will be getting less light. The major benefits of leds are the constant lighting throughout the day and lower temperatures than direct sun. Good luck!

[@evangelisaanna901]

@@JohnDennery yikes! thank you man. will try and then update how it goes.

[@aspirativemusicproduction2135]

I am trying this now but I am still not sure I know what I am doing.

[@dorkolicious525]

Great video. Can you use vermiculite?

[@JohnDennery]

I have no personal experience with vermiculite, but it has a reputation for being wet and soggy. I would not recommend using it with this method unless you accept that a failed experiment is still a success!

[@tamujoyner5901]

Once upon have roots do you then transplant to soil or continue any growth in the perlite? Fertilize?

[@JohnDennery]

You can transplant as soon as you see roots or continue growing in the perlite indefinitely. You just add nutrient water like you would with leca. I left a plant in perlite for over 6 months last year and it grew really well but then it had a harder transition to soil. I prefer to transplant to soil as soon as I see some nice roots or new foliage.

[@shadowsidesoamplified]

I read that putting cuttings under grow light is causing them go yellow and if was the case for me. I had to move them away from the grow light and in a bright location. Any idea why they yellow under grow light?

[@JohnDennery]

Great question. This was happening to me as well. I thought it was too much light but it turned out to be nutrient deficiency. The plants were not getting enough nutrients for such a high growth environment. It’s possible that your lights were too strong for those cuttings without roots to absorb nutrients. How close were they to the light?

[@shadowsidesoamplified]

@@JohnDennery they were maybe about 6-8 inches and it was on highest settings. I thought more must be better lol i guess not

[@SwaraGTheGardener]

Beautifully explained. Thanku.. Subscribed.

[@miadish6703]

I have a question. Ive tried perlite and they all rot. I did exactly :( what do you think might be wrong

[@JohnDennery]

How big were the cuttings? If you cut further back towards or into the woody part of a ficus, it will have a higher chance of success. If you take smaller cuttings only from the tips then they will be more susceptible to rot. It's possible that you did everything correctly and they just didn't quite have enough energy to grow a new root system. How much light were you giving them?

[@mogwaii2912]

Great vid

[@audreyvogl7266]

Any advice for transitioning out of the prop box to soil??

[@JohnDennery]

Absolutely! My best advice is to always change only one thing at a time. Switch it to soil and put it right back in the bin for a couple weeks or so. If you repot, move it away from the grow lights, AND move it out of the high humidity all at once it usually causes problems.

[@michellechapman8738]

My scindapsus and cebu blu cuttings just wont root!! What is going on???

[@ChessieChess]

I’m doing an experiment with scindapsus as we speak. Some in perlite, some in vermiculite, some in water. I’ve had success with water in the past but it takes so long. I’m having fast progress rooting in perlite with allocasia, philodendron and schefflera so I’m hoping scindapsus will be fast too.

[@michellechapman8738]

Well..im just done with this plant. I took them out the soil..put back into water.

[@kzam713]

Can you also do the same method but use leca instead of perlite?

[@JohnDennery]

I haven't personally tried that but I know that people do root cuttings in leca so it should work very similarly.

[@kzam713]

I am doing with leca with 2.5 gal zip lock bag over. It is sitting on a stone countertop. Would you recommend a heat mat under? I live in Tx our temperatures ranges 40-50s outside. I also am expecting a plant by mail, a steam cutting with 1 small root forming. Can i dip that in rooting hormone once it gets to me then propagate?

[@JohnDennery]

@@kzam713 I would be very careful with adding heat. If your home stays about 70F, it should be fine without it. I tried using a heat mat with one of my bins this year and the temp inside the bin got WAY too high. I added a layer of cardboard over the mat and it was okay but still really warm. If you can figure out a way to keep the temp below ~85F then it might speed things up. Your stem cutting will definitely work, just make sure it doesn’t get too wet. Keep it in the upper layers of LECA so it can breathe better. Good luck with both of these!

[@itskristoffer4461]

how often should i change the water?

[@fermypoo]

Loved this! What’s your sign? I’m getting earth vibes lol no pun intended

[@JohnDennery]

I'm a pisces but I've been working on my earth-bending :)

[@flytoinfinityvivi]

Will this work for leave cuttings propagation??? Like Begonia???

[@JohnDennery]

I imagine it would but I have no direct experience with that. I'm not sure if a leaf cutting would be more prone to rot or not. I'd probably only bury the base of the leaf slightly but I hope you will try it out and let us know!

[@sinanaltuntash]

What's the ideal temperature? What should be the max temperature?

[@JohnDennery]

Anything in the 70-80 range should get things growing really quickly. From my research into greenhouse growing, temps should never be allowed to exceed 90F.

[@OmarOsorio]

Thanks for the idea! How many hours a day you turn on the led light?

[@JohnDennery]

12-16 is the magic number!

[@OmarOsorio]

@@JohnDennery thanks for the tip!

[@sfactress]

Love this video! Do you have any suggestions for a small (8”) triangularis that has just dropped all of its leaves? The trunk is still alive. (Backstory...it was rescued a month ago and had about 30 leaves. It was overwatered & then brought to me.) Thank you in advance:)

[@JohnDennery]

Just put it somewhere warm and boost the humidity if you can. Without leaves the soil will stay wet for much longer so you need to check it frequently and make sure it gets enough time to dry out between waterings. I had one lose all of its leaves during shipping once and it took a couple months to start growing again. Just keep giving it love and trust that good things are happening beneath the surface. Once they settle in to a new home they are more easygoing but it’s normal for them to lose all of their leaves during a move! You’ve got this 👍

[@sfactress]

John Dennery Thanks so much. Appreciate the help. 😉

[@MountainsnVallies]

@@JohnDennery what about re rooting a Hoya? Mine was purchased and in a pot without drainage 😩 I repotted it but the leaves were just super flimsy and soft. I’ve got it in a bag with air and a wet paper towel.. it has small roots but wondered if I should cut the roots it does have and try re soothing in perlite and a bag? Any suggestions would be appreciated! Ty

[@jenniferscatena]

Should the perlite be wet at the top? I can’t tell if I put too much water in

[@JohnDennery]

Yes, the perlite should wick water up throughout the entire jar/pot. As long as the cutting is not actually in the layer of water it should be fine. I'm not really sure what too much water would be, but you might end up with water roots instead of the soil roots you can normally get with this method. As long as you see a small layer of water at the bottom that is not evaporating after a few days, you've got it. If you're worried, you can pour the water out and just make sure you see condensation and signs of moisture throughout the entire jar. Cheers

[@FuriousRoxtars]

Any holes in der ??

[@JohnDennery]

There are no holes in the jar, the water collects in the bottom. You could also do this with a regular grow pot but you'd have to water a couple times per week to keep the perlite moist.

[@nerdhimeshy3869]

Hello! Great video!! I'm thinking of trying to do the same method. What light wattage are you using?

[@JohnDennery]

nerdhimeshy I have this under 4 x 20w led strips. I did notice the leaves turning a lighter green color over time so I’m pretty sure that means it was too bright. So you can get away with less or more depending on close your plants will be to the light source. Mine were about 8” away and it was too much light

[@nerdhimeshy3869]

@@JohnDennery update! i tried it with my ficus triangularis variegata and it didnt work :C maybe because the plant was already dead when i took this step xD however, i tried it with multiple jasmine cuttings and all rooted! (wish i can show how good the roots look like) easiest propagation ever for jasmines. i only used normal T5 LED and im quite surprised with how well it worked. Thank you for this video!

[@allouttabubblegum1984]

Do you use distilled water to prevent mold?

[@JohnDennery]

I use drinking water for this since they'll be sitting in it for awhile. It doesn't need to be distilled but I wouldn't recommend regular tap water. Whatever you normally drink at home will work great.

[@dinaoctavina5254]

How long they have to stay in the box?

[@JohnDennery]

It really depends on the health of the cuttings, temperature, and type of plant. Almost everything has rooted for me in a month or less but sometimes it takes longer.

[@haicelimoule3316]

Wait, regular LEDs can work for propagations?

[@matthewrichardson7203]

Any updates

[@JohnDennery]

I currently have all three of the triangularis cuttings growing in different bonsai soils as an experiment. I'll release a video about it when there's been some more growth, maybe another month. But they are all happily growing new leaves!

[@matthewrichardson7203]

Cool

[@mwoods4608]

Are they grow lights or just led lights

[@JohnDennery]

Regular 4 ft LEDs, 6500K and they work great!

[@PennyJonesLoL]

So you don't soak your perlite before? You put the cutting in dry perlite and then add water?

[@JohnDennery]

Yeah, I just find it easier to handle when it's dry. Wet perlite sticks to everything and I had a harder time getting it to actually pack down in and around the roots. But other than that, soaking it would be a great idea.

[@d_d_d_d_]

sweet thank u

[@jameeclare]

Thank you!!!

[@ulianazlotnik3093]

what if I put just water?

[@JohnDennery]

Well, water propagation definitely works for many species but I’ve never tried it in a humidity bin. I’d be worried about too much moisture rotting everything. Also, then those “water roots” have to transition to soil so there’s another obstacle for the cutting. I prefer this method since the plants will grow regular roots that are ready for potting mix.

[@diannenaworensky6698]

Fool proof, that's easy for you to say 🤣🤣🤣