Belonging to the Dracaena Sanderiana family, this houseplant is really easy to grow. They are believed to bring good luck and fortune to where it is planted. We shall look in this article at how to grow fortune plants from cutting.
How do you propagate a fortune plant?
There are a couple of ways to propagate the fortune plant from cuttings. You can either choose to start growing these cuttings only in water. The other way to start this plant is by growing the cuttings in the soil. Both of these methods are easy. Choose whatever you like or suits you.
How To Take Cuttings Of Fortune Plant
The first thing to do is to get some cuttings from a healthy and mature mother fortune plant. It is recommended to trim the mother plant before taking cuttings. After choosing the desired fortune plant and taking the necessary action you need to cut some healthy stems.
Where do I cut my fortune plant?
Use a sterile pruner or knife to take cuttings. The most important thing to take care of is that the cuttings should have at least one leaf joint. The more the better. After you have taken the cuttings, it’s time to start the growing process.
Usually, fortune plant cuttings don’t need rooting hormones. But if you have already tried to grow the plant from cuttings and you are facing repeated failures, then it is advised to use some rooting hormones. This would increase the chances of success.
How To Grow Fortune Plant In Water
Can you grow a fortune plant in water?
Yes, of course, after you have taken the cuttings, you can grow a fortune plant in water. Take a small container or vase and fill it with clean, fresh, and distilled water. Don’t use regular tap or chlorinated water. Use the appropriate quantity of water and do not overfill the container with water.
Fortune Plant in water
Your container should be clean to avoid any possible threat of disease. Now put the cuttings that have at least one leaf node, in the water. Wait for some days to let the roots develop and start growing.
You need to change the water on a weekly basis. After some days you will notice new reddish roots developing. At this step, you can keep the plant growing in the water or shift the plant to the soil. But the best way to grow fortune plants is to grow them in freshwater only.
How To Grow Fortune Plant In Soil
Fortune plants can also be grown in soil as well. After your cuttings have developed roots as told in the above method, plant them in the soil. Make sure that the roots are fully buried in the soil.
You can plant the cuttings right after you have got them from the mother fortune plant. Take the cuttings, dig a hole in your compost soil, and put the cuttings in the soil. At least one leaf node should also be buried in the soil to ensure root growth. Water the soil and keep it moist. Provide your plant with a warm atmosphere until you see new growth.
How to take care of Fortune plant
Fortune plants are easy growing and the steps given below should be followed for good results.
- If growing in water only, use a small jar or vase.
- Use a transparent vase at the start to observe root growth.
- Shift the plant to an opaque jar to avoid the spread of algae.
- Only grow in water or you may also use small pebbles in the jar.
- Don’t use chlorinated or tap water for watering.
- Change the water on a weekly basis.
How to take care of Fortune plant in soil
- If you want to grow the plant in soil, the container should have plenty of drainage holes.
- For soil, use a mixture of perlite and sand. This would provide good drainage.
- Don’t place the container in direct sunlight. The fortune plants grow best in indirect light.
- Provide your plant with temperatures between 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Fertilize once a month. You may need a little amount of liquid fertilizer.
- Prune your plant to keep the desired shape and length. Pruning will also help in healthy growth.
- These plants are toxic.
If you want to look at all these steps in detail and a complete guide on How to grow a fortune plant, visit this link
Problems In Growing Fortune Plant And Their Solutions
Fortune plants are easy to grow but you have to take care of certain problems that might cause problems when you are growing these plants. We shall discuss here some commonly known problems with fortune plants and the solutions to these problems.
Fortune Plant Having Brown Leaf Tips
If you are noticing that your fortune plant leaves are getting brown from the tips, this could be the result of water with high additives or chemicals. This problem is common when you are growing a plant in water.
Water may contain chloride, fluorides, or other chemicals that may harm your plant or even it can lead to the death of your fortune plant. Never use chlorinated or tap water for your fortune plant. If you see the symptoms, remove the leaves that are affected. Cut them by using a sharp sterile knife or pruner. Replace the water with a fresh one.
Black Roots
You may experience this problem while growing a fortune plant. The healthy fortune plant should have red or orange roots. If the roots are turning black, you need to take care of them. It may be caused by multiple reasons. You have to cut these black roots immediately. Change the water in your container and place the stem in new water.
Rotting Stem
If your fortune plant is facing a rotting stem, the reason for it could be excess water than required. Don’t overwater your plant. You don’t need to submerge much of your plant in water.
Only the roots and an inch of stem need to be dipped in water. Don’t let your plant stand in lots of water. If you are growing in soil, don’t let the soil get too wet. This would reduce the risk of rotting stems.
Algae Growth
If you are growing your fortune plant in a transparent container or some glass vase, you might notice algae growth. The main reason could be the excessive sunlight entering directly into the vase or container. The other reasons could be the use of tap water or contaminated water.
You need to change the water first and clean the vase or container thoroughly. A small amount of dishwashing detergent can also be used for cleaning. Once cleaned, now you can start again, avoiding placing the container in direct sunlight. If the problem doesn’t seem to go away, you may have to shift to an opaque container.
Yellow Leaves
This problem arises due to sudden big changes in the environment or your plant is getting more fertilizer and sunlight than the required levels.
If you are facing this problem, you need to stop providing fertilizer to your plant and keep your plant safe from abrupt temperature changes. Also, move the plant to some shady place.
Yellow Stem
This could be more problematic as the recovery from this disease is very difficult or your plant may never recover from it. The main causes of this problem could be stagnant water or your plant is under-watered. It may also be happening because of uneven temperatures or irregular light levels.
Brown Leaves
The problem of brown leaves arises because of stagnant water. The other reason could be dry air. You need to look for these factors to avoid this disease.
Make sure the plant is getting the required humidity levels. Use a spray for this purpose. Also, use appropriate water levels in the container or vase.
Brown Patches On Leaves
Noticing some brown patches on the leaves of a fortune plant? You need to move your plant out of direct sunlight as this is the only cause of this problem. Once you move the plant out of direct sunlight you will notice considerable changes.
Pale or Dry Leaves
This problem is caused by uneven sunlight. Either too much sunlight or not enough sunlight would be the reason for this problem. If your plant leaves are dry they are because of excessive sunlight. In case of less sunlight than required, your plant leaves will turn pale. So take care accordingly.
Stretching Plant
If you notice that your fortune plant is stretching in one direction, the reason is less sunlight. Move it to a place where it gets enough sunlight.
Mealybugs
If you notice some white fluffy blobs on the leaves of a fortune plant, they are the mealybugs. You need to remove them. Use some cotton pad and soak it in some organic insecticide, now wipe the mealybugs off by using this pad.
Mushy Stalks
If your plant is facing mushy or black stalk problems or the stalks are getting rotted, this is not a good sign as you cannot save your plant after this point. Poor water quality, and fungal or bacterial disease cause this problem.
The best thing you can do is to remove the affected part of the plant as soon as possible. The affected stalks will threaten any other stalks that are near them. To remove every single affected stalk. In case you have any surviving stalk left, shift it to a new container with fresh or rainy water.
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