In most of my posts/comments, I recommend people to start with plants like mint that are very easy to grow. Mint for example, is easily available. It grows invasively and very easy to propagate. Or is it? I received many questions on how to successfully propagate mint. I have posted several times in this blog on how to root stem cuttings successfully but I thought it would be really helpful if I dedicate one post entirely for mint.
Steps to propagate mint with 100% success rate
- Collect Mint cuttings — Buy or borrow mint that have slightly thicker stems.
- Take the stem tip cuttings by making a cut at 3-4inches from the top. Make sure the cut is right below a node.
- Do not remove all the leaves. Leave them in the cutting, if the bottom most leaf in hindering them you can just remove them off.
- Prepare the media (in my case cocopeat). The media should be moist but not wet. If you try squeeze the media, water should come out little bit.
- Fill a propagation tray with the media. You can take any container. Propagation tray makes it easier to transplant.
- Stick the cuttings into each cell and compact it so that the cutting is intact.
- Now cover the whole setup with a polythene sheet. If your tray is small enough, you can enclose it in a polybag. Transparent cover is good. This step is extremely important. If you don’t cover the cuttings with a polybag, they will lose the moisture and wilt very quickly.
- Keep the setup in a bright location but not with direct sunlight.
- No further watering is necessary. Keep an eye on the plants daily. The plants should remain fresh and not wilt. Wilting indicates that the plants are not covered properly in the polybag and is losing moisture.
- If you properly followed steps 1 through 8, the cuttings should root in just about a week.
- Once rooted, slowly introduce the plants to the outside world. Since they were in humid environment inside the bag, sudden change in humidity will result in plant going through stress.
- Expose the plants to sun gradually. First start with an hour and then increasing by an hour every day to harden them.
- In about 15 days time, your plants will be fully rooted and are good for transplanting.
This is how you propagate Mint from cuttings to get 100% successful results.
Happy gardening
GG
Join the forum discussion on this postRelated posts:
Hi GG,
Good article.
-Karthic
Thank you so much for the detailed write up. I always did the wrong thing by taking the bottom 4 inches and was wondering why it is not growing!!! But one survived even in that. Lucky me!!
Your mint looks so fresh. And it’s really very impressive to see how you get your 100% success rate.
When I first tried growing mint, I’d failed. The reason was I’d used quite a bit of my super-nutritious compost in my quest to have more mint. Now I know that mint can do well in poor soil and can very easily get burnt with compost/fertilizer.
Hi Mani,
Hope you are doing great…. Its been very long that I last talked to you… I have moved to California now… and have completely stopped on gardening(hoping start again this summer). However, I follow your article very closely. Congrats on all your recent achievements.
I feel mint plants by far easy plants to grow. Use all the leaves you want, just place the stem in the soil and just wait until you see fresh leaves in weeks time
Good work buddy… happy gardening..
Sunil
Hello GG,
I did all of the steps but I never got any mint cutting to root. I stay in mumbai and here when you wrap any moist thing in plastic, it is attacked by fungus within 2 days. After few days all the leaves blacken and fall down. The stem also becomes hollow.
Could you suggest any way in which I can avoid this problem.I have been trying since many months for mint.
Thanks,
sushma
Hi sushma,
Sorry to hear that they havent rooted but rotted.
The reasons for fungus are
1. Soil/media is already infested with fungus and reusing them is a recipe for failure.
2. For rooting the cuttings, you need not add any compost or anything. Just cocopeat is good enough. Once rooted they can be transplanted. You can also root cuttings in sand.
3. Avoid over watering.
If you ensure, the above mentioned things are taken care.
100% success is guaranteed…
I bought a bunch of fresh mint from Reliance Fresh Mart in Mumbai. I took a small bunch and put in a plastic glass filled with water and left it near a window site.
I keep changing water regularly and have noticed roots develop in about 4 days.
You need to leave it for 2 weeks for the roots to develop fully for transplanting on to to soil.
Also tried to transplant a few directly in to the soil, but they withered and died, so I am happy that the first approach succeeded.
that was a wonderful write up.i am trying to propagate mint in the manner suggested by u.thanks to u i too am trying to grow a few vegetables in my balcony, though i am facing few minor problems .my coriander does not grow tall enough.after a few leaves it flowers.The plants are weak in general though they look quite healthy on germination. as they grow they start looking lanky.what could be the problem? another problem is with my chilly plant.it has grown quite well and is bearing flowers.but after the flowers dry out i fail to see any chilly on them.the plants are quite healthy.how many days does it take to bear chillies after flowering?
I have the same problem with coriander.
As far mint goes – i propagated it successfully using this method a while back. however, the leaves are getting thinner and thinner and it does not look at plush. I have removed some of the roots; any idea what could be other problems?
I stumbled on your blog couple of weeks ago and it inspired me to take my balcony gardening more seriously. The tip about keeping the mint covered worked very well and I have managed to get one started in a pot. Thanks a lot.
Thank you for this post. I was able to start my mint going very easily this way after several unsuccessful attempts earlier.
[...] can be propagated very easily: just take cuttings! How to grow mint from cuttings: http://j.mp/waKdDh TwitterFacebook [...]
I am eager to know from Ashok: Whether the mint plant is still in water? Is the plant healthy? Howabout the nutrition requirement?
@arul
Yes..it has been almost more than 2 weeks now…the mint seems to be growing nicely (amazingly without adding any suppliments till date)
However do note I did have a 5% loss (they did not survive)
I will try and get a few pictures and post a Picasa link and request GG to upload on his website.
Thanks to GG for this great website and source of knowledge for newbee’s like me.
tried this method with mint, coleus and chrysanthemum so far. super success…thanks a ton! have been on your website like i am studying for an exam… so much more enthu now to garden
Hi Arundati,
So happy to see the comment. Glad to hear that you were able make cuttings this way..
happy gardening
gg
Few practical questions:
1. Where would I find propogating trays? I have been trying to find them for some time now!
2. Whats the local (hindi/ colloquial) name for cocopeat? My maali doesnt seem to understand what exactly is that!
Your help would be highly aprpeciated!!
Terrific. Grew 32 mint plants as per your advice and all of them have been transplanted and thriving well. Kudos to you.
As suggested,I have grown mint – Fudina. This is growing well. Thanks – GG for presenting in a excelleny way.
I was willing to see your terrace garden but my programme to visit Bangalore was cancelled. I am always looking or say waiting to hear new news.
Very happy to hear that my method of growing mint is effective..
I would like to invite you to follow my blog, Gardening Upstream.
Thanks for the invite. Your blog is nice.
Sir, I don’t have a propagation tray, can i use a plastic tray, to propagate mint? should i make holes at the bottom of the tray?
you dont need a propagation tray. you can use any pot or tray and definitely you should make drainage holes in the tray or any container for that matter.
Thank you. I am growing okra in pots. Last season, I was very successful in growing them. But this season, I found the white patches, under the leaves, almost on all okra plants. After seeing your article, on growing okra plants, I sprayed neem oil with dish soap. Should I rub these white patches, with a tissue paper or just leave them as it is?
[...] it’s so versatile and plentiful. It you have friends with mint, it’s easy enough to grow from cuttings or, as I did this year, grow from seeds. The seeds may be slow to start, but once they get [...]
hurray…I had used tissue paper to plant the cuttings…and the roots are formed. (Today is the 7th day). I have transplanted the saplings. Keeping fingers crossed.
Thank you GG.
I stay in Mumbai and obviously we do not have enough space to live let alone garden.. I do not even have a terrace.. I am keen on having a home garden and need to start with the basics. How do I go about it. I am very keen on growing Vegetables/Herbs and fruits..
Revathi
Sunlight is an important constituent in a plants growth. If you do not have an access to light, then your option is to grow under lights. These are special grow light with the perfect combination for plant growth. Which means you cannot use common light bulbs. However you can try with powerful CFL (more than 70-100W). Other types of light include Metal halide, Sodium Vapour, & LED grow lights. These lights are expensive (especially LED lights). Sodium vapour is cheaper but you will be spending more on the electricity bills
Regards
GG
Do you sell the propagation tray at gardenguri.com?