How to Propagate Desert Plants

Propagating Desert Plants from Seed

• 1

  Obtain seeds. You can buy variety packets of desert plants seeds at just about any nursery or garden center. You could also gather seeds from the wild. Keep in mind that some desert plants are endangered and there may be areas where cultivation of wild seeds is restricted. If you are going to harvest in the wild, make sure to do so legally and ethically.

• 2

  Select a planting container. Use a shallow container with proper drainage. While you want the seedlings to be moist, they should not be sitting in stagnant water. Fill your container with a growing medium. A mixture of about half perlite and half sterilized potting soil is appropriate for starting desert plant seeds. Make sure the growing medium is sterile because the moist environment needed to get the seedlings started is also ideal for growing molds and fungi. Most potting soils you buy at your local garden center have been sterilized.

• 3

  Sow your seeds. Wet the soil/perlite mixture completely. Allow the excess liquid to drain off. Sprinkle the cactus seeds on top of the moistened soil mixture. There is no need to cover the seeds over with soil, just let them lie on top. Use a spray bottle of water to moisten the freshly planted seeds. Water from the tap should be fine for desert plants.

• 4

  Cover the containers. Cover the planted containers with plastic wrap to create a mini-greenhouse environment. This will help the seedlings remain moist while they germinate and start to grow. Remove the plastic wrap and water every three to four days. Desert plant seeds can take between two and 16 weeks to germinate. Do not allow the seeds or the seedlings to dry out. While a mature desert plant can go a long while without water, this is not the case with seedlings. Even a short period without water could be catastrophic.

• 5

  Continue to water your seedlings. Keep the sprouted desert plants moist for at least 3 months. Once the plants start to gain a little size and ability to retain water, you can remove the plastic cover and cut back on the watering. It may be a year or longer before the desert plants generated from seed are large enough to transplant.

Propagating Desert Plants from Cuttings

• 6

  Take a cutting from an established plant. Use a sharp, sterile garden knife to cut a section off of the desert plant you want to propagate. Set the cutting in a clean, dry area and allow the exposed flesh of the plant to callous over. This can take from one to two weeks. Allowing the cutting to form a callous will help to prevent rot. Because they are so fleshy, many succulents are susceptible to rotting.

• 7

  Select a container. Pick a pot to hold your cutting and fill with your soil/perlite mixture. Similar to starting with seeds, keep the soil medium moist. Small clay terracotta, plastic or fiberglass pots should all work fine provided they have proper drainage. Some people even use Styrofoam cups for propagating cactus. Moisten the soil mixture thoroughly and allow excess liquid to drain away.

• 8

  Plant the cutting. Stick the calloused end of the desert plant cutting into the moist soil. Keep the soil mixture moist, but make sure and look for any signs of rotting. If the cactus starts to rot, cut back on the water. It's a fine line, because the plant will be establishing new roots, so some moisture is necessary. The desert plant should be rooted in about a month's time.

Propagating Desert Plants from Divisions

• 9

  Harvest plant divisions. When a desert plant has rooted itself and has multiple stems or sections coming up from the ground or pot soil, it is a simple matter to separate the division from the mother plant. Simply use a garden knife to cut the plant away from the source.

• 10

  Re-pot your divisions. Once you've separated the division from the mother plant, then you can re-plant it in a pot or in the ground. Use the same mixture of half perlite and half sterile potting soil.

• 11

  Keep the division well watered. Taking care of the division is pretty easy as the plant has already established its root structure. Water well for a few weeks.