PROPAGATION :
Propagation is a scientific name for reproduction in any form of living thing. With plants, it means making new plants either from seeds or from parts of existing plants. It's usually very easy to make new plants, and it's one of the most rewarding things about gardening.

PROPAGATION: SOWING SEEDS
Many houseplants can be increased from seeds, whether grown for their flowers, foliage or berries. Others include palms, ferns, insectivorous plants, cacti and other succulents. Whatever the type of plant, the seeds need three basic conditions to encourage germination - moisture, warmth and air. Most seeds germinate in darkness, but a few-such as the Wax Flower (Begonia semperflorens)-need light. These conditions are created by sowing seeds in a seed compost that both retains moisture yet allows air penetration, and either placing in a greenhouse or on a warm windowsill indoors.

Sowing Seeds :
1. Fill a clean plastic seed-tray with seed compost. If small numbers of seeds are to be sown, use a shallow seed pan. Do not sow different seeds in the same containers.
2. Using your fingers, firm the seed compost, especially around the sides and edges as this is where it will start to become dry if regular watering is neglected.
3. Place more seed compost in the seed-tray and strike the surface level with a straight-edged piece of wood. Try to leave the surface of the compost even and flat.
4. Using a piece of wood with a small handle attached to it, firm the surface until it is about 12mm/1/2 in below the rim. Keep the surface clean to ensure an even surface.
5. Tip the seeds into a folded, V-shaped piece of paper and gently tap the end to encourage them to fall on the compost. Do not sow seeds within 12mm/1/2 in of the edge. Label the box.
6. Some seeds require light to encourage germination, but most need darkness and are covered to three or four times their thickness. Use a fine-mesh sieve to scatter compost.
7. Water the compost by standing the seedtray in a bowl of clean water. When moisture seeps to the surface, remove and allow to drain. Do not water from overhead, as it scatters the seeds.
8. The seed-tray needs to be covered to prevent the surface of the seed compost drying, as well as maintaining a high temperature. Domed, plastic covers are convenient.
9. An alternative to a plastic cover is a sheet of clear glass. However, condensation accumulates on the underside and this must be wiped off every day, the glass then turned upside down.
10. To create a dark environment for dark-loving seed sown on, or almost on, the seed compost's surface, cover the glass with a sheet of newspaper. Remove when the seeds germinate.
Repotting of Seedlings :
As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle they must be moved into individual pots, where they have more space and an increased amount of air and light. If not transferred (picked off), they become drawn up, thin and lanky, and eventually unable to support themselves unless assisted by neighbouring seedlings. Additionally, seedlings tightly clustered together are more susceptible to diseases than those with a good circulation of air around them.
When Transferring Seedlings...
* don't use potting compost formed unsterilized garden soil, as it may contain pests and diseases.
* ensure the roots of seedlings are moist before being pricked off.
* hold young seedlings by a leaf-if held by the stems they soon become damaged if squeezed.
11. After seeds germinate, remove the covering and allow air to circulate around the seedlings. Continue to water them by standing the seed-tray in a bowl of water. Avoid wetting the leaves.
12. When the young plants are sturdy and growing strongly, transfer them into small pots of potting compost. First water, allowing excess to drain, then pot up individually. Avoid damaging roots.

13. When the young plants are sturdy and growing strongly, transfer them into small pots of potting compost. First water, allowing excess to drain, then pot up individually. Avoid damaging roots.

14. Gently hold each plant by its stem and trickle potting compost around the roots. Take care not to squeeze the stem-young plants are easily damaged and subsequently may not subsequently may not recover.

PROPAGATION: DIVIDING PLANTS :
Houseplants mainly grown for their attractive foliage are best divided in spring. Some flowering types with a perennial nature are also increased in this way, as soon as their flowers fade but preferably in spring. Flowering plants that finish flowering in autumn are best divided in spring. Division in spring enables young plants to become established during summer, while growing strongly.
Plants suitable for division include ...
Sansevieria trifaciataa (Mother-in-Law Plant)
Spathiphyllum wallisii (Peace Lily)
Hedera helix (common Ivy)
Ferns (Many can be divided)
Palms (Many can be divided)
Saintpaulia ionantha (African Violet)

Dividing a Peace Lily :
1. This congested Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) is best divided in spring. Remove the soilball from the pot by inverting the plant and tapping the rim on the edge of firm surface.
2. Evidence that division in needed is indicated by a mat of roots around the root-ball. A mass of white roots indicates that the plant is healthy and growing strongly.
3. Using fingers, tease and pull apart the root-ball into several substantially sized pieces. It may be necessary to cut some roots, but never use a knife to slice through a plant.
4. Hold a young plant in the centre of a clean pot and trickle fresh potting compost around the roots. Firm the potting compost and ensure the plant is at the same depth as before.
5. Water the plants from above and place in gentle warmth. It may be necessary to shade plants from strong sunlight until roots are established and absorbing water. Do not water the plant until the compost has started to dry.

PROPAGATION : LAYERING
1. If the plant is growing as a climber, release and lower a shoot. Ensure the potting compost in the mother plant's pot is moist, and fill a small pot with equal parts moist peat and sharp sand.
2. Lower a stem to the potting compost, press in about 2.5cm/ l in deep and use a bent piece of wire to secure it into the potting compost as shown in the picture above. Water the plant to settle the compost around the stem.
3. When young shoots develop from the tip of the stem, use a sharp knife, scissors or secateurs to sever it from the parent. To tidy up the plant, cut the shoot back to its source.

PROPAGATION: RUNNERS
Increasing a spider plant:
1. Chlorophytum comosum (Spider plant) develops long, trailing and arching stems with small plantlets at their ends. When pegged into pots of potting compost placed around the mother plant they develop roots.
2. To propagate the plant, use small pieces of bent wire or hairpin to secure the plantlets into the potting compost. Water, place in gentle warmth.
3. When young shoots start to develop from the plantlets, cut the shoots from the parent plant and move them into a lightly shaded position until growing strongly. Keep the potting compost moist.

PROPAGATION : STEM-TIP CUTTINGS :
Many houseplants can be increased from stem-tip cuttings, each formed from a piece of stem, several leaves and a terminal shoot. They are usually 7.5-13 cm/3-5in long and, if possible, taken from the outer area of the parent plant, where they would have been in good light and growing healthily and strongly. Spindly and weak shoots are not suitable as cuttings. Additionally, ensure that the mother plant is healthy & strong-wilting plants never produce good cuttings. Cuttings need a moisture-retentive yet well-aerated potting compost to encourage rapid rooting, such as equal parts moist peat and sharp sand.
Sometimes it is impossible to take cuttings from a plant without spoiling its appearance. Also, some plants grown indoors do not produce young shoots that can be used as cuttings. In greenhouses and conservatories it is often possible to grow plants in out-of-the way positions, specifically to create young shoots that can be used as cuttings. The Zebra Plant (Aphelandra squarrosa), Rose of China (Hibiscus rose-sinensis) and the Lollipop Plant (Pachystachys lutea) are frequently cut back in spring or after flowers fade, young shoots then growing from leaf-joints. These are subsequently used as cuttings.

Taking Stem-Tip Cuttings :
1. Use a sharp knife to cut a strong and healthy shoot from a mother plant, severing it just above a leaf-joint. Do not leave short spurs, as they are unsightly and encourage the onset of diseases and decay.
2. Trim the cutting's base to just below a leaf-joint, at the same time cutting off lower leaves close to the stem. Some cuttings have two leaves at each leaf-joint, others just one.


3. Dip the cutting's base in hormone rooting-powder. Use a small dibber to form a hole into which the stem in inserted 18-25mm/3/4-l in. Do not bury the lower leaves, as this encourages rotting.
4. Firm compost around the cutting's base, water from above, insert short split-canes in the potting compost and cover with a plastic bag. Secure its base around the pot with an elastic band.