You’ve successfully rooted your plant cuttings in water…now what? Not quite sure when to transfer your cuttings to soil? Stick around, and I’ll give you my best tips on how (and when) to pot up your cuttings!
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Transfer Cuttings
The time a plant cutting takes to root in water can vary significantly from plant to plant. Pilea peperomioides can start to form roots within one to two days, while Hoyas can take weeks to develop roots.
Technically, you can transfer your cuttings to soil at any time. In fact, you can actually propagate directly into soil, however, it’s much harder to do within your home. When you propagate in soil, you have to keep a good balance of soil moisture, air flow, and humidity. That can be very hard to do inside. I truly believe that water propagation will carry the biggest success rate, especially for beginners.
Are The Roots Long Enough?
I’ve done a lot of propagating over the years with a variety of plants. I’ve tested different root lengths for transfer to soil, and came up with this rule of “green thumb”. For the best success rate, roots should be at least two to four inches long before transferring to soil.
You can absolutely wait until the roots are longer, but I’ve found the sweet spot to be about 2″-4″ long.
What Size Pot Is Best To Use?
It’s really important to use a pot that is relatively the same size as the root system. You want to give the roots room to grow, but not so big that the roots have a hard time retaining all the water. I use a pot that is about 2”-3” bigger around than the root system. Don’t forget to use a pot WITH a drainage hole. If you have a pot with no drainage hole, you can drill your own hole.
Example:
If the roots are about 2” long, then I would use a 4” pot. If the roots were 4” long, then I would use a standard 6” pot. And so on…
What Kind Of Soil Is Best To Use?
You’ll want to use a premium potting soil to start the cutting off right! I really like to use PRO-MIX Premium Moisture Potting Mix. It’s ideal for seed starting/new plants, potting/repotting, and container gardening. The peat base helps to retain moisture, while the perlite promotes healthy root growth and aeration. PRO-MIX also contains mycorrhizae that builds stronger roots and gives healthier, bigger, and more prolific plants. Definitely a plus when transplanting!
Transfer Your Cuttings To Soil
Prep your new pot with the soil. Place approximately one to two inches of soil in the bottom of the pot.
Remove the rooted cutting from the water and give it a good rinse with fresh water.
Place the cutting in the pot and cover the roots with soil. Leave about an inch of space at the top of the pot.
Now is the time to add any preventative insect control.
Water the plant thoroughly until water starts to flow through the drainage hole.
Now What?
Place your new plant in an area according to the best light for your particular plant. Most of my succulents live in my south facing window, while my tropicals live between my south and west facing window.
Until the roots are well established, keep the soil moist but not constantly saturated with water.
I hope this post was helpful for you. Propagating plants is one of my favorite things to do and it’s super simple! But knowing when to transfer the cuttings, and the best soil to use, will help in the overall success of the plant!
Leave me a comment if you have any questions!
Hello! Just a quick question about my pothos plant. My sister-in-law gave me a starter in water and told me that I never have to plant it in soil. So I’ve just been keeping it in gradually larger glass vases. I’ve noticed over the past few months that the leaves are turning yellow. Not all of them. But one by one, I’ll notice another leaf that has yellowed. I have also noticed what I believe to be root rot on the stems near the roots. My question is how do I prevent the yellowing and root rot when it’s in water? Do I need to move the plant into a pot with soil? If so, how do I go about that?
I have pretty much the same problem with the leaves dropping and yellowing. One plant has been going for two years and now shows these problems. Another I have for five years and now the leaves are falling off. This is a Japanese I believe its called a Bonsai. Can you give me any suggestions for helping these plants get healthy.
Thank you. These plants have been in the house all the time. I do not have southern windows, but they are in daylight from early morning to dark.
I’ve gardened all my life. Now my space limits me to potted plants. I’ve always propagated my plant in water first, but want to know which is best. Ugj
If it's a bonsai and you haven't trimmed its roots in a long time that may be the issue. Bonsai is a style of growing, not a type of plant. You should look up bonsai tutorial videos to help you.
You need to either add nutrients to the water or plant it in soil. It is probably missing those. Also, make sure it is in the correct sunlight.
Yes, your plant has been able to survive in plain water up til now because you have taken care to keep it's water changed out often and up size it's container. It has hit the wall so to speak. It needs nutrients, think hydroponics. Water soluble fertilizer will do the trick. Otherwise you will need to put it into a soil/perlite mix with organic fertilizer to extract the nutrients it needs to thrive.
One reason the leaves turn yellow is due to over watering. Keeping it in a vase full of water qualifies as over watering haha. Root rot is common with pothos, and again due to over watering. I'm surprised you haven't mentioned droplets of water forming on the leaves. Mine do that if I water too much…like it's crying. I would move it to soil. Sounds like your plant is fairly large, so it's going to require a good size pot and also room for growth. I don't think there is an easy method of transplanting it to a pot with a complex root system. Just gotta get your hands dirty, I guess. I would suspend the plant with one hand in the pot at the desired depth and then start putting soil in with the other hand. That's how I do it.
I had the same problem (yellowing leaves) I transferred to soil and it turned green again!
They need nutrients since water has none for them.
Very good advice. Thanks.
Thanks for the info! I was curious…. I have a wandering jew, that I have cut some offshoots from. They are currently rooting in water, several different containers (some tall shot glasses, some larger, based on length). My question is, when I go to plant, do I spread them out amongst the pot, or plant them in a bunch?
Have you figured out the answer? I have some I would like to plant as well.
I’m finding conflicting information about whether or not I can put philodendron cuttings, once sprouted, back into the pot with the main plant. I have three cuttings in water right now. If I can’t put them in with the main plant, can I at least plant them all together in one pot? My philodendron has become a one-stalk climber, with small leaves at the end, which isn’t very attractive, hence my question. I’d like it to be fuller.
Hi, Peggy… I'm wondering if you got an answer to your question because I have the same situation going on. Thanks!
This doesn’t address the issue of water roots vs soil roots. Moving water prop. plantings (especially long term ones) directly into soil is going to damage those roots and you will have a harder time succeeding.
A better wyay it to replace water with soil over time. When the roots are ready, pour out half of the water, and replace with dampened soil ( so that it doesn’t float). Replace a little more every day until your cutting is mostly in soil, and at this point you can pot it up into whatever pot you’d like–making sure to keep the soil more moist at first than you might normally as the roots are used to being submerged.
That is something to be aware of. I’ve been almost exclusively water propagating for 20 years and I’ve maybe only had a few failures. I think the fact that I transfer fairly quickly helps.
I have tried the water to soil transitions with out much success. Generally the plant ends up rotted.
Thank you for this tip, will try.
It is because your clipping is lacking nutrients. You can just ad a little fertilizer to the water to fix that.
I love your blog! I’ve been getting into plants recently and I transferred my pathos cuttings from water to soil about a month ago but the leaves are starting to seriously droop. I try to water about one a week and my room is pretty warm (though a little dry). I also put the pathos near a lamp for a light source. All my water cuttings are doing great but it’s just the ones in the soil that aren’t. Do you have an advice to revive my plant or what I’m doing wrong?
Where is this pot from? It’s so cute!
How do you know if the roots are “well established” in the soil? This is for a golden pothos.
Nice post you shared here. Thank you for posting such a great post with us.
This was SO helpful I have been searching everywhere for information on transferring cuttings this told me EXACTLY what I needed to know THANK YOU!!
Hello. My name is Lindsay. I was just searching the web to find quick facts about propagation , the length of time it usually takes to begin rooting (obviously varies after reading), also needed to know how long it would take to grow a fully mature plant from a fallen leaf. I say the word FACTS because I know what my green thumb tells me is correct answer, however, I am dealing with a first customer kind of thing coming tomorrow. I have decided since covid hit that I would start selling plants here and there on FB as well as pretty much ANYTHING garden or not on my commerce page. Well, I just wanted to step it up so I added shipping! I am so nervous that my plants will not make it safely… I am still up researching it! I just dont want my little plants to die and have customers mad at me because I didnt know what I was doing!… Ugh… Anyway. So I learned… Propagating the leaf in water instead of soil?! I mean, I suppose I have done this sort of thing whenever getting my pineapples to root… Or avacado plants… However, I honestly did not even consider propagating from water with my leaf of life aka miracle leaf plants! I mean, I am sure it would have to work like you said and be more promising for my customer to get a rooting result after sensing their choice of either few leaves or a mini rooted plant sent right inside the plastic planter. Ive been also looking up exactly how to ship plants the best way… So much to cram in… So little time. The shipments need go out tomorrow a.m. thanks for your Hel will definitely tell customers to do this or if any leaves fall off during shipment to place into water for additional plants of the same. Have a great night!
I'm quite new at this Propagating Game… haha So, figured I'd ask, when do you know the plant is Not going to grow??? I'm Trying to be patient, but am running out of shot glasses!!! Haha thanks!!!
A friend has asked me to get her a start from my Little Ruby Slippers Hydrangea and I think I can now do it following your directions. Thank you
Hydrangeas root easiest if you bend a branch down (that's still attached to the plant) and cover the middle of the branch stem in soil. The more area you cover in soil will result with more roots. Within a few weeks you should have a solid enough root system on it to be able to snip off the branch and replant elsewhere.
For several years, I been very successful with cuttings and transplants into bigger pots, etc. This is the first time my cutting developed roots and was transplanted and just did not grow! Two new leafs started and then died! I am now at the point that I have made NEW cuttings from this failed attempt and starting over. New roots are starting to grow. What could I have done wrong with this plant?
This was very helpful.
Thanks
Just wondering when I take my Cutting how big should the Cutting be thank you
I am looking for rooting and then potting hardwood cuttings of fruit trees. Can anyone help?
I went through your water rooted to soil tutorial and was enthusiastic until I read down the list of comments and found that your tutorial was completely undermined by the comment that transferring directly from water to soil is the wrong process. According to the comment, there must be a transition to soil by adding soil to the water until the plant is accustomed to soil. Which to believe? I'm back to square one. So much for experts.
I have been propagating my pothos like crazy. I don't know how to add pictures here but I can promise you I started them in water and transferred them directly to soil I kept the soil very moist for the first month or so never letting it dry after that I watered regularly I have four large hanging pothos that will all testify that water to soil works. Just watch that soil and keep it damp. Best of luck! 🙁
I want to know more about cuttings and cloning in soil medium. I want to know more about green house cuttings caring
Hello, I've been having trouble with one of my tetrasperma. When I transfer the cutting to soil Iya starts to rot. Would have any clue why?
This happens many times.
Thanks!
Great thanks for the guidance!
How to prevent the hibiscus from fungus and white mites attacking the plants of hibiscus
Can you please tellme
My flapjack has gotten tall and fixing to bloom. After blooming can I prune down into several stems and plant?
How do you know when the roots are well established once planted?
Very nice expression. Thank you.
Looking forward to your emails!
Hello, Erin.
I just transferred my coleus cuttings to potting soil. Here's my question: When do I fertilize these guys?
They had been sitting in water since late October. Their roots were all tangled together, so I had to cut them apart, but the root mass was still plentiful.
.
I didn't have any PRO-MIX Premium Moisture Potting Mix, so I used what I had on hand … Fertilome Ultimate Ready to Use potting mix. I mixed in about 25% perlite.
As they used to say old tabloid newspapers…"Enquiring minds want to know!", LOL
How do I water my planter cuttings, keeping them moist, and not saturated? It’s not too far a jump from moist to saturated…. My water faucet’s got an “on & and off (as does the sprayer.) can you be a tad more descriptive.. my last attempt was a swimming pool even w excellent drainage and I don’t thing a bog would work. HELP
How do I water my planter cuttings, keeping them moist, and not saturated? It’s not too far a jump from moist to saturated…. My water faucet’s got an “on & and off (as does the sprayer.) can you be a tad more descriptive.. my last attempt was a swimming pool even w excellent drainage and I don’t thing a bog would work. HELP
We are told to repot plants into pots the next size up to avoid plant stress. Why is it ok to plant some plants straight out into a flower bed where the roots have no side of a pot to search for?
So my late daughter’s friend has a piece of her monsteria that has done very well in water n he wants to transplant it to soil when is a good time and what is the best soil for it? I have a picture if that will help??
I have philodendron cuttings in water. They have very long roots. Can I still transplant them to soil? Is it ever ok to cut some of the length off before planting in soil?
I have 5 cuttings a friend gave me. Your article was just what I needed. I'm waiting until the cutting roots are longer, then I'll try the dirt in the pots.
Another question, What is the best way to start Morning Glory seeds?
My first time propagating plants. On this one, I'm propagating Ficus benjamina(weeping fig) in water. The cuttings have been in water for 4 days now and their leaves are looking healthy, unlike the soil method which have always been unsuccessful since the leaves wither on the third day.
Great post, but the only thing I'd mention is that new roots are super-brittle…..and will snap just as easily as fresh bean sprouts bought from the grocery store.
Very Best Regards,
Tom Scott
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Hi and thanks for the great tutorial! A question regarding succulents specifically. Once my water-propagated succulent with 2" roots is allowed 2 days for roots to dry and then put in the well-draining cactus potting soil, should I water immediately or wait for a while to moisten the soil? If water, how much? If wait, how long? Thank you!
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Is it a good idea to put small plastic bags over the cuttings. I pruned my still small blue pacific, cleared the stem and put it straight into little pots of soil. It is winter here so should I take them inside ?
I have a rose cutting that is just starting to root in a hydro pod I’ll leave it now until the roots are 2 inches long then place it in potting compost. Is that right?