How to propagate Dieffenbachia

Cutting propagation

It can be divided into softwood cuttings and old branch cuttings.

Cuttings of softwood branches are carried out during the rainy season from June to July; cuttings of old branches can be carried out in March to April of the following year.

For softwood cuttings, choose strong branches of the current year to cut cuttings, cut a 15 cm section from the top, and the lower incision should be 0.5 cm below the node. The lower incision should be cut 0.5 cm below the node. The cut should be smooth, keeping the top leaves and removing the lower leaves. If greenhouse conditions are available, cuttings can be taken in cutting beds, and for home flower growers, cuttings can be taken in pots. The medium can be prepared by mixing vermiculite and perlite (1:1), or by mixing garden soil with rice husk ash and an appropriate amount of fine river sand.

The cutting depth is generally about 1/3 of the length of the cutting. Use your fingers to slightly compact the base so that the base of the cuttings is in close contact with the medium. After cuttings, spray enough water with a fine spray bottle, then place in a cool place. Keep it moist at all times, with a relative humidity of about 80%. At an air temperature of 20-25℃, roots will gradually grow after 20-30 days.

Cuttings of old branches can be carried out between March and April. You can use thick branches grown the previous year and cut them into sections about 15 cm long. The lower incision should be cut 0.5 cm below the node. The section with the top leaves and the stem sections below can be used as cuttings. The leaves on the lower part of the cuttings should be removed. The cutting method is the same as that of young branch cuttings. After watering enough, place them in a cool place and keep them moist at all times. They will take root in about a month.

You can also cut a 15 cm tip of the stem, leaving 3 to 5 leaves on the top, and insert it directly into clean water. Change the water after 2 days, and roots will also grow from the nodes. When cutting cuttings, be careful not to let the juice fall into your eyes or enter your mouth accidentally to avoid poisoning or injury. Water cuttings are also easy to root.

Propagation by division

This can be done in conjunction with repotting in spring each year. When dividing the plant, knock it out of the pot and cut it from the base into several parts. The cut must be smooth and coated with wood ash or charcoal powder before potting. The first time you water the plants after division, make sure they are watered thoroughly and placed in a cool place. Thereafter, they should be kept moist but not too wet. The transplanted clusters only need to be carefully managed and can grow into flowering plants in the same year.