Propagating Crassula ovata for the first time? Here’s a toothpick trick that can boost your jade plant rooting success.
Did you think that toothpicks were used only for cleaning your teeth? Creative and curious gardeners have found a trick that encourages rooting by using toothpicks! Read on to find out more.
Jade Plant Propagation in Water
So, you’ve decided to go the unique route and propagate your jade plant in water using stem cuttings. Honestly, this method is not only quicker but also easier—especially if you’re a beginner. Besides increasing your chances of success, you’ll get to watch roots form in real-time. Pretty cool, right?
Plus, when growing jade plants in water, you’ll deal with fewer pest problems—as long as you keep things clean. It’s a win-win!
Step 1 — Pick the Right Cutting
When propagating jade in water, choose a stem that’s about 3 to 4 inches long with multiple nodes. Use sharp, clean, sterilized clippers to cut it carefully, so you don’t harm the plant. Remove the lower leaves from the cutting to expose the leaf joints—these are the spots where roots will sprout. Doing this also helps encourage stronger rooting.
And don’t skip this step: let the stem cutting dry out and form a callus for a few days in bright, indirect light. This helps protect the cutting from bacteria or fungi that can sneak in and cause rot or disease.
Tip: If your cutting feels too thick or top-heavy to stand upright, this trick is even more helpful! Toothpicks can act like a mini tripod, keeping it stable and upright while roots develop, especially when you’re not using soil right away.
Step 2 — The Toothpick Trick in Action
Now for the game-changing trick. Grab a clean glass container—a narrow-necked one works best. But if you don’t have that on hand, here’s where the toothpick hack comes in! You want the nodes of the cutting to sit underwater, while keeping just 2 to 3 leaves above the water.
Simply stick a couple of toothpicks through the cutting to balance it on the rim of the glass. This way, the leaves stay dry and you avoid any risk of rot.
Alternatively, if you’re using soil instead of water, you can use the same toothpick method to gently rest the cutting just above the surface. The idea is to allow it to hover slightly or barely touch the growing medium, giving the roots room to grow down naturally while avoiding too much moisture contact at first.
This is especially helpful in humid climates or when your potting mix retains a lot of water.
Step 3 — Now Let It Do Its Thing (With a Bit of Care!)
Once your setup is ready, place the container in a spot with bright, filtered light. Keep an eye on the progress, and don’t forget to change the water once a week. After about 4 to 5 weeks, you should see healthy roots, and that’s your cue to transplant the cuttings into soil.
A bonus tip is that you can dip the callused end of your cutting in a rooting hormone powder before starting the process—it’s not necessary, but it can speed up rooting, especially in slower or woody cuttings.
Note: Use room temperature filtered water in the container, as hot or cold water can put the cuttings in shock, and they may refuse to root. A high chlorine content in the water can also be very harmful, even toxic to the plant.
So, this super-easy trick can totally level up your jade plant propagation game. Give it a go and let us know how it worked out for you in the comments below!
