Question
I have a number of plants that are sitting in water all over my kitchen counters.  I have a spider plant and a Pathos(however you spell her name).  Well, I have little to no room for food anymore, they seem to have taken over my whole counter (while i was sleeping!).
My question to you is; Can I safely transplant these little guys into soil after they've lived 2 years in a jar of water?  Is there anything different i should do in the future with my clippings? Or is this the only way to start a plant?

Answer
Hi Tammy,

I love plants, but I would never recommend letting them take the place of food! But I do understand how cuttings seem to take control of space almost overnight.

Plants that are rooted in water can safely be put into small pots filled with damp potting mix as soon as the roots are at least an inch long. As long as the roots are healthy, it doesn't matter if they are a lot longer than an inch. The pot should be just barely big enough to contain the roots and a little soil to cover the roots. Using a large pot will retard their growth and may lead to root rot.

Many plants, including Pothos and spider plants, can also be rooted directly in damp potting mix. Again, use small pots and be very careful to water the soil as soon as the surface feels dry. Developing roots have little tolerance for soil that stays too wet or gets too dry.

I have written an article on plant propagation that covers the different techniques for propagating different types of plants. If you would like one, send a request to my email address below.

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions. If you would like to e-mail me some photos, I may be able to provide some additional insights.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

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