While water propagation is quick and easy, soil propagation is much more suitable for succulent plants, as they tend to root better, and there is less risk of the cuttings rotting before they can form roots.
It also cuts out the step of putting them in water and then having to wait and then put them into the soil.
It’s less work, and as you’ll be taking stem cuttings rather than leaf cuttings, you’ll see new growth very quickly.
If your String of Bananas is looking a little bare, or you just want to make some more plants (for free) out of the one you’ve already got, here’s everything you need to know on how to propagate it!
How To Propagate A String Of Bananas Using Soil
The String of Bananas is a very satisfying plant to grow, but as the vines can get so very long, they are also easily broken when you need to water the plant, no matter if that’s standing on a ladder to do it, or moving the whole thing to the nearest sink.
Whether your String of Bananas looks less healthy than it should, or you’re growing this plant, and it looks fabulous, so you want ten of them, propagation is always a good idea.
These two methods also work for any other ‘String of’ plants that you may have, including the notoriously fussy String of Pearls.
Option One: Wind A Strand Onto The Surface Of The Compost
One of the easiest ways to propagate most vining plants is to take an entire strand and lay it on top of the soil. This is by far the fastest method, and it also results in a fuller-looking plant.
Make sure to press it down a little so that the strand makes good contact with the compost, otherwise, it won’t do anything.
Give the soil a soak, and put the pot somewhere bright and warm. To make it easier, you could start with the soil already damp.
Some people like to attach the cuttings to the soil using bent paper clips, and this makes sure that the plant material always has good contact with the soil, which encourages rooting.
Allow the surface of the soil to dry out before you water it again. When you see new growth, it’s normal for some of the original stems to die back, as the new growth will also extract some goodness from the original.
As long as the plant keeps putting out new growth, there is no need to worry. Keep checking the soil to make sure you don’t let the new plants dry out or get too wet.
Option Two: Plant Several Cuttings In Fresh Soil
If you’ve broken a few strands by accident, or you’re giving the plant a haircut, so it doesn’t keep brushing the floor or getting in the way, this option is the one to go for.
Make each cutting about three or four inches long, and strip off the bottom-most leaves. You may be surprised at how much effort it takes to remove them, so it’s handy to have sharp scissors or a knife somewhere nearby.
Set aside the cuttings for a day or two, like you would with any other succulent plant propagation.
While you may be tempted to skip this step, it will minimize the risk of any cuttings rotting. When you take a handful of cuttings that will be planted close together, this is worthwhile, otherwise, the rot can spread.
You may notice that a couple of your cuttings already have aerial roots, which means that they will produce soil roots pretty quickly!
While you can plant them straight away in ordinary succulent compost, if you add a handful or two of perlite and mix them together, this will sharpen up the drainage, and result in a healthier plant.
Choose a small pot, preferably a terracotta one, and insert your cuttings into the soil. To make it easier, use something like a chopstick, a pencil, or a small plant stake to make small holes in the compost.
This will help you plant the cuttings deep enough into the soil that they can stand on their own while they root.
Once all the cuttings are in the soil, give the soil a good soak, and put the pot somewhere bright and warm. Even a few hours of direct sunlight is fine for the String of Bananas, even as cuttings.
Just avoid midday and afternoon sunlight. When you see new growth on the cuttings, your new plant has rooted!
Final Thoughts
The String of Bananas couldn’t be an easier plant to propagate, whichever method you choose.
Why not experiment with both methods and see which one works better for the unique growing conditions in your home?
It’s always a good idea to propagate the houseplants you have and keep the new plants in a different room.
That way, if your original plants suffer from pests or diseases that swiftly sweep their way through your collection, the problems cannot spread to your ‘backup’ plants, and you still have a hefty amount of plants to keep your rooms green and lush!
Propagating your plants also makes great gifts, and it helps that all it costs you is a little time and patience.
