How to Make Ivy Geranium Cuttings

The ivy geranium or ivy-leaf geranium (Pelargonium peltatum) makes an attractive addition to window baskets or hanging planters, thanks to its long vines and tendrils, which can reach up to 3 feet long. Ivy geranium responds well to propagation by cutting, as long as you prepare the mother plant for cuttings and take cuttings in the fall. Transplant rooted cuttings into your garden come spring, or pot them up and give them to friends.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You’ll Need

• 4-inch pots
• Sandy potting medium
• Scissors
• Water-soluble houseplant fertilizer

1. Cut down the watering of your ivy geraniums in mid to late August in preparation for cuttings. Plan to take geranium cuttings from September to October, from plants that have been fairly dry for several weeks.
2. Fill individual 4-inch pots with a sandy potting medium, filling one pot for each geranium cutting you plan to take.
3. Snip 3- to 4-inch-long cuttings from the mother ivy geranium, cutting directly from the base of a branch — don’t take one long cutting and plan to divide it in two; each cutting should have a natural plant end and a cut end.
4. Trim off the lower set of leaves on each cutting, then place the cutting directly into the sandy potting medium, burying one-third of the cutting in the soil.
5. Water the cuttings until liquid flows from the bottom of the containers. Thereafter, water the cuttings regularly so the potting medium does not dry out.
6. Put the cuttings in an area where they receive bright but indirect light. Continue to water them and check to see if they’ve rooted by gently tugging up on the stem. A stem that resists moving has rooted; a stem that moved freely has not rooted.
7. Move the pots to a full sun location once they’ve rooted. Cut back on watering — watering enough to moisten the soil and letting the containers dry out before watering again. Fertilize the pots every two weeks using water-soluble houseplant fertilizer.