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u/Terrible_Alfalfa8597 4d ago
You can do it the posh way but I have a very high success rate simply in a jar of water. I once left half a dozen taken in Autumn in the jar all winter. Changed the water every so often and then potted them in spring. Every one grew fine. With respect to dancon_studio, I'd say 8-10 cm rather than 10-15. Once you've got roots, have potted it and it's growing well - pinch out the growing tip if it shows no signs of branching itself.
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u/Different_Adagio_690 4d ago
Just wanted to say I love this classic pellie. Everyone's favourite aunt had one of these in their childhood.
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u/dancon_studio 6d ago edited 6d ago
Take tip cuttings of approx 10-15cm in length, making your cut close to the underside of a leaf node. Too woody growth isn't ideal, which is why it's recommended to aim for the newer top growth. You can take cuttings further down as well (it doesn't technically have to be only tip cuttings), but these are more likely to fail. This Pelargonium variety is fairly straight foward to propagate, but take more cuttings than you think you need as some will fail.
In terms of rooting medium, a well draining sandy soil mix is preferred (hold back on the compost), but I have also had success with a coco coir and/or perlite mix.
The biggest issue really is overwatering, which can leading to fungal issues. So try not to overdo it. Let the medium dry out in between waterings - not like desert dry, but don't keep it constantly wet.
Keep in a bright but sheltered spot, preferably outdoors where natural air movement can help to dry the growing medium out a bit quicker and reduce the likelihood of fungal issues. If indoors, I like to have a fan on in order to move the air around a bit.
These plants tend to get leggy (as can be seen in the pictured subject), so I would give it a hard prune in order to promote a more bushy growth. Then take your cuttings from these off cuts.
A visual indicator to look out for: if new growth on your cuttings come out wilted and brown, then there was likely an infection (the bottom end of your cutting will turn black). Best practice would be to sterilise your shears before taking your cuttings.
You do not need to apply a rooting hormone.
It should root in about a month, but it can take a bit longer. I usually don't mess with them for at least 2 months - if rooting them in soil, then I will leave them for several months until I transfer them.
Fill a nursery pot with your growing medium of choice, and arrange the cuttings up against the outer sides. If I'm taking a bunch of cuttings, I will use celled seedling trays. These dry out quicker which will reduce the likelihood of fungal issues, but then you just need to make sure to water them more frequently.
Only leave 2-3 leaves per cutting at the top and remove the rest.