Propagation of Plants - useful information in the propagation of food plants

Arrowroot & canna Grows from a tuber, divide existing plant	Jerusalem Artichoke Choose large tuber from grower, store in dark dry place until sowing in spring	Mint, Oregano, Thyme Softwood cutting, spring & summer or by root division	Rosemary & Lavender Semi-hardwood cutting, summer to autumn
Carob Grow from seed, soak seed in hot water 1 hour before sowing	Kang Kong Grows from cuttings. purchase a bunch from Asian supermarket & place cutting in water to root	Hibiscus Spinach Grown from soft wood cutting in spring or seed	Ceylon Spinach Grows from cutting or purple fleshy seed, soak 1 hour before sowing
Yarrow By division in winter preferrable or by softwood cutting	Garlic/onion chives Divide clumps, trim roots & leaves	Garlic Plant individual cloves in autumn, pointy end to surface	Sweet Potato Grow from cutting or tuber which is left to sprout (use organic tuber)
Cherry tomatoes Squash seeds of tomato into prepared pot & cover with 1cm with soil. Will also grow from cutting	Cape gooseberry Squeeze ripe fruit into prepared pot & lightly cover with soil	Onions (bunching) Start off from seed or divide a clump	Ginger Purchase from shop & allow to shoot before placing in pot
Chamomile By root division in winter or layers easily	Comphrey Grows from root cuttings. Splice part of root from exisiting plant & pot up	Lemon Grass Divide clump, remove leaves to 4cm & pot up	Pigeon Pea Place seed in hot water, soak for 1 hour before sowing

Propagating by Cuttings

Best done on an overcast, cool day or late in the afternoon as this allows for less moisture loss.
Plant as soon as possible after cutting to avoid nutrient loss.

Home propagation soil mixes

Seedlings - 1/2 sand : 1/2 compost & worm castings

Cuttings - 1/4 sand : 1/2 potting mix : 1/4 compost

Wet and mix down before planting, allowing good drainage.

	Softwood	Semi-Hardwood	Hardwood
What part of plant to cut?	Soft, new season growth	Branch	Previous years growth, wood that snaps
When?	Spring	Summer	Late autumn - winter
Length of Cutting	7 - 12 cm	8 - 15 cm	10 - 30 cm
Condition for cutting	Like bottom heat. Rooting hormone advantage	Like bottom heat, rooting hormone beneficial	Can plant direct in soil, remove all leaves
Time to root	4 - 5 weeks	1 - 2 months	2 - 9 months
Examples	Oregano, yarrow, mint, sage, basil, thyme, geraniums, tomatoes	Lavender, rosemary, acerola cherry, panama berry, bay tree, capsicum	Olives

Seeds often have a period of dormancy before they germinate, which ends when they take up water. Seeds have a limited life span, to keep them viable for longer store them in an airtight container in a cool spot - the refrigerator is ideal.
Methods of Seed Preparation
1/. Hot Water	Some Australian natives such as banksias, and others including pigeon pea, Ceylon spinach and carob, need to be soaked in hot water for about one hour to start the germination process.
2/. Fermentation	Seeds coated in a fleshy fruit are often best left to soak, making it easier to remove the flesh, which might inhibit germination. Plants to benefit from this are white cedars, acerola cherry and passionfruit.
3/. Scarifying	Scratching the seed coat removes the waterproof coating on any tough seed that inhibits germination.

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