Plant propagation is the process of growing new plants out of a single mature one. There are different ways to propagate plants depending on the type of plants you’re working with and what sort of root systems they have, but one of the most well-known forms of propagation is performed through cuttings, in which a piece of the parent plant it sliced away and placed in water to grow the new one. This process requires a small glass vase or other container for every new plant you want to grow, which can add up to more resources than you have on hand. Thankfully, Dollar Tree comes through, with their salt and pepper shakers being a perfect — and perfectly inexpensive — solution.
If you’ve ever heard that you can grow green onions by sticking the white end of an old one in a glass of water, that’s plant propagation. Rather than trying to grow them from seeds, hoping they will germinate, plants grown out of propagation are already partially mature. Whether you’re giving away plants as gifts or simply trying to multiply their output, propagating plants from cuttings is a much quicker and easier way to accomplish your goals.
Using salt and pepper shakers for plant cuttings
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Dollar tree salt & pepper shaker swap. Take off the lids and use them as propogation vases instead! . #olysucculentstudio #dollartreehacks #dollartreediy #repurpose #propogation #propogating #grownewplants @Dollartree.Hacks
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As their name attests, a package of salt and pepper shakers from Dollar Tree is available for their bargain basement price point. That’s two clear glass containers perfectly sized to house a plant cutting in some water. What makes them a great option, of course, is not only are they small jars of thin, clear glass that will let in ample light to your newly formed plants, but they also have screw-on lids that are easy to remove.
Plants that are excellent for propagating through cuttings are mint, rosemary, spider plants, and philodendrons, among many others. Once you buy as many salt and pepper shakers as you need for your propagation project, simply unscrew the tops and fill them 50-75% full of water. Place one cutting per jar — being sure to make your cut several inches of stem below the leaf node — set them in an area that receives a lot of natural light, and watch them grow. As long as you top off the water periodically to always cover your newly growing roots, as well as change the water completely once or twice a week, you should have healthy new plants ready for potting after their roots reach at least an inch or two in length.