Struggling to get your rooting plant cuttings to grow through water propagation? TikTok gardening guru Britt (@botanicallybe) has a fascinating hack that you've probably never heard of, but you'll definitely want to know. 

The scoop

Water propagation is a great way to allow your plant cutting to develop some roots before you place it in soil. It can be quicker, cheaper, and easier to observe the plant's progress. However, there are some common errors with the technique.

@botanicallybe propagation hack 🌱 #planttok #plantsoftiktok #propagatingplants #waterpropagation #pothos #propagateplants #plantcare #planttips #planthack #plants #houseplants #indoorplants ♬ Cozy Day (Lofi) - The Machinist Beats

In the video, Britt says that not all plants are good for water propagation, which is where many go wrong. If the type of plant is suitable, the next step is to ensure it gets adequate light, consistent water changes, and the necessary nutrients. 

If you've got all those boxes checked and you're still struggling, Britt has a potential solution: add a pothos plant cutting to the water propagation.

"When you take a pothos cutting and you stick it in water with another plant, pothos actually releases a natural rooting hormone," the creator explains. "And that [natural rooting hormone] then releases into the water, and as the other plant is growing in the water and wanting to push out roots that rooting hormone is going to help it do that faster, maybe even better."

In fact, the pothos plant produces two rooting hormones: auxin and cytokinin. These chemicals work together to provide a boost to root production in a variety of plants but are believed to be particularly abundant in pothos. 

How it's helping

Water propagation can be a simple, affordable, sustainable method of growing new cuttings of your plants. Roots develop faster in water, and they're easier to observe. Not only that, but water propagation is low-maintenance and requires very few resources and minimal mess. 

However, propagating plants in water can also be tricky. Water-propagated roots are fragile, less effective at absorbing nutrients, and more susceptible to rot. If there's any way to give your water propagations a little boost then that's always a good thing. 

Using the pothos trick highlighted in this TikTok, you should be able to enjoy the benefits of water propagation while avoiding most of the drawbacks. 

What everyone's saying

Commenters were surprised by and appreciative of the pothos hack.

How much time do you spend taking care of the plants inside or outside your home? Several hours a week 🧑‍🌾 One hour a week ⌛ Less than one hour ⏳ I don't have any plants 😢 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"I'm gonna try this! I can never get a propagation to work but I do have a big-ass pothos!" one said.

"That makes more sense. I was wondering why props with pothos did better. Thank you!" another added.

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