How to Make Ivy Geranium Cuttings

Step 1

Trim an unblemished 5-inch tip from a healthy ivy geranium plant with a clean, sharp knife. The cutting will grow into an exact duplicate of the parent, so pick an attractive one that you like.

Step 2

Pinch off any blooms or buds. Remove all the leaves from the lower half of the cutting.

Step 3

Fill a 4-inch pot with sterile potting mix. Set the pot in a shallow container of warm water until the surface of the soil feels moist to your touch. Take the pot out of the water and allow it to drain for about 30 minutes.

Step 4

Plant the ivy geranium cutting about 1 1/2 inches deep in the center of the medium. Firm the soil gently around the stem. Mist the soil with water from a plastic spray bottle. The medium should be evenly moist but not soggy or wet. Close the cutting up in a clear plastic bag.

Step 5

Put the cutting in a warm, brightly lit room out of direct sun. The best soil temperature for rooting ivy geraniums is between 68 and 74 degrees Fahrenheit, so the top of your refrigerator or above a hot water heater are good locations. Your cuttings should root within three to four weeks.

Step 6

Check the soil daily. It should remain evenly moist. Don’t allow it to dry out. If water droplets accumulate on the inside of the bag, take it off the cutting for a few hours or until the water evaporates. Replace the bag.

Step 7

Test for rooting in three or four weeks. Tug gently upward on the stem. If it resists, rooting has been successful. If it pops right out of the soil, replant it and try again in a couple of weeks.

Step 8

Move the ivy geranium to a sunny windowsill in a cool room when it produces new growth. Water enough to evenly moisten the soil surface when it begins to dry out.

Step 9

Mix 1 gallon of water with 1 ounce of 4-12-4 liquid fertilizer. Water the plant with the solution until it runs from the drainage holes. Pour some of the mixed fertilizer into a plastic spray bottle and mist the foliage with it. Repeat every 14 days.