Nothing is more frustrating than losing a plant. You spend all this time nurturing the seed, watching it grow, and planting it. Either some critter pulled at it, tried to eat it, or (*gasp*) you broke it trying to plant it. Sad to say, I break a lot of seedlings. Call me a garden klutz.
Just call me Dr. Anna
Over the years I have simply whimpered (okay swore like a sailor) when my plants have been broken. But as I always say the tough get resourceful, not even. Watch my video below as I show you how to fix a seedling.
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My steps:
1. Immediately put the stem in water. Be sure to remove any lower leaves especially if they will be in the water.
2. Place the plant in a sunny location. I use my kitchen window sill. You might want to use a saucer since my sill is starting to look all garden worn from using glasses to re-root plants. (No plant is wasted at my house!)
3. Once the plants starts to grow roots, re-plant in a small container. Often time the plants are seedlings so I put them in a soiless pod. If they are larger, you can replant them into a small pot using potting soil. (My favorite are Mechanic Potting Soil or Dr Earth’s Potting Soil.)
4. If you have growing lights, use them to get the plant to root in the pod. Honestly, I have never put a newly rooted plant out in the garden without first making sure it is accustom to sunlight or has rooted in a soil type mix. If you have, please comment.
5. In a week, the plant should root in the pot. It may take longer. Just be patient. (To check, lightly tug at the plant. If the plant feels snug in its pot, then it rooted.) I then start to expose it to sunlight a little at a time just like new seedlings.
6. Approximately, a week or two later I replant. So far so good. *Spoiler alert* I do shade the plant a little outside so it isn’t traumatized by the sun from my rushing to get it out in the garden again.
So far so good.
What have I replanted?
I have re-rooted basil, sunflower, and radishes so far.
However, some of my herbs aren’t rooting by using the water method. I am still trying to get scented geraniums to root. Some of the branches fell off when I planted.
I might have to resort to the rooting hormone method for these plants. (Some people use rooting hormone like Garden Safe and then stick into a potting soil mix. They cover the plant with a plastic bag to get it to re-root. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t.)
How to Avoid Small Critter from Eating
Just in case you missed my older posts, be sure to read how to use trash in your garden to deter those that bite and pull your plants. My method will only deter slugs, birds, etc. It won’t help you will larger critters.
On the other hand, panty hose will deter squirrels, birds and rabbits too.
Join the Conversation:
Have you ever re-rooted broken plants? If so, how?
Small Footprints says
Well thanks for this!! I hate when a part of a plant breaks off … usually from me trying to reach around or through it. I haven’t had much luck rooting things so I’m going to give your method a try. Thanks, again!
Anna@Green Talk says
Most of my problems are from me breaking the plant. So I am really happy when it works!Anna
Valerie says
Hi!! I know this post is old but I have a snapped young sunflower and I’m hoping to get him back to growing! I went to my garden and saw one of my beautiful little seedlings (at this point they’re about a month old and probably are about 1ft tall). I immediately snipped the dried-up broken nub at the end up the stem, put the little guy in water by a sunny window, and he perked up within the hour. Should I add soil to the water to encourage root growth? Or a rooting hormone? Or is it too late for the poor thing?
Anna@Green Talk says
Valerie, let it start growing roots. When it get a good size root ball, then add a little soil to the water every couple of days to get accumulated to soil again. Or you can chance it once it gets roots to repot in potting soil and put a plastic bag over it to create a greenhouse effect to get it to root well in the soil.
Karisha Kirk says
I accidentally broke off a very small branch of Celosia. Since it had a bloom, I stuck it in a tiny glass of water and left it outside on a table that gets sunlight most of the day. I just did that because it looked nice, but I noticed after a few days that is wasn’t wilting, then at some point I saw little roots growing off of it.
This has continued on for another week. It’s fall, and I’ve read that indoors Celosia don’t do that well, but I’m curious about where this might lead. I can’t find anything online about Celosia propagated in water, not specifically.
Anna says
Karisha, I read that you can bring them inside. I would let it root a little longer in the water. Roots from water are not as strong as roots from soil. You can then transplant it to potting soil container. Make sure it has good drainage. Put a plastic bag over it for humidity to help it root in the soil. I put my plants in the shade to help them with rooting. It is still warm outside in my zone so being outside helps it root.
Here is what I found of bring Celosia indoors. http://www.guide-to-houseplant.....umosa.html. They need bright light.
Paula says
I was transplanting a After Eight Lilly with the most beautiful flowers. The wind blew over the potato it was in and snapped completely off one of the stems just under the bloom cluster. I immediately dipped it in root start and put it in water cause I didn’t know what to do and really want to save it to replant. Can you help me please. Desperate
Anna says
Lillies are propagated from their bulbs. I don’t know if root starter will work in water. Usually it is for placing plants in soil.
You can see what happens. Generally you want about a 6 inch stem without much foliage. Change the water often and maybe put a plastic bag over the plant to create humidity. Let me know what happens. Anna
heather dexter says
hello,
i am wondering an example for a “soiless pod” when rooting seedlings.
thanks,
heather dexter
heather dexter says
hello again,
i have examined peat pods online but they dont have a hole. how does one install the baby root into it?
thanks,
heather
Anna says
Heather, you have options. You can put them in a soil-less pod by just breaking up the peat and then gently putting in the root or get some potting soil, and create a pot. Be gentle with the root. I put a plastic bag on top for humidity so the plant can root. Keep an eye on it because it is use to lots of water. Spritz it with water every day. Anna