Propagating succulents from leaves and offsets

How to do it

1. 1Take a whole leaf, not a piece. Twist it gently sideways off the stem so the base comes away clean — a torn leaf with the growing point left behind will never root.
2. 2Lay the leaves on dry compost, not in it, somewhere bright but out of direct sun, and leave them alone for a few days so the wound calluses over.
3. 3Mist lightly every few days once tiny pink roots appear, and only then let the roots find their own way into the surface.
4. 4Wait for the original leaf to shrivel before potting on: it is feeding the new rosette, and pulling it off early stalls the plant.
5. 5Take offsets and rosettes instead where the plant makes them — Sempervivum, Aloe, Haworthia, Agave. Cut the offset off with a little stem, let it callus for a couple of days, then pot it into gritty mix.
6. 6Behead a stretched or leggy rosette and re-root the top the same way; the stump usually breaks into several new heads, which is the fastest way to turn one plant into five.

Plants that use it

Their calendar has a job that points to this guide.