How often and how to water my cuttings?

Cuttings are one of the most common and easy ways to multiply plants, and part of the process for them to thrive is watering.

Of course, it is a very different task in the way of executing it from what the irrigation of an adult plant supposes.

This leads many people to have doubts about how to execute said process.

And since our task is to help you make all your planting tasks successful, here we give you the guidelines you need for watering cuttings.

Important points when watering cuttings:

• Irrigation frequency: daily in summer and every 3 or 4 days in winter.
• Irrigation method: first by dripping and then by spraying.
• Optimum time of day for irrigation: any time of day.
• Identify excess water: rotting of the cutting, stains on the structure.
• Identify lack of water: it fails to develop the root system or produce new parts such as buds or leaves.

What watering needs do cuttings have?

The cuttings of almost any plant need a high level of humidity in the substrate to achieve the two main functions.The first is to «glue» its structure into the ground and the second is to develop its own root system.

In both processes, the water that the cutting receives will be the energy source so that they can be executed effectively. Of course, flooding must be avoided because then the cutting will not be able to establish its process and create a new plant.

How can we detect the lack of irrigation in the cuttings?

Since the cuttings need an optimal amount of water, the deficit of this can cause them to dry out and not complete the cycle.

If after the days you must wait for root production to begin, depending on the characteristics of its species, you do not notice any changes, assess the state of the soil.

When it is dry, surely the lack of progress in your cuttings is due to the fact that you have not watered enough.

How often should we water the cuttings?

The cuttings are not watered with large amounts of water or very punctually while they are developing. It is normal to apply sprays on the ground every day when it is hot and spaced out to once every 3 or 4 days if it is cold.

This system will allow the environment to remain humid but not flooded, which is ideal for them.

What is the best way to water cuttings?

The watering of the cuttings will have to be done in two stages and, therefore, using two different mechanisms.The first of these is the drip, which you will apply with a container or a low-flow watering can to slowly supply the water and avoid puddles.

This irrigation will be carried out the day before planting the cutting to prepare the humid environment it needs in the substrate. After you plant the cutting you will also apply a slightly less abundant watering to help it establish itself in the soil.

Take into account that if the water from this irrigation comes out with a lot of force, it could alter the position of the cutting.After the cutting is established, watering will now be based on sprays which will help keep the environment sufficiently moist.

These are normally applied every day, as they ensure that the entire environment is ideal for the development of the cutting. After several days of having planted the cutting, assess how it behaves and if you notice the dry soil at a superficial level, proceed to a new irrigation.

You will have to repeat this with some regularity until the plant begins to form its own structure and you decide to transplant it.At transplant time, you will assume the appropriate watering pattern for the species you are working with.

How do we detect excess water in the cuttings?

When a cutting is subjected to more water than it should, stains can begin to appear on the structure.These will arise due to the presence of fungi that will take advantage of the high humidity to settle in that place.

Take into account that the cutting will not have the strength of the roots, which an already established plant does have, to work on its recovery, so it is quite likely that it will die.

This is why it is advised to apply a fungicide when planting a cutting, to reduce the chances of this happening. The use of cuttings has become so popular because it makes it easier to reproduce the characteristics of an existing plant.

In other words, they will allow you to obtain a new specimen to give those flowers that you love so much or an excellent harvest of some fruit tree. When sowings are made from seeds, it is not always possible to ensure that the plant obtained is in such good condition.