- Cut a piece of the cactus stalk with a knife, or remove a pad or offset from the main stalk during the spring or summer. Let the cut end dry out for 2–3 days.
- Plant the cutting, pad, or offset in a pot with drainage holes filled with cactus potting mix. Firm up the potting mix around the base of the cactus.
- Keep your cactus in a spot that gets 6 hours of indirect sunlight a day. Water the soil only when it dries out so your cactus establishes new roots within 4–6 weeks.
Taking Cuttings
Cut off a piece of cactus at a 45-degree angle with a serrated knife. Wait until the spring and summer months to propagate your cacti, or else the roots may not establish. Put on a pair of thick gardening gloves to hold onto the cactus. Make your cut anywhere along the cactus stem at a 45-degree angle. Taking cuttings works best on tall columnar cacti. Cacti propagate best when nighttime temperatures stay above 60 °F (16 °C). If you’re taking cuttings from multiple cacti, disinfect your knife after each plant with a solution that’s 1 part bleach and 9 parts water to prevent the spread of bacteria.
Leave the cutting in a dry, shaded area until it forms a callus. Lay the cutting sideways in a tray so the cut portion is exposed to the air. Leave the cutting alone in a dry, shady place and let the bottom dry out, which may take 1–2 days, or up to several weeks. Feel the bottom of the cutting to make sure it’s dry to the touch before you plant it. If you plant a fresh cutting without letting it dry out first, then it’s more susceptible to developing rot and dying.
Dip the cutting in rooting hormone. Rooting hormone helps a plant develop a strong root system so it establishes in the soil easier. Dip the callused end of the cactus cutting into the rooting hormone powder or solution just before you plant them. Many cacti easily take root without using hormones, but using it helps promote healthy root growth even more.
Push the bottom of the cutting into a pot filled with perlite and compost. Use a 1 US gal (3.8 L) pot that has drainage holes so it doesn’t hold water. Poke a hole in the growing medium with your finger that’s large enough to fit the bottom of your cutting. Set the callused end of the cutting into the hole so about a third of it is buried. Fill in the growing medium around the cutting so it doesn’t shift or fall over. If you notice the cutting leaning or tipping over, bury it slightly deeper so it stands up on its own. Use a 50/50 mix of perlite and compost for the best result. Alternatively, use a cactus potting mix that’s specifically made so it doesn’t hold too much water.
Mist the soil with water when it dries out on the surface. When you first plant the cutting into the pot, wet the soil with a watering can until you see moisture coming out from the drainage holes. After that, feel the surface of the soil to see if it’s dry to the touch. If it still feels damp, leave it alone until it dries out. Then use a spray bottle filled with clean water and wet the soil until it’s slightly wet to help establish the roots. Use purified or distilled water if you can because tap water may contain chemicals that impact your plant’s growth.
Keep the pot in an area that gets 6 hours of sunlight throughout the day. Put the pot in a brightly-lit area, such as a patio, greenhouse, or south-facing window sill where it doesn’t get direct sunlight. Leave the pot undisturbed while the cutting takes root. Some cacti species grow better in partially shaded areas, so check the light requirements for the specific species you’re growing.
Check for new growth within 4–6 weeks. Continue caring for the cactus cutting and check if there are any new growths sprouting from it. If there are, then the cactus has developed strong and healthy roots. If your cactus still hasn’t produced growths, then continue keeping the cactus in light for 6 hours each day and misting the soil when it dries out. The time it takes for your cactus to root depends on the specific species you’re growing.
Propagating Pads & Offsets
Twist or cut off a healthy offset or pad from your cactus. During the spring or summer, look for healthy offsets growing around the base of your cactus or for any large healthy pads growing off of the main stalk. Pinch the offset or pad with a pair of tongs to separate it from the cactus. If the offset or pad doesn’t easily separate from the main plant, then use a serrated knife to cut through where it attaches to the main stalk. If you can’t get a good grip with a pair of tongs, put on a pair of gardening gloves and twist the pad or offset off by hand.
Leave the pad or offset to dry for 2–3 days. Lay the pad or offset in a dry, shaded area so the exposed section has time to form a callus. Let the piece you removed from your cactus sit for about 2–3 days and check if the end hardened over. Once it feels dry and hard to the touch, the offset or pad is ready to plant. Planting the cactus before it calluses over could cause the root system to rot.
Plant the offset or pad into a pot with a mix of perlite and compost. Choose a 1 US gal (3.8 L) pot that has drainage holes in the bottom, and fill it with an equal mix of perlite and compost. Poke a hole in the soil, and stick the bottom third of the offset or pad into it. Firm up the soil around the newly propagated cactus so it can establish roots. While you may dip the end of the offset or pad into a rooting hormone before you plant it, cacti easily establish roots without it.
Water the soil lightly when it dries out. Use a watering can to wet the soil initially until you see it come out of the pot’s drainage holes. After that, let the soil dry out completely in between waterings so the plant doesn’t become waterlogged. If the soil feels dry, mist it with a spray bottle or water it lightly with a watering can. Avoid letting water pool on the surface of the soil because that could drown your cactus or cause it to develop root rot.
Leave the cactus in a spot with bright indirect sunlight. Find a spot with dappled shade, like a covered patio or a south-facing window sill. Keep your cactus in a bright place while it’s growing so it has a chance to establish new roots and form new growths. You’ll typically notice new growths on your cactus within 1–2 months of propagating it.
Grafting
Cut a cactus stalk so it’s 2–3 in (5.1–7.6 cm) tall. Wait until the spring or summer to graft cacti. Choose a healthy cactus that doesn’t have any diseases or blemishes on the stalk. Hold the cactus with a pair of tongs and carefully slice horizontally through the stalk with a serrated knife. Be sure to leave at least 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) of the stalk sticking up from the soil, or else you may stunt its growth later on. You can also hold the cactus while wearing a pair of gardening gloves so you don’t poke yourself.
Cut 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) off the top of a different cactus to use as a scion. Select the cactus you want to propagate, and locate a healthy, green section that doesn’t have any disease or damage. Measure down at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) down from the top of the cactus and slice horizontally through the stalk with a serrated knife. The piece you just cut will be the scion, or the part of the cactus that you’re attaching onto the other stalk. You can graft any type of cacti to another. If you’re grafting multiple cacti, disinfect the knife blade with a 10% bleach solution in between each plant so you don’t spread any diseases.
Secure the scion to the stalk and pot with pieces of twine. Set the scion on top of the stalk so the light green rings on the cut ends line up. Cut 2 pieces of twine that are long enough to wrap around the top of the scion and underneath the bottom of the pot. Tie one of the pieces of twine around the scion so it’s held tightly against the stalk, but not so tight that it cuts into the plant. Then, secure the second piece of twine over the scion so it crosses over the first piece. Be careful that the scion doesn’t move or shift while you’re tying it, or else the rings may not line up anymore.
Keep the grafted cactus in a bright room with indirect sunlight. Place the cactus pot on a south-facing window sill so it gets indirect sunlight throughout the day. If you don’t have a south-facing window, you can also keep the cactus in a shady area in your yard or on a patio. Be careful not to disturb the cactus after grafting the pieces together so they don’t come apart. Keep the cactus indoors if there’s any risk of frost or snow because it could cause the cactus to die.
Water the cactus when the soil feels dry. Stick your finger in the soil to see if it feels dry 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm) below the surface. If it still feels damp, leave the pot alone for now. If the soil feels dry, fill a watering can with fresh, clean water and pour it directly into the soil until it comes out of the pot’s drainage holes. Cacti are prone to overwatering, so avoid letting water pool on the surface to prevent them from rotting.
Remove the twine after 1 month. After about a month, the 2 pieces of cactus will grow together into a single stalk. Be careful as you untie the twine since the cactus may still be fragile and could easily get damaged. Take off both pieces and continue caring for the cactus as normal now that the pieces have joined together. Grafted cacti will continue to create pads and offsets that you can propagate again later.
Germinating Seeds
Collect fresh seeds from fruit or seed pods on the cactus. Look for the grey seed pods or colorful fruit on the top of the cactus, and wait until the end of the growing season when they’re fully ripe. Pinch off the seed pods or fruit and pull them apart to reveal the seeds inside. Collect as many seeds as you can on a sheet of paper towel and dry them off. If the seed pods or fruit are hard to reach, use a pair of tongs to pull them off of the cactus. If you don’t want to collect fresh seeds from a cactus, you can also buy a cactus seed mix.
Fill a planting tray with equal parts perlite and peat moss. Choose a planting tray that’s about 4 inches (10 cm) deep and has drainage holes so the growing medium doesn’t get waterlogged. Mix together perlite and peat moss until they’re thoroughly combined and spread it evenly in the tray. Leave about ⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) between the surface of the growing medium and the lip of the tray.
Spread the seeds in the tray and cover them with ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) of sand. Spread as many seeds in the tray as you can for the best chance of them germinating. Sprinkle the seeds on top of the perlite and peat moss mixture so they’re evenly distributed. Then, add a ⁄4 in (0.64 cm) layer of coarse gardening sand to protect the seeds.
Cover the tray with a piece of plastic wrap. Tear off a sheet of plastic wrap that’s about 2 inches (5.1 cm) wider and longer than the growing tray. Cover the tray with the plastic wrap so 1 inch (2.5 cm) extends past each side. Press the plastic wrap tightly against the tray so it stays in place. The plastic wrap helps keep the growing medium humid so the seeds are more likely to germinate.
Set the tray inside a container filled halfway with water. Find a plastic container that’s about 2 inches (5.1 cm) longer on each side than the planting tray and has the same depth. Put the tray in the middle of the container. Fill the bottom of the container with clean water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the tray. The water will absorb through the drainage holes in the bottom of the tray to provide the seeds with moisture. Avoid overfilling the container, or else the seeds could get waterlogged or wash out of the growing medium.
Keep the tray in a warm area with indirect sunlight. Carefully carry the tray and set it in a spot that gets sunlight throughout the day, such as a patio or south-facing window sill. Make sure the temperatures stay over 65 °F (18 °C), or else the seeds may not grow properly. Leave the tray alone throughout the germination process. You do not need to add more water to the tray since it will absorb naturally through the drainage holes in the bottom.
Remove the plastic wrap after 2–3 weeks when you see seedlings. Check the tray weekly to see if any cactus seedlings have sprouted from the growing mediums. Once you notice the seedlings form, remove the plastic wrap to reduce the humidity and prevent them from developing rot. Keep the seedlings in the tray for now until they become more established. If the growing medium feels dry to the touch and the container is out of water, lightly mist the medium with water.
Transplant cactus seedlings to pots when they’re ⁄2–1 in (1.3–2.5 cm). Check on your seedlings every week or two to see how much they’ve grown. If they’re at least ⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) in height or diameter, then carefully dig up the roots and move the seedling to an individual pot with drainage holes that contains cactus potting mix. It typically takes 4–6 weeks for a cactus to grow large enough to transplant.
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