How To Grow ZZ Plant In Water? - SmileySprouts (2024)

A stem cutting of a ZZ Plant will produce faster propagation outcomes. How to propagate a ZZ Plant cutting is as follows:

Make a straight cut with a sterilized knife near the base of your plant to remove a stalk.

Replace the water every 3-4 weeks after placing the clipped stem in it. It’s fine if you forget, as long as mold doesn’t grow.

Keep the cutting near a window so it gets enough of indirect light. The greatest technique to encourage your ZZ cutting to grow is to expose it to sunlight.

It’s time to repot your cutting once it has developed a rhizome and at least one inch of new roots.

How long does it take for a ZZ plant to root in water?

The following are the results of rooting stem cuttings in water to propagate a ZZ Plant: The stems in the green vase approximately 28 inches long, give or take a few inches. A few short stems (about 8) also broke off, and after 3 or 4 weeks, they began to show roots.

How can I make my ZZ plant grow faster?

ZZ plants are excellent indoor plants since they tolerate low light levels yet grow more quickly in bright indirect light. They also do well under fluorescent lighting, making them a popular choice for office plants. Avoid planting ZZ plants in direct sunlight to avoid burned leaves.

How can I root my water faster?

I worked at a golf course with a 30 foot Monstera deliciosa when I was in my early twenties. 30 FEET! Yes, you read that correctly. That’s where my fascination with plants began. If you didn’t already know, it’s my favorite plant of all time. Anyway, some of the leaves were almost two feet wide and stunning! When no one was looking, I noticed this tiny leaf pop out of the soil, and when no one was looking, I brushed the dirt away from the shiny green stem and plucked it out! I kept a wary eye over my shoulder, as if I was ready to commit a bank robbery or something. Technically, I suppose that was stealing. I, on the other hand, did not see it that way. I was spreading happiness! But let’s be clear about something: DOING IT IN A STORE IS STEALING, so don’t do it! I eventually told my supervisor (it was weighing heavily on my conscience), and he laughed, told me I was ridiculous, and assured me that everything was OK! All of this to say, I brought it home, planted it in water, and it grew roots, making me very pleased! I was completely enamored with this incredible way of reproduction. Let’s talk about how to water-root plant cuttings.

Water may be used to propagate the majority of common house plants. My current project is a little little stem from a large Fiddle Leaf Fig. So yet, no roots have appeared, but there is a small green leaf!! If you’re unsure, give it a shot!

Let’s get started

Determine where you want to snip your cutting from the main plant. Finding the root node on your plant is important since not all cuttings that will root in water have root nodes.
With a clean sharp knife or scissors, carefully cut just below the node.
About a quarter-inch below the node.
In a clean glass, place the cutting.
There wasn’t enough room temperature water to cover the cutting nodes.
Keep an eye on your roots as they grow!
Depending on the plant, this could take weeks or months.
It’s time to plant the cutting in soil once the roots have grown to about 3-5 in length.

Need a visual? Watch my propagation tips on AM Northwest.

Place your roots plants in a bright, indirect light environment. You’ll need patience, too…a lot of patience! It’s not always bad news if you’re trying a new cutting and no roots appear after two weeks. I know someone who soaked a fiddle leaf fig leaf in water for three months and saw roots emerge.

When you replace the water, give the roots a good rinse and a gentle rub with your fingertips.

You should wipe away any mucky film (that’s the technical term) from the roots before placing them in fresh water.

Can you root ZZ plant in water?

Although some houseplants can root in merely a glass of water, rooting ZZ plants in water will almost certainly result in a rotten cutting and isn’t the ideal technique to establish new plants. The newly formed rhizomes must be planted in well-drained soil or they will mold and fall away.

How fast does ZZ plant grow?

This species takes several years to reach its mature height of 2 to 4 feet, but especially healthy ZZ plants can grow up to 6 inches per month during the spring and summer.

How do you make a ZZ plant bushy?

The easiest technique to make a ZZ plant bushy is to give it plenty of light and take care of it properly. By developing a large number of new stems, your ZZ plant will become bushy, and if the conditions are right, the number and size of these stems will be maximized.

Another reason why appropriate care is crucial if you want to produce a full and robust ZZ plant is that a stressed or unhappy ZZ plant might drop leaves, making it appear less bushy.

What liquid will make a plant grow faster?

Carbonated water is number one. Because the bubbles in carbonated water are carbon dioxide, they encourage plant growth. As a result, you can use carbonated water to help your plant develop faster.

Should I mist my ZZ plant?

On a ZZ Plant leaf, there is a sunburn. I put mine out in the rain one afternoon and kept it out until 11 a.m. the next morning. This one leaf was the only one that caught fire. It was also the end of October, and they burn quickly!

Humidity

Tropical climates are home to ZZ Plants. Despite this, they are adaptive and do well in our homes, which have dry air. Mine barely has a few microscopic, tiny brown tips here in hot, dusty Tucson.

Fill the saucer with pebbles and water if you think yours are stressed due to a lack of humidity. Place the plant on the pebbles, but make sure the drain holes and/or the bottom of the pot aren’t flooded. Misting a couple of times a week should also help.

Fertilizing

When it comes to fertilizing, ZZ Plants aren’t picky. I use worm compost and compost to feed my. I’ve been doing it once a year, but starting next year, I’ll start applying in late February/early March (here in Tucson, where the weather warms up quickly) and then again in July. Here’s where you can learn more about my worm compost/compost feeding.

If you have it, liquid kelp or fish emulsion would be good, as would a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer (5-5-5 or lower). In the spring, dilute any of these to half strength and apply. If you believe your ZZ requires another application, repeat the process in the summer.

You shouldn’t fertilize houseplants in the late fall or winter because that’s when they’re supposed to be resting. Salts might build up and damage the roots of your ZZ Plant if you fertilize it too much. If your houseplant is strained, such as bone dry or dripping wet, don’t fertilize it.

Soil

My favorite combination is 3 parts potting soil, 1 part succulent and cactus mix, and 1 part coco coir. I always add a few handfuls of compost (how many depends on the size of the pot) and a 1/4-1/2 layer of worm compost on top.

I get my compost, succulents and cactus, and coco coir from a local supplier. I use this potting soil and worm compost. More online options for compost, succulent and cactus mix, and coco coir can be found here. Here’s where you can learn more about my worm compost/compost feeding.

Repotting/Transplanting

If you live in a warm environment, you can do this in the spring or summer; if you live in a cold climate, you can do it in the early fall. Your plant will need to be repotted sooner if it grows too quickly.

Both of mine are in plastic pots, but terra cotta or ceramic would work just as well. To allow them more room to expand, I potted them up a couple sizes.

Why is ZZ plant not growing?

Another simple reason your ZZ Plant isn’t growing is because it isn’t getting enough nutrition. ZZs, like most plants, can only use the nutrients found in the soil around them. Plants won’t be able to push new growth effectively if the soil is old or depleted.

Because the ZZ Plant is a slow grower, a few feedings of a good liquid fertilizer every now and then is all that is required to keep the soil nutrient-rich for the plant to utilise.

To ensure that your ZZ has plenty of nutrients to work with, fertilize it two or three times during the growing season with a diluted liquid fertilizer. Your ZZ will continue to grow on its own timetable. Still, the important thing is that you’re removing nutrient insufficiency as a growth constraint.

What cuttings will root in water?

Many houseplants take to water readily. I enjoy watching roots grow, especially in the winter when there is something so uplifting about a life that is so willing. To be honest, taking cuttings in the spring and summer makes the most sense. Furthermore, cuttings taken in water are inferior to those taken on soil, owing to the fact that water does not provide the most nutritious start. That, however, does not deter me.

Philodendrons, begonias, tradescantia, pilea, peperomias, ctenanthe (but unfortunately not calathea), and rhipsalis are just a few of the plants that thrive in water.

Cuttings should be 10-15cm long in general; larger cuttings may take, but the stem-to-root ratio generally results in a weak plant. Cut just below where a leaf attaches to the stem, known as a node, with a sharp knife or secateurs. If a part of stem is left below the node, it will most likely decay.

You may need to remove a few more leaves in addition to the lowest one, leaving only the top two or three. Basically, any section of the cutting that will be submerged in water should be devoid of rotting leaves. Fetid water is not a pleasant place to begin one’s life.

Remove any blossoms that may be present to prevent the cutting from producing seed, which wastes energy that could be better spent growing roots. Furthermore, the blossoms may become mouldy and decay.

Rooting can be done in small vases, water bottles, or milk bottles. If the neck is particularly wide, you may need to put a mesh over the top to keep the cutting from falling into the water. You can also combine multiple cuttings in a single container.

Choose a container that is smaller than you think. Cuttings release hormones into the water to induce roots, but a large volume of water dilutes these chemicals, making the process take longer.

Rooting takes three to four weeks on average, though certain begonias and pileas require much longer. Be patient and keep the cuttings somewhere bright and warm. If a stem in a bunch of cuttings becomes mushy and begins to rot, remove it before it contaminates the remainder of the cuttings. The cutting is ready to be potted up when it has multiple roots that are 2-5cm long.

Fill a suitable sized container with drainage with pre-moistened potting compost, and keep the compost moist but not sodden until you see new growth. It’s a good idea to clip the cutting back a little when potting it up if it grew in the water, which many do. This will encourage new growth at the base of the plant, resulting in a bushier plant.