Summer's End

You can also root cuttings of some annuals in a glass of water. Impatiens, coleus, begonias, and geraniums will soon begin to produce roots. After a number of roots begin to appear, start adding small amounts of sand or soil to the water every few days. That way you won't have a tangled mass of roots to sort out when it's time to transplant, and the soil or sand will stimulate the roots to grow new root hairs, which are the true movers of food and water to the plants.

Step 1

1. As summer ends, you can take cuttings of geraniums and other annuals to root for winter houseplants. First clip off the flower heads.

Step 2

2. Select healthy shoots to use as cuttings. Young, vigorous growing tips or side shoots make the best cuttings for indoor plants.

Step 3

3. Remove the leaves from the bottom third or half of each cutting, as shown here. Have pots full of moist potting mix ready for planting the cuttings.

Step 4

4. Dip the end of each cutting in rooting hormone powder if you like (they will also root without it), and insert each into the potting mix almost up to the lowest leaves.