The Only Houseplants I'm Propagating in April – My Indoor Garden Will Be Double in Size By the End of the Month

By the time spring rolls around, there's a lot of new growth in my indoor garden. Warmer room temperatures and sunnier days are encouraging my plants to grow bigger, so I'm using it to my advantage and propagating the easiest houseplants cuttings to take in April.

This is a great month to experiment with propagation as many of the best indoor plants are full of energy and easy to root. Some of the easiest houseplants to grow from cuttings this month include the spider plant (which you can purchase in a decorative pot from Amazon) and the lesser known peperomia.

The best part is it's super low-effort to propagate these cuttings – just put them in soil or water and watch them root. Here, with insights from experts, I talk though seven houseplant cuttings to take in April for brand new houseplants by the end of the month.

7 Houseplants Cuttings to Take in April

Before you get started with these houseplants cuttings to take in April, you need to make sure you have the right kit to hand.

Houseplant snips (like these from Amazon) have small blades ideal for precise cuts. They should always be clean to prevent the spread of plant pests and diseases.

If you're going to use water propagation methods, I recommend getting yourself a clear vessel propagation station (like the pretty wall hanging one from Wayfair), which allows you to easily observe root growth.

If you're rooting cuttings in soil, always use a well-draining houseplant potting mix (like this from Lowe's). Outdoor potting mix and compost can be too dense for these indoor plants and may attract fungus gnats and other pests, due to the excess moisture they hold.

1. Spider Plant

'The spider plant is by far the easiest plant you’ll ever propagate,' says plant expert and interior plant designer, Shane Pliska. 'The 'mother plant' gives you a fully formed 'baby' that can be turned into a brand new plant,' he describes.

Mature spider plants will very quickly put out long stems with these offshoots (or 'spiderettes') attached. It's then a case of taking your pruning snips, removing the baby plant from the stem, and potting it up.

'Spider plants like moisture when rooting, so if the roots on the baby plant are not well developed you can set it on top of a glass of water to root first,' Shane advises.

When propagating your spider plant, ensure to provide plenty of bright light to encourage faster rooting.

Shane Pliska

Shane Pliska is the president and CEO of Planterra - a national leader in interior landscaping. Shane's team include Feng Shui specialists who use ancient principles to enhance interiors with living plants.

2. Tradescantia

I love propagating my tradescantia because it honestly takes just days for roots to emerge.

Whether you grow a tradescantia 'Zebrina', tradescantia 'Nanouk' (available at Lowe's), or anther variety, these are houseplant cuttings to take in April that will give you new plants in just a few weeks.

You should take a few cuttings at a time for a fuller plant. Make sure to cut just below a leaf node (where roots will develop).

'I usually take slightly longer pieces, around four or five inches, since they establish faster once planted compared to very short cuttings,' advises Adrian Aviles, plant expert and Owner of Athletic Club Flower Shop.

Remove the lower leaves on your cuttings and plant them straight into houseplant potting mix.

Maintain consistent moisture (avoiding sogginess as these plants are susceptible to houseplant root rot) and a bright position, and you'll soon have an established new plant.

Word of warning: these plants are sensitive to direct sun and can experience leaf scorch on their iconic foliage.

Adrian Aviles

Adrian Aviles is the owner of Athletic Club Flower Shop in Downtown Los Angeles, which has been around since 1916. Adrian's passion for flowers began when his late mother ran a floral design program, which he helped to source the flowers for. He then took over the historic Athletic Club Flower Shop in 2004 at the age of 24. The store's designer's create beautiful arrangements for all occasions.

3. Ivy

If you want to maximize your vertical indoor garden space, then take ivy cuttings this month. You can style ivy houseplants in hanging baskets or elevated on a shelf, cascading down elegantly.

Ivy is easy to care for and it's even easier to grow ivy from cuttings.

Simply take a handful of stem cuttings (ideally six inches long), cutting above a leaf node where you see lots of small bumps – these are premature aerial roots which give you cuttings a better chance of rooting successfully.

I personally like to root ivy cuttings directly in potting soil, as I find it more convenient than having to transplant water-rooted cuttings. However, it is just as quick and easy to propagate ivy in water.

Just take care to avoid water propagation mistakes, for example by refreshing the water regularly.

Find an ivy houseplant in a decorative pot on Amazon.

4. Pothos

Another indoor hanging plant to take cuttings from this month is pothos. You can take cuttings from any pothos varieties in April, including 'Marble Queen' pothos from The Sill).

'Pothos is an enjoyable plant to propagate because it shows results relatively quickly and the cuttings can be displayed in an artful way on a windowsill,' Shane says.

'To propagate pothos, take a cutting with a node (this is a little growth where roots form) and drop it in a glass of water in a sunny location.

'The better the light the quicker the growth. Change the water occasionally to keep it clear, not cloudy. Then once roots develop, transfer the cutting into moist soil to continue growing,' Shane advises.

My top tip is to place your pothos cuttings in the same vessel as other cuttings. They release auxins which act as a natural rooting hormone, speeding up houseplant propagation.

This beaker-style propagation station on Amazon could even turn your pothos cuttings into a table centerpiece.

5. Peperomia

'Peperomia is not mentioned as often, but it has been reliable for me,' says Adrian.

You can use leaf cuttings to propagate these beautiful plants. It's often best to pop them directly into potting soil, rather than water.

'When propagating peperomia, I have had better results letting the cut end dry a bit before putting it into soil, otherwise it can rot early on,' he advises.

This process allows the cutting to form a protective callus, making propagation much more successful.

You should use methods to increase humidity for indoor plants when rooting peperomia cuttings. For example, you can place these cuttings on a pebble humidity tray from Amazon.

There are so many types of peperomia to choose from, including this 'Ripple Red' peperomia on Amazon and 'Piccolo Banda' peperomia on Walmart.

6. Jade Plant

It might seem intimidating to propagate succulents, but jade plants are one of the easier types to multiply, especially in spring.

'Jade is my favorite to propagate because it's easy to do, even though it takes a little longer than others,' says Shane.

When propagating a jade plant, Shane advises:

'Start with a branch or stem, rather than a single leaf, as it's much more rewarding and gives you instant gratification.

'Once the stem is cut, let it callus over in a dry place for a few days, as this will prevent the stem from rotting when you plant it.'

It's best to then place the cutting in soil, rather than water as jade plant roots can rot easily.

'Place the jade plant in bright direct light,' Shane says. Though, you should take care to acclimate it to this position, as jade plants can turn red from sunburn.

Find a mature jade plant to propagate at Lowe's.

7. Monstera

While it can be more instant to propagate a monstera through division, you can also root monstera cuttings in water.

This goes for the largest varieties, like Monstera deliciosa (from The Sill), and smaller varieties, like Monstera adansonii (from Amazon).

You should take cuttings of stems with at least one node, identifiable as a bump. For larger varieties with thicket stems like Monstera deliciosa, you may need to use bypass pruning shears (from Amazon).

Pop the cutting in a jar of water and place it somewhere bright and warm. Once the roots are 2-4 inches long, you can pot up your cuttings to create a brand new plant.

I actually find monstera cuttings in large mason jars (like this from Walmart) create botanical art for the home. You can style them on your windowsills or on tables to create some green interest.

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FAQs

Can I Propagate My Peace Lily in April?

Whether you can propagate your peace lily in April depends on whether it's flowering. If it is, it's best to wait until it finishes blooming to divide your peace lily. If it isn't yet flowering, you can divide it in April to make use of its active growth energy and multiply your plants.

As well as these houseplant cuttings to take in April, make sure to read up on other essential spring houseplant care tasks.

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