STEVIA – Herb Digger

STEVIA HOME PAGE You can propagate stevia through cuttings in soil, cuttings in water, or by seeds. Cuttings are faster and more reliable, while seeds take longer and may have variable results. The easiest way to propagate stevia is through cuttings. Cut a 2 to 3 inch stem with a leaf node at the bottom. Clip off lower leaves and submerge the node in water. Roots will form in 7 to 21 days. Once ready, transplant the cutting into soil. Let's examine the different approaches to propagating stevia plants. SUCCESSFUL STEVIA PROPAGATION Propagating your own stevia is rewarding, especially if you prefer a natural, cost-effective alternative to store-bought plants. Starting stevia from seeds can be challenging due to low germination rates and longer waiting times. Using cuttings is a more reliable and straightforward method. Stevia cuttings allow you to easily grow new plants with minimal effort. PATENT RESTRICTIONS: When propagating stevia, it's important to be cautious of patent restrictions. Some stevia varieties are patented, and propagating these plants without the patent holder’s permission is illegal. Plant patents protect unique cultivars developed by breeders, and they typically last for 20 years. While you might be able to propagate patented stevia for personal use, selling or distributing these plants is prohibited. Always check for any patent notices or restrictions associated with your plants to avoid legal issues and ensure you are not infringing on any intellectual property rights. You can check patents here: https://patents.google.com/ This article will focus on both indoor and outdoor propagation. We will also be covering the use of rooting hormones or natural alternatives like aloe vera. ROOTING STEVIA IN SOIL INDOORS My first HerbDigger adventure in propagating stevia was through rooting cuttings in soil. I found a gorgeous plant from a reputable nursery. It had a lot of good stems for cuttings. I chose cuttings 2 to 3 inches long and put them in a rich seed starting soil in peat pots. I'd read online that it's good to cover cuttings in soil with plastic to keep the soil moist. It took a long time for the stevia to root and I learned a lot through my mistakes. Hopefully you'll be able to learn from them too. I will just list them out for you. PEAT POT MISTAKE: I typically love using peat pots for seed starting because they make transplanting to the garden so easy. However, this was my first time trying them with cuttings instead of seeds. In my experience, the water-absorbing nature of peat pots tended to draw moisture away from stevia cuttings, making it harder to maintain the consistent moisture levels they needed to root successfully. PLASTIC VENTING MISTAKE: I used quart-sized plastic bags with a zip seal to keep moisture in for my stevia cuttings. If I removed the bags, the plants would sag. However, leaving them sealed too long led to mold in the soil. It was a constant balance of taking the pots out for ventilation, watching the stems and leaves droop, and putting them back. Ultimately, I found that slightly opening the tops allowed for enough air circulation while keeping the soil evenly moist. At one point, I thought I had lost all the plants because every single one was drooping when I took them out to air. In my adventure, I molded my stevia soil, and revived my nearly dead plants several times before I felt like they were truly rooted. I even had one that looked dead, dead, dead but sprouted tiny leaves at the base where a leaf node was sticking out of the soil. In the end, out of many plants, I only lost one. And when I pulled it up, I realized that it had not rooted because I did not have a leaf node below the soil. But my goodness, what a journey of several weeks. I wish I'd started with cuttings in water. To propagate stevia cuttings in soil indoors, start by preparing a well-draining potting mix. Choose a container with drainage holes to avoid waterlogging. Select a 4-6 inch cutting from a healthy stevia plant, ensuring it includes a leaf node. Remove the lower leaves to expose the node, as this is where roots will form. Once the cutting is planted in soil, cover it with a clear plastic bag to create a mini greenhouse. This will help maintain a humid environment, critical for root development. Use stakes to keep the bag from touching the cutting and allow air circulation. Keep the soil consistently moist but not too wet. PROPAGATING STEVIA IN WATER Water propagation is another simple method for stevia. Take a cutting and submerge the lower leaf nodes in a glass of water, ensuring the leaves stay above the waterline. Place the glass in indirect sunlight, and change the water every few days to prevent bacterial growth. In 1 to 2 weeks, roots will begin to develop. Once they reach 1 to 2 inches in length, transfer the rooted cutting into soil. This method allows you to visually monitor root growth before planting. This is my favorite method. It required very little effort on my part and had me smacking my forehead for going through the rooting in soil moldy experiment first. USING ROOTING HORMONE OR ALOE VERA FOR PROPAGATION Rooting hormone can enhance the success of stevia propagation by accelerating root development. Simply dip the cut end of the stevia cutting in the hormone powder before planting in soil. I suggest pouring a little rooting powder out onto another surface because you don't want to contaminate your bottle of rooting hormone with any bacteria or disease that could be lurking on the stem. A natural alternative to synthetic rooting hormones is aloe vera. Aloe vera gel can be applied to the cut end of the stevia cutting to stimulate root growth, providing a gentle yet effective option for gardeners seeking a natural solution. Check out our article on this topic, ALOE VERA: A NATURAL ROOTING AID. PROPAGATING STEVIA FROM SEED Stevia seeds can be tricky to propagate due to their low germination rates and genetic variability. This means the plants grown from seeds may not always be identical to the parent plant. Start stevia seeds indoors in seed trays filled with a well-draining seed-starting mix. Keep the trays warm and place them under grow lights to encourage sprouting. Be patient, as seed germination may take time and not all seeds will sprout. PROPAGATING STEVIA OUTDOORS When the weather is warm, stevia cuttings can be propagated directly in a garden bed. Prepare the soil by ensuring it’s well-draining and located in a sunny spot. Cuttings will root similarly to indoor propagation, though keeping the soil consistently moist is key to successful rooting outdoors. Monitor the environment closely. Outdoor conditions like temperature and humidity can affect rooting success. EASE OF PROPAGATING STEVIA AND COMMON ISSUES Stevia is relatively easy to propagate, especially through cuttings, making it accessible for beginner gardeners. However, some challenges may arise, including poor rooting or fungal infections. These can often be remedied by maintaining proper humidity, using sterile tools, and ensuring good air circulation. Weak growth may indicate insufficient light or poor soil quality, both of which can be corrected with adjustments to the growing conditions. HOW TO CUT STEVIA CUTTINGS FOR PROPAGATION Use sharp, clean scissors or pruning shears to cut a 4 to 6 inch piece from a healthy stevia stem just below a leaf node. Remove the lower leaves to expose the nodes, as this is where new roots will form. Cut at a 45-degree angle just below the node This will increases the surface area for rooting and maximizes the chances of success. The great thing about taking a cutting of stevia is that this pruning will increase the growth of the plant. Where you had one stem, if you cut above a leaf node, two stems will grow. You can see that happening with my windowsill stevia. I have taken many cuttings from it. I cut here above a leaf node and you can see two new stems growing from the base of the leaf nodes. Over time, my stevia plant will become bushier and bushier, yielding more leaves. You can read about PRUNING STEVIA FOR OPTIMAL GROWTH HERE. CONCLUSION Propagating stevia can be done through several methods, including cuttings in soil, water propagation, and seed germination. The use of rooting hormones or natural alternatives like aloe vera can enhance success rates. Regardless of the method, gardeners should be mindful of legal implications when propagating patented varieties and consider trying different techniques to see what works best for them. Pin it! STEVIA HOME PAGE Article 039, Contributors: Sheryl CS Johnson and Carol Schwinn