Propagation for many plants is best done in potting soil, but some plants can be propagated in water. This is because they have evolved in an environment that allows it. However, they are still land plants and will do best if planted in soil over the long term.

Just like how we eat food for energy, plants need soil because the soil itself have nutrients that help plants survive, such as nitrogen and potassium that can only be found from the soil. If you dig out the soil and look at the bottom of trees and many plants, you can see a lot of roots.

Yes, plants can grow without soil, but they cannot grow without the necessities that soil provides. Plants need support, nutrients, protection from adverse temperatures, an even supply of moisture, and they need oxygen around the roots. It is possible to provide these necessary components for plant growth without soil.

The deeper roots supply plant nutrients, water, and minerals. So, why does the question, “do plant roots grow faster in water or soil?” arise? The answer is found when looking deeper into the roots of a plant. The deeper roots will actually take up most, if not all, of the water that reaches a plant as it grows.

Philodendron. An adaptable houseplant, philodendron is recognized by its lush, trailing, heart-shaped leaves. It tolerates both low and bright light, and requires very little care. While the plant is usually grown in a pot, it is a plant that can flourish without soil and will grow just as easily in a jar of tap water.

Technically, you can transfer your cuttings to soil at any time. In fact, you can actually propagate directly into soil, however, it’s much harder to do within your home. When you propagate in soil, you have to keep a good balance of soil moisture, air flow, and humidity.

Rooting will generally occur in 3-4 weeks but some plants will take longer. When the roots are 1-2 inches long or longer the cutting is ready to be potted up. This plant has heavy rooting and is ready to be moved to a pot with potting soil.

The stem of a tender plant can be easily damaged by high winds, heavy rains or poor handling. This vital part of the plant transports the nutrients from the water and soil to its blossoms and leaves. If the stem becomes broken or bent, it can interrupt this flow and can cause your plant to die.

Even woody plants may be cut down to the ground and grow again. Answer: Although some woody plants and trees can be cut to the ground (see above) and grow again, most cannot, and severe pruning should be avoided. It is recommended not to prune back any plant by more than two-thirds.

Use a clean, sharp knife to cut a 3- to 4-inch shoot below a leaf node (the spot where a leaf emerges from a stem as shown). Cut off the bottom leaves of the shoot and snip off any flowers or buds. This prompts the plant to use its energy for rooting rather than growing leaves or flowers.

4 Easy Ways to Water Plants

1. Knowing When to Water Plants. A good rule of thumb when it comes to watering plants is to place your finger (or thumb) in the soil.
2. Misting Method. Ferns particularly enjoy a good misting.
3. Sink Bath Watering Method.
4. Gradual Flow Devices.
5. Double-Pot Watering Method.
6. SEE MORE:

Dying leaves leach nutrients from the plant that are better used elsewhere. Removing them allows these nutrients to go where they’re needed most – the remaining healthy leaves and flowers. In some plants, snipping off dead leaves may also encourage new growth during the plant’s active growing season.

How to regrow plants from food scraps

• Spring Onions. Perhaps the easiest of all of the methods in this article, Spring Onions can be regrown from their white root bases, growing only in water.
• Lemongrass.
• Lettuce.
• Celery.
• Sweet Potatoes.
• Ginger.
• Garlic.
• Carrot Tops.

6 Kitchen Scraps to Use in the Garden—Even if You Don’t Compost

• Eggshells.
• Coffee grounds.
• Banana peels.
• Orange peels.
• Nut Shells.
• Cooking Water.
• Spicy Peppers, Garlic, and Onion.

• Lettuce. Lettuce, Bok Choy and cabbage are relatively easy to grow from scraps.
• Celery. Celery is one of the easiest foods to grow from leftover scraps.
• Lemongrass. If you love using lemongrass but have a difficult time finding it, simply regrow your own.
• Bean Sprouts.
• Avocado.
• Potatoes.
• Sweet Potatoes.
• Ginger.

Here are some of the common vegetables (and herbs) that you can re-grow from scraps:

• Potatoes.
• Sweet Potatoes.
• Onions, Garlic, Leeks and Shallots.
• Celery.
• Bulb Fennel.
• Carrots, Turnips, Parsnips, Beets and Other Root Crops.
• Lettuce, Bok Choi and Other Leafy Greens.
• Cabbages.

10 Vegetables You Can Re-Grow in Water

• Bok Choy. Simply cut off leaves at the bottom of the stalks and within a few days, new growth will appear.
• Cabbage. Cut the bottom of the head off, & place it in a shallow bowl with a small amount of water.
• Carrot Greens.
• Celery.
• Fennel.
• Garlic Chives.
• Green Onions.
• Lettuce.

Regrowing a pineapple is pretty effortless, but certainly doesn’t happen overnight. You can see a few tiny roots start to develop in a few days, but you’ll need to grow the pineapple top in water for at least 2 weeks to allow some real root development before planting. Another tip is to use a fresh pineapple.

Place the scrap in shallow water, cut side down and leaf end up, and fresh greens will soon appear. Another easy-to-regrow scrap is ginger root, which regrows quickly in soil. If your scrap still has a fresh, wet cut, let it dry at room temperature overnight. Then plant the root scrap 1 inch deep in soil.

Regrowing vegetables in water is generally as easy as taking a portion of the veggie and suspending it in a glass or other container of water. The portion needed to regrow vegetables in water is usually a stem or the bottom (root end) of it. For example, you can regrow cilantro and basil from a sprig.

Cabbages will not regrow a single central head, but the smaller baby sprouts that do regrow are still tasty and worth harvesting. Use a sharp knife to cut the central cabbage head as close to its base as possible, leaving as much of the stem in the ground as you can.

Top 10 easy to grow vegetables, fruit & salad seeds and plants for beginners

1. Salad Leaves. Crunchy fresh leaves with a fantastic range of textures and flavours.
2. Radishes. Spice up your salads with crunchy, peppery radishes.
3. Potatoes.
4. Peas.
5. Spring onions.
6. Broad Beans.
7. Runner Beans.
8. Onions and Garlic.

Successful Vegetables: Our Top 10 Crops for Beginner Gardeners

• Peas & Pole Beans are very simple to grow, and can be great fun for kids.
• Chard & Kale are great, easy-to-grow sources of cooking and salad greens.
• Radishes are one of the most gratifying garden crops because they germinate and grow so rapidly.