By the time autumn rolls around, many people have given up on their plants and gardens. The heat of August and September has taken its toll, and the lure of fun fall activities sounds more appealing than yard chores. Still, there are some individuals who really love plants no matter the weather because of the vast benefits they derive from working with them.
Propagating for pleasure
Susan Bernauer became interested in plants from watching family members in their gardening endeavors. “My aunt was the ‘green thumb’ of the family, [and] my father started tomatoes and green peppers from seed,” she says. “So the general knowledge of how to grow flowers and vegetables was part of my upbringing.”
But in recent years, especially after an older friend downsized and Susan acquired his 8’x12’ greenhouse, her interest in succulents bloomed. “Succulents are fascinating because there are so many different-looking varieties,” she says. “You can’t have just one; there is always room for something new.”
As Susan began collecting succulents, she realized how easy (and fun) it can be to propagate them. “Some succulents grow fairly quickly and put off ‘pups’ at the base of the plant, so the question of what to do with these babies comes up,” she explains. “Some succulents are fragile, and when bumped, the leaves fall off. If you leave these leaves on top of the soil, they will begin to grow a new plant.”
Not everyone would use words like “exciting” and “fun” to describe plant propagation, but Susan finds it endlessly fascinating to see what conditions these plants need and how to best cultivate them. She has recently been trying layering, which is done on plants with woody stems. Sometimes she is rewarded by the unexpected, like when her “Topsy turvy” plant (Echeveria runyonii) bloomed in various shades of pink.
Susan says propagating plants connects her with others. “Plants provide a common language and interest among people. I am a teacher at heart, so I like to share information with others, to encourage them and help them be successful in their experience of having plants. I find that fulfilling.”
Propagation has also been a way for Susan to generate extra income in the form of her home-based business, Sueflycreations. She sells her plants on Fridays and Saturdays and has even written a gardener’s journal chock-full of the knowledge she has gained over the years.
By Carrie Vittitoe | Photos by Melissa Donald
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