And now, Shana, what I'm gonna do is show you how we can increase the plants in our meadow, not just by seed, but also by propagation.

So I've got a few cuttings here from my meadow, and I've got some a situation here where I've actually taken a catering container.

I like to reuse items, just like you do.

>>Yeah.

>>And I put in a mixture of perlite, which actually adds drainage, with vermiculite- >>Okay.

>>Which actually absorbs, you know, moisture.

So it's a combination that can very well drain but also hold a tremendous amount of moisture.

>>It looks light and fluffy too.

>>It is, it's great for even seedlings too, okay?

But then, of course, my next step is to sterilize my clippers, so which I sprayed with, you know, isopropyl rubbing alcohol.

And then I sharpened them, of course, 'cause you know me, I like sharp tools.

(laughing) What I've done, though, is already gone out to my meadow, and I've got some hummingbird mint here that I'd like to show you.

And if you look at the stem of this plant, you can see where there's actually sections where you've got growth, and then you have what's called the node where the leaf comes out.

And we have known for a very long time that in that node are hormones within that leaf that can actually cause the cells to differentiate from shoots to roots.

>>Okay.

>>And we're gonna promote roots, all right?

>>All right then, yeah.

>>And we always wanna make sure we have at least three nodes to propagate with, all right?

>>Okay.

>>So what I'm gonna do is I'm not gonna cut down here.

I'm gonna be cutting up here, because I want that node there.

So I'm gonna make a nice angled cut as always.

And I'm not going to rip these leaves off.

I'm gonna pinch 'em off, because I don't wanna damage any part of that stem.

>>All right.

>>Okay?

Now, many people like to use a powdered hormone.

I like to use a liquid hormone.

This one here, I've had great success with a liquid hormone.

And so it's a rooting hormone that I dip into.

>>Okay, you get it really good on there, huh?

>>I get it really good in there, yep.

You can see it's kinda purple.

I actually like that so you can see it.

>>Mm-hmm.

>>And then I put my little finger in, very high-tech.

(Shana laughing) And I know that I've got it on that node there really well, and I put it into the soil.

Okay, and I tamp it in there like anything else we do.

All right?

>>It looks good.

>>Yeah, and I don't know about you, but I like to baby my plants with water.

>>Yeah, mist them a little bit.

>>Mist 'em a little bit.

Now, mind you, I would have this whole section filled, and then I'll put the lid on.

>>And we're gonna make sure that you label everything too, because sometimes, we forget what we stick in there.

>>Absolutely, so I wrote meadow plants on here so I didn't have to list the whole entire, you know, variety of plants that we're gonna have in here.

But yeah, you can see here that I've actually taken the lid and put some holes in it, 'cause I want a little bit of drainage.

I don't want this to become a super moist environment.

I want it to just stay a little bit moist.

>>Mm-hmm.

>>Because I don't want rot to come in, which is why I used vermiculite and why I used the perlite, because those are sterile.

So I know that I won't have any rot coming in.

And then I will take this outside and I'll put it in a shady spot for about four to six weeks.

And I'll check on it every now and then and mist it where I need, you know, when needed.

I'll check to make sure that it stays moist.

And usually within four to six weeks, I've got some rooted cuttings.

>>That's exciting.

I wanna try that at home.

>>It's so easy.

You can use any size.

This is a large container.

I've done 'em in just tiny little containers too.

>>But I see so many plants that I really want, and I don't wanna start from seeds.

So that's great.

>>Yes.

It is great.

Now, my next step, oh I forgot to mention, I do have a few drainage holes at the bottom.

I just took a knife and made some slits.

I'm sorry, I forgot that part.

But yes, you should try it at home, 'cause it's so easy.

>>And I see you have it inside of a pan.

So you can actually just put water in the bottom and it'll suck it up.

>>Mm-hmm, to some degree, yes.

>>Okay.

>>If I've got good, you know, contact down underneath there, yes.

>>Okay.

>>But my next step is, let's pretend that this has rooted, okay, and I'm gonna go out and plant it.

Well, I don't know about you, but I've got squirrels too.

(laughing) >>(laughing) I got some.

>>And I have voles and I have moles and I have every, and I have deer.

So what I have done and do is I use this.

This is actually a hanging basket frame.

>>Oh.

>>That you would normally fill with a liner of moss, of whatever, or whatever you wanna choose, a coir liner, and I use it as my- >>Oh yes, so clever.

>>Wildlife protection.

Yes, I use this on containers that I newly planted.

I use this in areas where I've planted small plants right into the ground, such as my newly rooted plants.

Because I wanna protect them from curious squirrels, and I don't want anybody coming behind me and digging 'em up and ruining my hard work.

(laughing) >>Oh, I've seen that happen too many times, yes.

>>Way too many.

>>This is smart.

>>Yes, thank you.

And as you know, I like to shade transplants, so I can easily put a kind of soft fabric over this and create a little shade to actually reduce the intensity of the sun on a transplant as well.

It's got 110 uses.

>>Clever idea, I like it.

>>I'm glad and I hope you can use this method to propagate some of the plants in your garden.

>>I'm definitely going to use it.