What are Seeds?- How to Propagate More Plants

Seeds from around IMAP that Gregorio collected for our workshop

When we think about seeds we usually imagine little tiny things we hold in the palm of our hand. However, Gregorio opened up our perspective to think about the many different ways that plants propagate. He held a small branch of plant cutting in his hand and said "this is also a seed."

Gregorio showing us a variety of ways to understand seeds

Plants can propagate by:

1. Seed or grains

   • like we usually imagine

2. Roots or rhizomes

   • for these plants you can dig up and plant some of the roots to reproduce them

   • like guava--> Dig up and cut off a 2 to 3 inch tip from one of its roots and cover it with a layer of soil. In a few weeks, new shoots will emerge.

3. Cuttings or stems (vástagos or esquejes)

   • for these plants you can cut off a stem or small branch or cutting to plant directly in the ground

   • like basil, lavender, oregano, a variety of tree species, etc.. --> Cut just below the third node of the stem, prune off the lower leaves, and plant in moist soil. In a few weeks, roots will develop!

4. Leaves

   • for these plants a leaf or cactus pad is planted upright in the ground

   • like nopal/ prickly pear cactus..

5. Grafting (injertos)

   • one plant is joined to another through tissue regeneration by attaching the stem of another plant to the current plant

   • this method of propagation can maintain a plant productive for longer and also fight off disease

   • coffee, fruit trees, etc..

6. Layering (acodo)

   • this is when a new plant remains at least partially attached to the mother plant while forming new roots through by lightly scraping a branch and planting it in the soil

Understanding the variety of plant propagation methods can be helpful to understand how to best reproduce more plants and expand our diversity of production!