Perennial Shoots: Propagating Kale from Side Branches
🌱 The Soshanguve Growing System
This is Part 16 of the journey — from overgrown land to a self-sustaining organic food system.
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Next: Part 17 — Swiss Chard Update: Mid-Season Growth Audit
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June 18, 2026 • Soshanguve, Pretoria"A kale cutting is not just a branch — it's a clone, a copy, a continuation. Plant it right, and it will grow into the same plant you harvested from. That's not gardening. That's biological replication."
Growing Food in Soshanguve (Part 16): Perennial Shoots — Propagating Kale from Cuttings
The morning of June 18, 2026, was crisp and clear. I walked out to the garden with a bucket of kale cuttings — side shoots that I had pruned from the parent plants the day before. Instead of throwing them away, I was going to turn them into new plants.
This is one of my favourite gardening techniques. It's called vegetative propagation — taking cuttings from existing plants and rooting them to create new, genetically identical plants. It's free, it's fast, and it's incredibly satisfying.
Kale is a perfect candidate for propagation. It produces side shoots naturally, especially after you harvest the main stem. Those side shoots can be cut off and rooted, creating clones of the parent plant. One mature kale plant can produce 10–20 viable cuttings over a season, multiplying your crop at zero cost.
In this post, I'll document the entire process — selecting the cuttings, preparing them, planting them, and caring for them until they root. It's not complicated, but it requires attention to detail. And the payoff is huge.
1. Why Propagate Kale from Cuttings?
Most people grow kale from seed. That's fine — it works. But propagating from cuttings has several advantages that make it worth the extra effort.
First, it's faster.
Seed-grown kale takes 8–10 weeks to reach harvest size. You have to germinate the seeds (7–10 days), grow the seedlings (4–6 weeks), transplant them, and wait for them to establish. Cuttings skip all of that. A cutting taken from a mature plant can be harvestable in 4–6 weeks. That's about half the time.
Second, it's genetic cloning.
When you grow from seed, every plant is slightly different. That's the nature of sexual reproduction — genetic diversity. But when you take a cutting, you're creating a clone of the parent plant. If the parent is high-yielding, pest-resistant, or particularly tasty, all the cuttings will share those traits. This is how gardeners have been preserving and improving varieties for centuries.
Third, it's free.
Cuttings come from pruning existing plants. Instead of discarding the pruned branches, you root them. One mature kale plant can produce 10–20 viable cuttings over a season. That means you can multiply your crop without buying seeds or seedlings.
Fourth, it's satisfying.
There's something deeply satisfying about taking a branch that would otherwise be thrown away and turning it into a thriving plant. It feels like you're part of the cycle of life, not just a consumer.
2. Selecting the Cuttings
Healthy kale cuttings — thick stems, good leaf count, and visible nodes where roots will emerge.
Not every branch makes a good cutting. You have to be selective. Here's what I looked for:
- Length: 10–15cm (4–6 inches). Too short and the cutting lacks energy to root. Too long and it loses too much water.
- Stem thickness: Pencil thickness (5–8mm). Thin stems are weak; thick stems are too woody.
- Leaf count: 4–6 leaves. Fewer than 4 is not enough photosynthesis. More than 6 is too much water loss.
- Stem maturity: Slightly woody — bends without snapping. Too soft and it rots; too hard and it roots slowly.
- Node presence: At least 2–3 nodes (the bumps where leaves emerge). Roots emerge from nodes.
- Healthy parent plant: Cuttings only from disease-free, vigorous plants.
I took cuttings from the side shoots of my kale plants — the branches that grow from the main stem. These are the best cuttings because they're already growing well and have good energy reserves.
I also made sure the parent plants were healthy. If the parent has aphids, the cuttings will have aphids. If the parent has disease, the cuttings will carry it. Healthy parent = healthy cuttings.
I've found that the best cuttings come from the middle of the plant — not the oldest branches (too woody) and not the youngest (too soft). The middle branches have the right balance of maturity and energy.
3. Preparing the Cuttings
Once I selected the cuttings, I prepared them for planting. This involves a few simple steps:
Step 1: Make a clean cut.
I recut the bottom of each stem at a 45-degree angle using clean, sharp scissors. The angled cut increases the surface area for water uptake and root formation. I made the cut just below a node — the bump where a leaf was attached. Nodes are where roots emerge.
Step 2: Remove lower leaves.
I stripped the bottom 2–3 leaves from each cutting, leaving only the top 2–3 leaves. This reduces water loss — cuttings have no roots to take up water, so they lose moisture through their leaves. Removing lower leaves also prevents rot when the stem is buried.
Step 3: Dip in water.
I dipped the cut end in water immediately after cutting. This prevents air from entering the stem's vascular system — air bubbles block water uptake.
I made a mistake the first time I propagated cuttings. I didn't remove enough leaves, and the cuttings wilted and died within 48 hours. They were losing more water through their leaves than they could absorb through the stem. Now I always remove at least half the leaves.
4. Planting the Cuttings
Planting the kale cuttings. The video shows the complete technique — parting the mulch, inserting the cutting, and firming the soil around the stem.
The planting technique is straightforward but precise. Here's the step-by-step:
Step 1: Part the mulch.
I pulled back the thick layer of dry grass mulch (from Step 5) to expose the soil underneath. The soil was dark, moist, and crumbly — perfect for rooting.
Step 2: Make a hole.
I used a dibber to make a hole 5–8cm deep — deep enough to bury 2–3 nodes. The hole was slightly wider than the stem so I didn't damage it when inserting.
Step 3: Insert the cutting.
I placed the cutting in the hole with the bottom node at the bottom of the hole. I held it upright while backfilling with soil.
Step 4: Firm the soil.
I pressed the soil gently around the stem using my fingers. Just enough to close the hole and eliminate air pockets — not so hard that I crushed the stem.
Step 5: Tuck the mulch back.
I pulled the mulch back around the cutting, leaving a 2–3cm gap around the stem. The mulch protects the soil and retains moisture, but it shouldn't touch the stem.
Step 6: Water in.
I watered each cutting with 2–3 liters of room-temperature water. Cuttings have no roots, so they need more water than seedlings.
Firming the soil around the cutting. The mulch is tucked back around the stem, leaving a small gap to prevent rot.
5. Watering
Watering the cuttings in. The deep soak saturates the mulch and soil, giving the cuttings the moisture they need to root.
Watering is the most critical step when propagating cuttings. Cuttings have no roots, so they rely entirely on moisture in the soil surrounding the stem. If the soil dries out, the cutting will wilt and die within 24–48 hours.
I watered each cutting with 2–3 liters of room-temperature water immediately after planting. That's about twice as much as I would give a seedling. The water soaked through the mulch and into the soil, saturating the root zone.
After the initial watering, I kept the soil consistently moist for the first 14 days. I watered every 2–3 days if there was no rain. After roots formed (14–21 days), I reduced watering to once per week.
I made a mistake with my first batch of cuttings. I watered them like seedlings — just a light sprinkle. The soil dried out, and the cuttings wilted. I lost half of them before I realized what was happening. Now I water deeply and regularly until roots form.
6. The Rooting Timeline
A settled cutting — standing straight, leaves turgid, and ready to root. The mulch is protecting the soil and retaining moisture.
Here's what I expect to happen over the next few weeks:
Days 1-3: The cuttings may look slightly stressed — wilting is normal. I don't overwater. The stems are absorbing moisture from the soil.
Days 4-7: I gently lift one or two cuttings to check for root initials — small white bumps at the buried nodes. If I see them, I know the process is working.
Days 7-10: The leaves should be fully turgid. New growth may appear at the top of the cutting.
Days 10-14: Roots should be 2–5cm long. The cuttings are now established. I water less frequently.
Days 14-21: Active leaf growth begins. I apply a light liquid feed — diluted worm tea at 1:15.
I've been through this timeline many times. It's always a relief when the new growth appears — that's the sign that the cutting has rooted and is starting to grow on its own.
7. Mistakes I've Made
I've made plenty of mistakes with cuttings. Here are the ones I want to share:
Mistake #1: I didn't remove enough leaves.
The cuttings lost too much water through their leaves and wilted. Now I remove at least half the leaves.
Mistake #2: I didn't water enough.
I treated cuttings like seedlings and watered lightly. The soil dried out, and the cuttings died. Now I water deeply — 2–3 liters per cutting.
Mistake #3: I let the mulch touch the stem.
The mulch caused rot at the base of the stem. Now I always leave a 2–3cm gap around the stem.
Mistake #4: I used cuttings from a diseased plant.
The parent plant had aphids, and the cuttings were infested. Now I only take cuttings from healthy plants.
Mistake #5: I planted cuttings in cold soil.
I planted in July when the soil was below 10°C. The cuttings took three weeks to root. Now I only plant when the soil is above 10°C.
🌱 Evergreen Field Notes — Part 16
- Location: Soshanguve, Pretoria, South Africa
- Current phase: Propagating Kale from Cuttings
- Variety: Curly Kale (parent plant)
- Cutting date: June 18, 2026
- Total cuttings planted: 12
- Cutting length: 12–15cm
- Stem thickness: 6–8mm (pencil thickness)
- Leaf count after preparation: 2–3 leaves per cutting
- Nodes buried: 2–3 nodes
- Plant-to-plant spacing: 40cm
- Row-to-row spacing: 50cm
- Water applied: 2–3 liters per cutting (initial)
- Expected rooting time: 10–14 days
- Expected first harvest: Late July – August 2026
- Key advantage: 4–6 weeks to harvest vs. 8–10 weeks from seed
- Next phase: Swiss chard mid-season growth audit
8. What's Next: Swiss Chard Update
With the kale cuttings in the ground, the garden is now complete — at least for this season. But the work isn't over. Now I need to monitor growth, track progress, and learn from what's working.
The next post is a mid-season update on the Swiss chard we planted back in Part 7. It's been about six weeks, and the chard has responded to the fish fertilizer, the feather compost, and the winter conditions.
In Part 17 — Swiss Chard Update: Mid-Season Growth Audit, I'll cover:
- Growth metrics: Current leaf size, plant height, and overall health.
- Harvest update: How many harvests have we taken?
- Response to fish fertilizer: Has the chard responded to the feeding?
- Response to feather compost: Has the top-dressing made a difference?
- Winter performance: How is the chard handling the cold?
- Pest and disease check: Any problems to address?
- Lessons learned: What would we do differently?
Stay tuned for the next update from Soshanguve.
9. Final Thoughts
Standing in the garden after planting the kale cuttings, I looked at the beds. The cuttings were in the ground, the mulch was in place, and the water had soaked in. The garden was complete — for now.
I thought about the cuttings. They had no roots. They had no way to take up water. They were vulnerable. But with the right conditions — moisture, warmth, and time — they would grow roots. They would become independent plants. And they would feed us.
This is one of the things I love about gardening. It's a reminder that growth takes time, that life finds a way, and that the simplest methods are often the most powerful.
The garden was healthy. The soil was alive. And the food was on its way.
— Kutlwano
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← Part 1: Site Diagnostic & Why It Matters
← Part 2: Land Clearing & The Pick-Mattock
← Part 3: Soil Turning & Root Extraction
← Part 4: Soil Architecture & Permanent Beds
← Part 5: The Soil Firewall — Mulching Before Planting
← Part 6: The Software Upload — Planting Garlic
← Part 7: The Staging Environment — Planting Swiss Chard
← Part 8: The Middleware — Planting Spring Onions
← Part 9: Resource Protection — Manual Weed Management
← Part 10: The Nitrogen Boost — Applying Fish Fertilizer
← Part 11: Weeds to Wealth — Building a Compost Heap
← Part 12: Compost Hacking — Sourcing Chicken Feathers
← Part 13: Soil Armor — Top Dressing with Chicken Manure
← Part 14: From Seedling to Soil Armor — Planting Onions
← Part 15: Growing Diva — Planting Cauliflower Seedlings
Part 17: Swiss Chard Update — Mid-Season Growth Audit →
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