Plant Propagation Boxes
Plant propagation boxes are great alternatives for those of us who don’t have greenhouses but would like to keep our tropical plants in ideal growing conditions. It’s essentially the same concept as a greenhouse but on a much smaller scale. Vivaria are great for tropical plants, but where is the best place to keep cuttings taken from your vivaria? Yep, plant propagation boxes.
Prop boxes are simple and effective. I use clear 60-quart Sterilite® boxes that measure 24" x 19 1/4" x 11 1/8" because they fit on the shelving unit in one of my closets. If you can go bigger, do it! I put about an inch or two layer of perlite on the bottom of the prop boxes simply to stabilize the potted plants and absorb some humidity. I used to use soil in the entire boxes and plant cuttings or rooted plants directly into the soil in the boxes. After using that method for about six months, I found that roots from the different plants would get tangled, and I would have to carefully separate all of the plants. Potting them individually is certainly the way to go. After watering your potted plants, place them in your prop boxes. Some folks like to add some ventilation holes in the boxes, but I find it unnecessary.
Let’s talk about lighting for your prop boxes. Good LED lighting is fundamentally important in successfully growing plants in the artificial conditions. Thankfully, LED lights are relatively inexpensive, and there are almost endless options. I typically like 6000-6500K. Most of the plants we use for vivaria are considered understory plants, which simply means they are often found in somewhat lower light conditions in the rainforest. There’s absolutely no need to blast your prop boxes with tons of light. I use a single LED strip light above each prop box, and that is more than enough light for the plants to grow and thrive.
As mentioned, prop boxes are perfect for growing cuttings from your vivaria, and if your boxes are large enough, you can keep the mother plants in them and take cuttings as needed for future vivarium builds. The boxes will require light misting and watering as needed, and the perlite on the bottom should be replaced when it gets water logged or too dirty. If your plants need to be watered, do so outside of the prop boxes so the water can drain before placing them back in the boxes.