It's my understand that areas where the cambium layer have been injured are more likely to produce roots. For many plants this only happens around the nodes where leaves used to attach. So scratching the cambium layer with your finger nail at the nodes and the applying a thin dusting of hormones gives a good chance of root generation. That said, my success with root propagation has been about 50/50. A big part of my failures lies in missing out on misting the cuttings. With some plants, if you miss a day or two of misting the leaves, you can lose the cuttings. Providing a plastic dome to hold moisture in helps but can also increase the chances of fungal and mold growth. Some plants have been easy for me, I got 16 out of 20 Ixora cuttings to take, but lost a dozen viburnum cuttings before I finally had one take.

Best of luck.

This post was edited by Leekle2ManE on Mon, Oct 13, 14 at 12:49

Yes, if possible recut the ends. The key is to have a node under the soil where the roots can come out. If possible have two nodes.

What has worked for me is to split a node with a razor blade, dip it in water and then dip it in the rooting powder. Blow off any clump of rooting powder and then pot it.

Keep the cuttings in a shady area and, as stated above, make sure you mist at least every other day.

As far as leaves are concerned there needs to be some leaves at the top to encourage the plant to throw down roots. You should cut off any large leaves--two nodes with relatively small leaves is best in my experience.

Agreed, cut the ends unless they're succulents or Plumeria. I've never had a concern for nodes under the soil, and botanically it doesn't make sense since the nodes are not where roots would normally be produced. But if it works, who am I to argue?

Also, you didn't say what the plants are, so I can't give you exact information, but most woody stemmed cuttings do not need rooting hormone. I grow Crotons, Ixora, and dozens of different Aroids in a mistbed and have never used it.

I would like to do cuttings of firespike and beautybush. Thanks for any advice.

I think nodes are more likely to form roots because of the cells there. It's like when you prune a shrub, if the shrub sends out more branches it happens right where the old branches were (at least that's what my viburnums, firebush and phetonia do). Something about the cells at those nodes allows them to change function better than along the space between. When I took the ixora cuttings I mentioned earlier, I decided to experiment and scratched the cambium all along the areas that would be below soil. When I potted them up, roots had only formed at the nodes.

However, in the case of coleus and some salvias, I have seen root formation at various points along the stem, not just nodes.

I apologize for the lack of information. I had way more than expected new plants and the cuttings and ground orchids were starting to look real sickly. The cuttings are pomegranate from Silvia's party.

I had 2 cuttings. One was 6" long and about 3/16, the other was about 14" long but only a 1/16 or so in diameter. The leaves on the thick one were fine, so I left them. The leaves on the thin one were badly wilted and drying on the edges. I took most of the leaves off the thin one. The thin one was cut into 3 pieces, with a node at both ends. The thick one was left whole, as it had a node at the bottom and leaves at the top.

The tree end was dipped in rooting hormone before inserting into peat containers filled with a light potting soil. I watered them well before covering the quad pack pot with a gallon zip lock bag. The bag is just slipped over the pots so that there will be some air circulation, but most of the humidity will be trapped. This is the setup that I used with tomato grafting, The only difference is that the cuttings are in a South facing window, while the grafts needed to be in total darkness for several days.

Most literature says that I'll know I've had success when top growth starts, but how long before you figure you have cocked it up and toss the experiment?

As the weather cools, it's going to take longer. With Crotons I watch for roots out the bottom of the pot; usually 4 weeks. Ixora take longer, up to 6 weeks. Be patient and toss nothing for at least two months. Tug on the plants, lightly, and you should feel resistance when roots have formed.

> Posted by inulover
> Most literature says that I'll know I've had success when top growth starts,

My way is more reliable : I use narrow, transparent containers,
and SEE roots, monitor their progress.

> how long before you figure you have cocked it up and toss the experiment?

The length of time is so wildly different among genera that
generalizations are true only as an average;
i.e. are inapplicable to individual genera unless and until
you learn that a particular happens to conform to the average.