There may even be a student experiment here. (Unless the teachers online lesson plan forces the student in some previously dictated direction.)

So I am thinking, after a manner of speaking, if there is stuff in willow that can be extracted to aid in rooting of other cuttings shouldn't one run the willow twigs through a food processor and masticate them before starting the extraction process?

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Better to just use a hammer to break up rather than trying to keep your head on the neck.

You could but you could also be dulling your blades or even worse if you use larger pieces tearing up your machine. I would not want to be the person explaining to another that the machine is dead.

Just bought four (4) food processors from the thrift shop at the senior center for four (4) dollars. Should I still worry about dulling the blades or explaining that I have damaged the machine?

In theory, fresh shredded twigs would put more rooting hormones into the water, but it's hard to say whether that's a big increase in productivity because it doesn't take too much of the hormone to get plants to start rooting anyhow.

I have scanned about 200 articles so far. Many of the old timers, i.e. before the reasonable manufacture of synthetics, crushed their source and then autoclaved it to extract IAA.

This might suggest answers to two questions. Some now suggest soaking their willow and others suggest boiling it. History seems to suggests that to get IAA the best procedure might be boiling.

I have yet to search for procedures for extracting salicylic acid.
Should the benefits of willow be salicylic acid I am still thinking that mastication is the route to go but I have yet to research whether one should boil it or soak it to recover salicylic acid.

by isabella__ma on Sun, Apr 18, 10 at 7:47

Auxin can be store bought at wal[mart[sic]. look for a small brown bottle with some cheesy packaging.

Thanks but this is the Experiments forum not a sources forum.

Progress notes. [I lost my only source of willow cuttings. I live far out in the high deserts and the only willow tree I knew about was removed for some reason. Extensive study of the literature suggests salicylic acid from the willow may help to preserve cuttings from rot and natural breakdown.

There may be traces of salicylic acid in aspirin and it may be found in significant amounts in old uncoated aspirin stored improperly.]

It's supposed to get you three ears per stalk and a huge root system.