Hi Becki! Well, since you're having a lot of rotting issues I would maybe try going over your process from the beginning to see if you can increase your odds because your losses should not be the norm, but more the exception. We all lose some but if it's happening repeatedly I would check a few things.

Has the cutting been allowed to properly callous? This is your best defense against a rotting core.

Is you soil mix really well draining? Straight potting soil is too dense, a mix with a lot of perlite for example is good to break it up a bit. When you pot up the cutting, I would wet the end, dip it in rooting hormone and put it in the pot / bottle. Water it really well one time and then do not water again until you see some leaves.

During this time the cutting needs to be kept warm with bottom heat. If your cutting is not being kept with a bottom heat of around 80 degrees you will have a much higher chance of losing it. Do you have a heat mat? How warm are your cuttings kept to root?

My other bit of advise would be to switch to clear bottles to root so you will see when sufficient roots have developed. This has helped me tremendously by doing that. Once you have some of these things nailed down it is a bit easier to leave them alone.

Please keep us updated and good luck!

This post was edited by elucas101 on Fri, Mar 29, 13 at 9:50

Well I have only successfully rooted 2 cuttings and nursed a Jungle Jacks's cutting from having just one tiny root to full strength so my advice doesnt come from years of success like most other here.

First off this is were I think using a clear bottle or the bag method is the only way to go. You can see if you have roots without pulling the cutting making your decision much easier.

As for when to give up. I would say either when you see obvious sign of rot, the cutting is soft at the soil or anywhere else, or its been a year.

Provided the cuttings are in a somewhat ideal condition the rooting time should be less than 6 months but I have seen some people post that theirs took a year.

Mike

Becki,
I give a good squeeze just above the soil line while limiting the disturbance to the cutting. It should be firm. Understood what you said that you cannot feel the rot this way but thats how I have been able to find it.

I would use plain perlite (washed to get the dust off) and a gatorade bottle (20 oz size would work) with lthe neck and label cut off and holes melted or cut into the bottom for drainage. The bottle is so you can "observe without disturb". I am sure you are not a novice but I will state them here for other readers as well...water once and then no water until leaves have formed and roots are visible, bottom heat and as much warmth as can be provided.

Also it would seem the callusing method being used isnt working for you. Consider looking into the bark method of which was developed by "citizen insane". Its worked the best for me. Emily just posted about it too.

Someone (and/or several others) on here posted about a water callusing method that I have not tried but will do in the future. Forgive me if I don't recall/credit the specific members which shared that method.

Thanks to all for the replies - sorry for my long overdue response (the never ending, torturous, dissertation has been keeping me off the forum)...

elucas101: Lots of great suggestions! I think the bottom heating source is likely my main problem (i.e., not having one). I had them in a warm garage under a grow light, but the bottom heat probably wasn't enough. I am now trying the clear plastic bottles with holes. Soil/perlite mix is OK I believe... for awhile my boyfriend was potting them in a soil sand mix and think the sand was making the mixture too dense and holding in the moisture (that sandbox sand available at lowes is really fine). I'll definitely look into the heating source.. they just all seemed pretty small and not able to accommodate say 10 plumeria rooting at once.. though if i use small pots rather than the 1 gallon i had been using this should also allow more to fit. [sorry for all the outloud thinking - and thanks for the advice!] - PS if you see this... how does the small clear container method mix/fit with the egg method... is it one or the other? (small container with the egg seemed like a lot of egg for the container size).

Mksmth: Thanks for sharing your experience with me. The clear rooting is certainly growing on me. The most curious thing to me is that the core inside my cutting would be liquid mush, but the outside remained hard and pretty normal looking. So hard infact i had trouble cutting it open with the pruner.... this is what was REALLY driving me crazy!!! Its like the outside turned to hard bark type core (like a bamboo stalk) and the insides were toast.

mks2: I love your "observe without disturb" ... i know its the same message as others, but it really gets the message in there. I may post a sign above my cuttings :) I remember seeing the bark callusing method you referenced and was interested in it. I couldn't believe some of the photos of the calluses that had developed! I think I will try it with my next set. In the past I have simply dipped in rooting hormone right away and then let the cuttings air dry for around 2 weeks. A few may have only waited 1 which also could have been a problem. How long do you typically give them?

Thanks again to all and happy spring!!! (sorry again for dropping the ball on my reply)

Rebecca

Hi Becks! Here's a link to the heat mat Kim319 and I both bought (I have 2 in different sizes). She also has a Hydrofarm heat mat I think and she said she likes this one better. They offer several different sizes. Don't bother with the dimmer offered, you don't need it. We also both use extra insulators underneath - personally I use a piece of aluminum foil on top of a cookie sheet and the other is on aluminum foil on top of 2 twelve inch unglazed saltillo tiles (approx $2 ea. at Home Depot. These are also super cheap pizza stones!) This helps keep the heat there instead of dissipating along the table surface.

I have rooted cuttings with no heat mat when the weather is warmer outside but this allows me a constant back up if I need it / times like these where we've had no sun and cooler temps.

I would let the cutting callous for 2-3 weeks before potting up. I'm in the same boat as far as learning to callous better and to wait the full amount of time! So far the mulch and perlite are both working pretty well for me I think.

I really think switching to the bottle method will change your life - it did mine LOL! I really should have done that a long time ago. I think I got scared because the sun can reflect off the edges of the bottle and burn your cutting if you're not careful, but if you just either don't leave a lot of plastic lip on the top or are very careful about it is fine. And of course if they're inside, no problem.

Good luck, keep us posted!

elucas - What creative solutions!!!! It appears the link is missing for your heat mat. Would you mind recopying it or providing the brand name please?

I will definitely start waiting the full 2-3 weeks (so hard!!!). I had no idea becoming a plumeriaholic would require such creativity, patience etc.. They are really closer to pets than plants lol.

Have a great day and will keep you posted!

WHOOPS! So sorry, I guess it would really help to include the link, wouldn't it?!

I am having the same problem trying to wait, you aren't kidding, it's not easy!! I have learned some great tricks and tips on this forum, everyone is so helpful and it's great to learn from their experience - I didn't know any of those tricks until I came to this forum!!! I'm so excited for you, I know you can do it this time!

Here is a link that might be useful: Heat Mat

I LOVE that you can vary the length. NICE FIND and thanks for sharing!!!!! I thought I was stuck with like the 18 to 24 inches... now I just need a larger yard to accommodate all the plumeria I will be able to root!

If you are handy or know someone handy, you can order that heat tape by itself and make a heat mat to any length you want.

Here is a link that might be useful: Heat Tape