Plant Propagation by Cuttings in Water vs. Potting Soil

[@Clarinda787]

I've had excellent results with rooting cuttings in a fish tank. I float styrofoam on top, poke tiny holes to push the cuttings down into the water while keeping the tops with 2 leaves above the water. Run the air pump the same as if you had the fish in the tank. The aerated water has rooted every plant I've put in it. One big bonus is that you can see the roots as they grow. No need to pull them out of dirt or keep changing water. This system works very well for me.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks. I' think aerated water may be my next trial! Thanks

[@sandi-midnight-mueller6550]

​@@FraserValleyRoseFarm ​ @Fraser Valley Rose Farm The aeration is a must in my opinion. I actually use an Aeroponic Cloning Machine that I built. (Its quicker to google it than me explain the set up.) but it basically mists the cuttings stem from below and the cutting is suspended in an enclosed container with neoprene collar, so leaves stay perfectly dry. No humidity dome or misting at all. I can get enough roots on the cuttings in a week to 10 days or so to be ready to plant in dirt. Before I started doing that I floated styrofoam also... works really well, just takes about twice the time as the aero. I had random luck just going straight into dirt. My downfall was remembering to mist them, or forgetting to put domes back on etc... the aero i just turn it on and forget it...

[@bengoodluck1858]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm definitely aerate your water, run a fish tank air pump and air stone provides a constant oxygen supply. you will see the difference. and if you can use a larger container with a lid and make foam plugs to go in the holes you can put your cutting in container and keep all the light out to prevent that algae. google cloning stations for a visual reference on the plugs etc. but easy as to make yourself

[@joannenardoni17]

I wish you could show a picture, wonderful idea, good on you.

[@Moondancer_15]

@@sandi-midnight-mueller6550 you should make a video yourself about your process. I know I'd watch it!

[@FlowerFarmerAmy]

Another element to consider - your water quality itself. Often water has been treated with chlorine, and fluoride added to it. Most plants/flowers do not do well with chemically treated water. That is why you often see the suggestion to only use rainwater or distilled water. The usual pH of water is close to 7; plants do better (take up more water) if the pH is between 3-4, in floral design work where you want blooms/foliage to last. You can use a touch of citric acid (lemon juice) to adjust pH. The 2nd component to consider is aeration in the water. Propagation success is higher if you aerate with a small fish tank pump/stone. Roots need air as well as water. That is why clay soil is so bad. It has very little aggregate spaces for air and the soil goes anaerobic. The algae issue has already been covered; eliminate light. Leaves: You want the plant to focus on root development so trim all leaves except 2 at the top. Clip those in half if they are large. All plant energy should go to root development. Following those adjustments should increase your success rate.

[@alexaleblanc8390]

when you plant a water propagated cutting into soil, keep the soil wetter than normal and ween the plant off the constant water instead of a drastic change and risk of shocking the plant

[@faitharnold4643]

But remember that saturated potting soil goes anaerobic very rapidly, unlike open water with air exposure at the surface and some circulation to distribute the oxygen throughout.

[@rosebean]

I found an abandoned rose in a paddock. I had nothing with me to get a cutting. So I broke off a piece, and it had a 5cm untidy broken mashed up stem. After leaving in water for two weeks (change water every day) there were roots growing all the way up and down that broken 5cm. Amazing. Maybe we don't need tidy cuts!

[@j887276]

Same here, found a beautiful rose of sharon growing on a roadside. Wife and I just quickly broke off a long wood branch near the base. Drove an hour home, put in water. Also cut the branches on the main branch and put in water. About half of them rooted, including the wood branch which kinda shocked me. It's mid September and we are planting them tomorrow- hoping they get rooted in the next 2 months before winter sets in. Also plan on mulching good for a little protection 😁

[@jac7198]

Im very very amateur, but this a theory i do believe. With almost all ripped and wounded stems, they grow roots a lot easier ( in water at least)

[@d00lph1n]

Thank you. :) I have a Meyer Lemon that has a severe case of scale. I made 3 cuttings that I washed thoroughly, dipped in hormone and put them in soil. I now have 3 scale free clones of the tree :D

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Nicely done!

[@katiecrosby1187]

What a great comparison video! Very helpful to me. Now I know why I’ve had poor success transferring my water rooted hydrangeas to soil. 😊 I also enjoyed reading so many helpful comments. It’s great to see so many helpful and resourceful people here.❤

[@danlewis1871]

I appreciate your knowledgeable straight forward approach with not a lot of foo foo!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Dan!

[@emmitstewart1921]

Roots formed in water undergo a change when transferred to soil. Submersed roots have no hair roots because they take nourishment directly from the water, Immersed roots have hair roots for absorbing nourishment from moist soil. For those species that I root in water, I prefer to make the change when the roots are only an inch long. If the cutting has been left in the water longer, I trim the roots back to an inch. Water contains little or no nutrient, so the sooner the plant is transferred to soil, the better. As a general rule I find that plants that form woody stems root better in soil. You need to experiment a little to find which plants root well in water. Some species root quickly, while others only rot. In case of doubt, root it in soil. My preferred method is to make a green wood cutting with four to five nodes, making my cut about a quarter to a half inch below the bottom node. Remove the leaves from the lower two nodes that will be under water. Leave only one or two leaves on the top of the stem. I have several 4 oz. jars with plastic lids. In the center of each lid, I drill a 1/2 to 5/8 inch hole with a forstner drill bit. This holds the cutting upright and slows evaporation from the jar. Most cuttings take less than three weeks to root.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Emmit

[@ruanfernando]

Very nice! It's beautiful when KZbinrs will play with plants and learn from them, and show us the results. It really depends on the plant, I have propagated Basil in water many times and you can see the roots in day 3, it propagates as easily in soil. With Rosemary I've had a bit more difficulty, but that's due to my carelessness. Mint proapagates really easy both in water and soil. Ideally you need to change the water every day or every two days.

[@Garricher5958]

Thank you for taking the time to make this video. This looks very interesting.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

My pleasure Richard. Thanks for watching

[@amydetwiler5221]

Thank you! I just got my first rose cuttings last week. I saw a video about doing cuttings in water, so I went that route. I'm going to try and put half of them in soil tonight, and pray that I didn't totally kill everything

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Amy - good luck with all of them, and let us know your results!

[@amydetwiler5221]

@Mike Studmuffin everything is dead 🤦‍♀️ I contacted the seller, who graciously sent me a second batch. Those died too. The lavender cuttings, though, are doing much better hydroponically.

[@davidroberts257]

I found this very interesting. In my experience basil and tomato side shoots root very well in water. I usually grow tomatoes from seed and if I want a few more plants I root side shoots in water then pot them on. At the end of last summer I tried an experiment - rooted a few side shoots, potted them up, and kept them alive indoors through the winter (I'm in the UK so they wouldn't have survived outdoors), taking further sided shoots from them when they got too straggly. Planted them in my greenhouse this spring and they've done quite well - still going but it won't be long before it gets too cold for them.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for sharing your experience David

[@usa5439]

I only put cuttings in tap water, no growing aid or nutrients. Yes they get algae sometimes but i use a dark container. Like a bucket. Only have to clean it once a weak maybe but its easy. And you can put a clone collar around them and have them floating in a bucket. A 5 gallon bucket can hold about 20 cuttings. Just fill it up 1/4th of the way. Never had to buy soil again. When they have roots I put them in a 1 gallon bucket of water with nutrients and an air stone. Then it grows so fast

[@PanajachelMaya]

IM ..3RD WORLD FARMER JOHN HAM..ON YOU TUBE ALMOST ALL WAS TAKEN DOWN.BUT IVE PLANTED 2000 TREES OF 40 DIFFERENT SPECIES,WITH 500 GROWING TREES IN THE GROUND NOW SO I GOT 25 PERCENT IN VERY HARD CLAY SOIL DOING CUTTINGS,EXCEPT FOR PAPAYA,AND COFFEE WAS ALREADY HERE.JUST STICK IN 5 TO 8 CUTTINGS IN THE PLACE YOU WANT THE TREE ,EXPECT 1 LIVIVG PLANT,OR TREE .WORKED BEST WITH MULBERRY.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for sharing your method and results Juan. 25% is not bad just direct stuck into the soil

[@laurelshelhamer8958]

I heard somewhere that watering newly repotted plants do well when they are watered with, "weeping willow water." This is made by soaking weeping willow cuttings in water for several days. It is said that willows run thick with the rooting hormone.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Laurel. I've heard the same - but haven't done any serious trials with willow water. IBA is the main rooting hormone in willow branches, and it's not very soluble in water - so I suspect the levels would be quite low. Maybe good for easy cuttings, but for more difficult propagation I'd be more inclined to go with a commercially available hormone.

[@laurelshelhamer8958]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I got the impression that they were using it to water plants to enhance the growth process. I did a sort of accidental trial a few years ago. I was cleaning up after I trimmed a weeping willow and accidently left the 5 gallon bucket sitting by some shrubbery. It sat undisturbed for I think, 2 months. That summer it rained in biblical proportions! When I came across it again, the twigs and pieces had roots. In fact, they were a bit of a clump of very fine but healthy strings. I used up the water gradually on some border plants I had just put in. I always left enough water in the bucket to keep the twigs saturated and I let the rain refill the bucket. I have to admit my observations were far from scientific. Perhaps I should have used the willow water on only half of the plants. I let the rain refill the bucket and kept using the water for a few weeks. I needed the bucket for something so I fed my experiment to my sheep. All of those new plants survived and looked good but I don't remember noticing any exceptional growth that was out of the ordinary. The ewes all stayed the same size, too! Lol Oh, let me add that I love your tutorials! I knew nothing about cuttings prior to finding your chanel. You explain thing clearly, without any unneccesary superfuous flutter and your advice is supported with first hand observation and studies. You are always adding topics. And you are an enjoyable go-to! I have started some juniper virginia (something like that) cuttings and I'm so excited about them! These are what are called, "red cedar" around here. I think they are fully native. They are narly as the devil but make the best nesting habitat I've ever seen! A cat will NOT climb up after anything that nests in those trees. The trees offer good shelter and cover from birds of prey. They grow fast and make great, but somewhat ragged looking, bluish green wind breaks. And ever body must eat the seeds because they grow everywhere. (Except inside of 2 miles of my farm!) I talked to our county forester to see if seedlings were available for that specie. He was less than enthusiastic. But that seemed to be his general demeanor, lol. So far, my cuttings are still in the bucket! Lol. But they look a bit better than when I collected them a week ago! I'm going to do a half and half this time! One item more: I've been searching for reasonably priced native rose bush seedlings or cuttings. I want to scatter them over my 30 acres! I just love those hard working guys! I'm in the process of replacing and populating every non agricultural spot available with native plants. I call my work a,"Wildlife Restoration Project," by reintroducing native plants. "If I feed them, they should come!" Thanks so much for replying to my comment. You are fantastic!

[@anniehyams6833]

Thank you so much Jason and Fraser Valley Rose Farm for the beautiful red hearts and the beautiful messages stay safe happy and healthy

[@MrTacoMan247]

Thank you! Been about 3 weeks trying the water method and I had 1 grow tiny tiny roots out if 20 cuttings. Now I will definitely try the soil. Appreciate all the work you did.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Steven

[@ABQMAILMAN67]

I really love your Chanel! I've been bitten by the love of gardening within the last couple years and you have helped tremendously with my knowledge of roses. Haven't had success with my propagating yet but I'll get it eventually. Thanks again

[@sarahkay333]

I have a plant that I've been trying to root in water for over a month now I believe I think I will try putting it in soil and see if that helps.

[@naomievlahogeorge7958]

Sometimes it’s as small as changing location. Don’t give up! We had a kalanchoe that took about 4 months to put out roots in water - it was a long-term experiment my students could do while following Covid protocols. When that suc started rooting, it started creating new leaves like crazy and now, it’s spilling over the container along with the pothos vine that started rooting around the second week. Crazy thing is there is no natural light in my classroom so my student use whatever strength of grow light they think they need - never thought I would see a succulent thriving in water right next to the healthiest ZZ plant a class has ever grown. This is when I love teaching science!

[@bluesky7226]

Nice video. Yes I read some time ago that roots developed on a water propagated plants are not as strong as the roots on soil propagated plants. Thanks so much for it's lovely video.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

And thanks for the kind comment.

[@hhef83]

There are so many things I read a couple months ago on how to propagate hydrangeas. I opted to try water vs putting them straight into a nursery pot with potting mix and puttiny the soil props under a grow light. I like to experiment way too much, and also love getting free plants from friends lol. A friend gave me a couple cuttings from her big leaf hydrangea a little over two weeks ago. From my googling, and youtube seaches, everything says the clippings should be 3-4 inch long from a non-flowering new top growth that is still a green stem. The few inches provides a few nodes to root from. Hydrangeas have woody stems, which makes it almost impossible to prop older and woody brown stems in water or soil. The greener stems are a softer wood and easier to prop. Whether proping in soil or water, you remove all the leaves from the stems except the top two leaves. It helps to provide more energy and moisture to propagations quicker. It takes up to 3-4 weeks propagating in soil and water. Mine have only been in water for a little over two weeks and im already seeing roots growing from the nodes. My secret for propagating any clipping, easy or hard plants to prop, is clipping a pothos that has a 3+ nodes, removing most leaves except the top ones and putting the pothos clipping into the same water reservoir with the hydrangeas. Pothos cuttings release a natural rooting hormone into the water and it helps harder to prop plants root faster. Make sure non of the leaves from both the hydrangea and pothos are under the water or you'll risk rotting them.

[@nimblenemo]

This is a really useful experiment, it helps me decide which ones to plant in the soil vs water. Thanks a lot for the detailed video and comparison!

[@kathycook1815]

What a great video Jason - I had 6 fig cuttings in the summer, placed in water for 3 months - they developed a tangle of roots - then stuck them out about 6 weeks ago in grow bags and they are fully leafed out and are two feet tall!!! I am in zone 8b in MS 60 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico. Sooooo, rooted in water and then transferred to rich soil in large grow bags. I am just a novice at this point but I do think that fig cuttings take very well in my area (as long as you have the patience!!!). Thanks again for a very informative channel.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

And thank you for sharing your method and results!

[@benneb663]

i always thought the water method was a joke. only thing i've ever been able to get to root that way was willow. glad you took the time to do a side by side comparison. jah bless!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Ben!

[@michaeldwalker8055]

"Jah" lmao!

[@bellalexi2085]

Here’s a secret no one talks about. Heating pad! I was having no luck with cuttings (in water or soil) until I put them on a planting heating pad. Now all my cuttings root perfectly and make the best mature plants. Rooting hormone helps too. Shady place but good lighting under a dome for humidity. That’s it! 😎

[@xiomaramartinez3212]

Thanks for share such a important information, see the difference between the methods and variety of plants is impressive.

[@helenscoffield]

Loved your video! I use green bottles on a windowsill for oleanders, basil, watercress, pinapple tops. then put them into soil.

[@Jimbojoebob]

You may want to minimize leaves. Maybe 1 or 2 max. You want the plant to focus on root development.

[@Briannafrancis-e9g]

I agree, it takes the stress off the plant

[@UFDionysus]

Thanks for doing these small experiments and sharing for our education. I've done a lot of propagating, mostly edibles, and I'm rather surprised by some of your methods. I normally remove almost all the leaves no matter which method I'm using to root the cuttings. I figure if the cutting drops the leaves for lack of moisture, then I've erred in not removing it first, because a cutting with insufficient moisture is probably not going to be able to do the growth I want it to. I'm also surprised about your potting soil. It looks to be mostly peat, though I may be mistaken and I did see some larger textured pieces in it that I wonder what they were. Peat based media is mostly what's been available to me, and I add a lot of perlite to try to prevent aeration deficits that I've seen in peat media, which can be prone to waterlogging. Anyway, I've generally found what you have, that cuttings in soil generally work better than cuttings in water. The few things I root in water are mostly from the mint family and sweet potato shoots, and I put them in a sunny window indoors. They get planted into soil once they've got some roots.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for sharing your experience Michael. I've previously removed more foliage at the time of cutting, but I'm swinging the other direction now. From what I've read, continued photosynthesis (at a much reduced rate, but still...) has a role in sending natural auxins down to encourage rooting. With higher humidity or more regular mist, the loss of foliage can be slowed, though not completely avoided in my experience. I'm using a composted wood/shredded cedar fiber mix - it's given me decent results, so long as I don't start it out too moist.

[@rishtunkhwa8990]

I wonder if very damp soil (until roots appear) appears will get the benefit of both water-plus-soil, then let the soil moisture come to normal gradually. This video has comments from many knowledgeable people with good tips. Thanks to all.

[@caroleprete2367]

Thank you for pointing out the difference in a side-to-side comparison. I’m convinced. I’ve have amazing success with Pothos but meager success with outdoor plants. Soil it is...

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Carole.

[@EverSoInnocent]

Try SLOWLY adding soil to the water container. Start with about a tablespoon every couple days for about 10 days, then start adding about 1/4 cup until it's full of soil instead of water.

[@Roach_In_A_Trenchcoat]

Would the soggy dirt not drown the plant without some type of aeration?

[@jeangough8053]

Thank you Jason, very interesting I also had great success with Hydrangeas in potting compost not water. I managed to propagate 8 with success this year. Great video.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for sharing your experience Jean

[@ignaciaforteza7731]

Thank you. So interesting! Would choose soil but when given cuttings, to this day I immediately put them in water for fear they may wilt... consequently some root! Mostly die of course. All the same, I enjoy all your knowledge!!!

[@wendychandler8304]

I've always had fairly good results with water in jar/vase on windowsill. Yesterday I potted four Rosemary herbs with roots approx. 6 inches long, but threw out 12 Hydrangeas potted in soil, outside. Several others grown over 3 years now have flowers. It's a hit or miss game.

[@alucardreyals1090]

Helpful experiment - thanks for sharing the knowledge. Just a few observations on the water method. it is essential not only to change the dirty green water every 4-5 days but also to thoroughly wash out the cup itself each time water is changed, in order to remove all algae stuck to the cup. Secondly, the cut at the base of the stem should be at a 45 degree angle. One effect of this is to materially increase the surface area of the stem base, through which the cutting absorbs moisture and breathes. Thirdly, I cut stems down to single nodes wherever possible and with all but one original leaf cut off, in order to conserve energy for the stem. Fourthly, adding a very few tiny granules of rooting powder or hormone to the water gives the cutting extra nutrition. All these extra steps should help to narrow the advantage that soil naturally has over water, as soil naturally provides significantly more nutrition (minerals, etc.) than pure water. Several of my recent rose cuttings produced callusing and roots within 3 weeks of placing in water. They have subsequently produced one or two spectacularly colourful South American hybrid tea roses each, already standing at just over two feet tall each, within 2 months of potting. This is immensely satisfying.

[@littlemissy8356]

I've done both water and soil. The garden center said do sunpatients in soil. If you choose to use water, remember you will need to change the water at least every third day, maybe more. So you would need to be near a water source. That is a lot of work.

[@heirwithjesus]

Doing this exact experiment right now with most of my trees and shrubs(fruiting and non fruiting) - My weeping willows(golden, normal) rooted the fastest...less than two weeks. They produced a lot of roots.... Most all the other trees are growing new leaves but the original leaves I left on there to indicate death did in fact die but new growth came in... Don't waste money on new trees when you can do this...and it's super fun!!! Happy Growing!!

[@SilvestreJoSebastian]

From the rose perspective it's a HUGE help thanks !!!

[@naanon9427]

Excellent Video, Jason. I'm attempting to clone Hibiscus, roses, and Rose of Sharon in water, and now I know what to look for and what medium to use.

[@vittoriagnecchi5783]

I love this segment! scientific experimentation is rad! Thank you for your videos they are amongst my favourite gardening ones I found online. I picked up so many useful information and tips - you are great at imparting information efficiently and I learned a lot osmotically : )

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks so much Vittoria!

[@annebeck2208]

There are a few things that do root well in water: things from the mint family including sweet basil (Pull off most leaves and make pesto) If you are going to do this for shrubs/trees/vines and more than 1 plant, it seems like it would just be smarter to do it in soil like most propagators do. Thanks for sharing the experiment!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

That's great Anne - I should have tried some rosemary just for fun

[@annebeck2208]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I have tried rosemary a number of times because we were moving...never worked in water...think it is more of a shrub or maybe it is too woody too soon? Basil that is woody won't work either...(I just remembered:most Italians keep basil in water on the window sill and cut off it all year long.)

[@timomcintosh8997]

From fish keeping experience, algae means lots of light, no agitation and excess available nutrients = bad for plants in that water. Why hydroponics use sprayers in dark tubes. Cover the cups, change your water parameters, and add an air stone and I'd bet your results would be very different.

[@jennypherespinosa581]

how about using dark water containers?

[@jennypherespinosa581]

I'm trying to propagate cuttings from a pothos and from a Genus Euonymus

[@bryan3550]

Fascinating work Jason! Thank you. 😉

[@alexandriawoodham614]

Water rooting does have decorative value, or getting kids into botany. My favorite is mint, in a row of jars along a windowsill. Mint does well the most consistently for me. (Atlanta, Georgia. Zone 8.)

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Alexandria!

[@Rai-Rai666]

Agree! I find soil to be much more forgiving to any mistakes. I also have Florida swamp water that will be algae within a day even not in light! It just seems to rot my plants super fast. I'll use it for a day or two if I get behind, but much more success forgoing any rooting hormone or prep and sticking in dirt than trying to root in water.

[@cassielynch7457]

Thank you for the video. I found it to be extremely informative

[@jacqdanieles]

What works for me: 1. Leave cuttings in water/rooting hormone solution for 48 hrs. 2. Plant in moist sand, dipping the ends 1st in rooting hormone. 3. Cover with a clear plastic shroud or bag for 4-6 days. 4. Remove shroud & mist regularly. An optional step is to also dip in anti-fungal powder when planting in the sand.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for sharing your technique Jacq.

[@twotales7337]

Where do you keep the cuttings between mistings? Do you mist the leaves only? Ie leave the soil/sand?

[@jacqdanieles]

@@twotales7337 - keep the cuttings in a warm, shady area. As they start to grow, move to a brighter area. Misting is for the sand. The sand must remain moist, but not waterlogged. Overwatering could result in fungal infection or rot.

[@twotales7337]

@@jacqdanieles thank you, that's helpful. I'm attempting some cuttings for the first time 🤞🏼

[@jacqdanieles]

@@twotales7337 - most cuttings root fairly easily so you should be fine. Good luck!

[@nicolereadstarot]

Finally found this! I asked about this and roses because my mother used to do this with her house plants

[@praful6890]

Thank you for the video and the demo which was clear and factual. Its a good one for someone who doesn't have a green thumb. Will propagate in soil so I can have plants ready for next spring.

[@louyuno]

I like your videos! I learned so much from you, thank you! :)

[@tinkfairyx1]

I use dechlorinated water & have nearly 100% success with a variety of plants. I enjoy the look of my water containers & plants placed around my house

[@anniehyams6833]

Thank you Jason and Fraser Farm for the beautiful red heart and the beautiful message thank you again for sharing the beautiful very interesting videos stay safe keep well happy and healthy

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

And thanks so much for watching!

[@L3fT0H4nD]

Thanks for sharing your results, I'm going to re-try some cuttings via soil.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Best of luck!

[@alexg.5850]

I'm a tropical gardener and I have always prefered soil over water, double the speed on rooting, lower chance of fungi infection and in general, more convenient that having water somewhere collecting mosquito larvaes if unwatched, great video though!!!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for the input Alex - always good to hear what's working for other growers

[@dgshivler]

Would be interested in an experiment changing water every day. From the comments below, changing water every day is the proper method. Thanks for your video I learned a lot.

[@donbarber3769]

Don Hi been watching your videos on cutting. I had quite a lot of success with roses,and grape vine cutting. With putting a cuttings in a plastic container,then fill the with sphagnum moss damp. And another method putting cutting in a container with garden sand. Then put the container in a bigger container with a lid with a few holes in the top. Had good results Uk

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for sharing your methods Don

[@erikjohnson9075]

My rule of thumb for rooting is that I use the water method for annuals (tomatoes cucumbers etc) and soil for perennials. For berries I also get the tip die back but as long as the entire stem doesnt die you still have a chance. Generally I find taking clippings of berries mid autumn is the best way to go.

[@leahstrydom8415]

Just started my first rose cutting in soil. Hoping it takes! Thank you for this video!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Good luck!

[@anniehyams6833]

Sorry meant to say thank you so much Fraser Valley Rose Farm

[@kengarrett1116]

Hi mate. I had great success with fig cuttings by wrapping them up in damp paper towel and putting them in a zip lock bag on top of the refrigerator (warmer). After about three weeks they were very well rooted.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Ken. I've seen the "burrito" method work well with roses too.

[@justme33126]

I grow a lot of cuttings in water. The golden rule is to change the water at least once a day.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks!

[@bostonchoir]

Does it not wash auxin away?

[@Jonno2020]

would it help if it was continually aerated with an air stone?

[@blueskies6475]

I'm impressed with those roots 3 weeks in a pot! Unsure if you are interested but I have 2 orchids that I need expert help with. 😁

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I might come around to orchids someday, but today I'd be a novice.

[@BlessedBeyondCompare]

I love this video, it's like the best kind of science experiment! :D

[@christmassnow3465]

One possible reason for root rot or stem rot of a cutting is the lack of oxygen in the potting medium or in the water. I have never tried that myself, but you can try water propagation in a hydroponic system with water circulation and aeration. Also, you can see if an opaque container that keeps the water in the dark and prevents algal growth can contribute to a better water quality. This is just my suggestion for another experiment as I have not tried that yet.

[@anniehyams6833]

Thank you so much for the beautiful red heart and the beautiful message stay safe and keep well happy and healthy

[@nickbrandimarte8657]

I have noticed that cuttings do better in water when the container BLOCKS the light where the roots will develope rather than using clear containers/cups. I also like to change the water out at least every two days.. happy growing.

[@johndickie3301]

John from NZ here. I try different methods with different plants and at different times of year - some being associated with some children I do home school environmental science activities with. There are so many variables and I learn from my successes and failures. For examples of great success with water alone are Armeria , "cigarette plant", pineapple sage and the NZ native coastal fuschia. I've tried adding various things to the water - rooting hormone, some "complete" fertiliser, blood and bone and a "dash of soil"; generally the only thing that assists (sometimes) is a dash of soil. I hardly ever change the water, and the bottles sit outside in full sunlight; just top up the water when I remember. Get some plants that root well and quickly in water and you can get so many activities to help young developing minds to explore some aspects of science and experimentation; and application of measurement and numeracy to this as well as careful recording of observations in a systematic and scientific manner.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for sharing your success John - always great fun to experiment

[@rosamgaspar]

I had better results in water. The problem was that when I transplanted them in potting soil I lost a lot of them whereas the ones in soil transplanted very well.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

That's what I've heard - losses during transition. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@s4pulidi]

You need add soil at the last stage, bit by bit to the water propagation, It will give time for your plants to adapt, It will be easier for the root to growth and survived... cheers!

[@tedpreston4155]

@@s4pulidi I've never heard of your method, but it makes good sense to me. Now I want to see the results from the next logical followup to the experiment we watched in this video. What we've observed thus far suggests a second experiment, a three-way test, whereby: The first cutting goes into plain water, inserted into a light-proof black container, so that the bottom half of the cutting is in darkness and underwater for the duration of the experiment. This cutting and the next two should be disturbed from their containers only once, to inspect the root development midway through the test.. The second cutting will use a variation of Joseph's intriguing method. The stem of this second cutting goes into a second, identical container. Like the first, this second container will remain saturated with clean water for the duration. At the beginning of the test period, we will add some soil to the water in the second container, and then add more soil incrementally over the course of the test. The Third cutting will get plain water overnight to help saturate it before potting it, after which it will develop its roots (we hope) in simple potting soil for the duration of the experiment, in a simple pot. The potting soil will be kept consistently moist until the end of the test. The same light source, temperature and humidity would be provided to all three test cuttings over the course of the experiment. Does anybody have suggestions to improve this experiment? I'd appreciate your comments, as I may attempt it in the near future, just for the love of curiosity. Two heads are better than one, right? ;) Thanks to the Rose Farmers for educating us all with this video. I'm gonna go watch some of your others now, . . . just for the love of curiosity. ;) Deeply felt best wishes flow straight from my heart this week to all my neighbors, near and far. May you ALL find a more abundant supply of strength, wisdom, goodwill and understanding in the coming weeks. May ALL my countrymen, and our treasured neighbors throughout the world, weather these turbulent times, without hating or distrusting your neighbors and countrymen even more than you do today. I mean that sincerely friends. May you ALL find more peace and brotherly love in your future, and less conflict.

[@tedpreston4155]

Some of the good folks reading this youtube thread may be encouraged to learn that the words I typed at the end of that last post are sincere, even in this very moment. It was something about the pleasant spirit surrounding you folks, who focus your energy on bringing new plants into our world, perhaps, that propelled me into a sensation of being warmed by some upswelling of genuine mercy and compassion that overwhelmed my consciousness for a few sort of blissful, and too-short moments, just as I was finishing typing my post. That outpouring of love and compassion inspired the final paragraph. Now, the last remnants of that pleasant spell have inspired me copy the words I typed at the end of the paste them around the web because our world be a better place with more of that sentiment spreading. I wish I could share that compassion-rush widely too. If any of you get some warmth from that paragraph, feel free to spread it around as you wish. G-nite dirt-lovers!

[@mylink.orb17]

@@tedpreston4155 thank you for your wonderful words, Ted. I will be passing them on, with your blessing. Thanks again. 😌

[@wcdeich4]

I once had a problem w/ new leaves but no roots - it turned out, I did not let the stem cut dry before I planted the cutting in very moist soil - I basically achieved the cut flower in a vase effect by accident.

[@lieslfeldman1725]

I enjoy your videos. I have a different method of water rooting. I have a good size pondless waterfall with a fast flow. I can put many different types of cuttings stuck between the rocks and get good roots. Even the plants that don't root keep their leaves and stay fresh a long time. I discovered this when a flowering stem broke off the plant and I stuck it in the fountain. The flowers remained as long as they would have on the plant! This is outside zone 9 NorCal near Sacramento. I'm guessing this happens due to the coolness of the water plus the aeration. I have grasses and Canna growing in between the rocks also.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for sharing your success Liesl. Interesting technique.

[@somethingbeautiful2212]

Great information! Thanks 😁 Agreed, even if the plants take root in water, transitioning to soil can be too much of a shock

[@1965Haval]

Hi. Thank you for sharing this video. I wonder if you ever considered adding a fish tank bubbler to the water method? It will oxygenate the water and may improve the success rate.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for the suggestion

[@VaajmooByte]

I see what you are doing, I had a similar experimental testing . It depend on the temperature the plant received in the water or in the potted soil if you add some rooting hormone in the water the cutting in water will grow root faster and better and every cutting you put in there while those in soil pot will grow some root but some of them will get rot

[@EarlyMusicDiva]

I have successfully rooted basil, tomatoes, geraniums (Pelargonium), and calibrachoa in water. Doing geraniums and callies over this winter - just potted up the rooted cuttings a couple of weeks ago, and they're all putting on new growth and looking pretty happy. Have not tried the comparison of soil to water in a "formal" experiment, but all the geranium cuttings I've ever tried to root in pots have rotted and died. With that particular species, I have better luck with water.

[@jonathanrich4213]

Fantastic bit of nursery science!

[@ember2.031]

Hey there! I ran across this video doing research for my first propagation. And it was really helpful! I'm currently trying to save my little scheffy (scheflera, if that's how you spell it lol) after some nasty root rot. It's kind of my first real plant so hopefully it works!

[@JMKeynes8491]

Tried water with hydrangea and verbena cuttings. Hydrangea was a complete failure in water and about 30% success in potting mix. Verbena worked fine in water with about 70% success although some failed to make it when moved into soil.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for sharing your experience William

[@dalemills2906]

very good video. I have one root on one rose stem. another has no roots but grew a few leaves.

[@100forms8]

Hi Jason. Thank you for this great experiment! It is especially helpful that you took time to film it in few sessions and let us see all the steps from the beginning to the end, and the result. What potting soil did you use in this experiment? I saw quite large pieces of something that looks like woodchips. I tried to propagate many different evergreens for my backyard and I almost always fail. I used sand, high quality potting mix, plain dirt from my backyard. I did it indoor and outdoor. My best and only positive result was when I just pushed a stick into the ground in partial shade with dirt was covered with 20 cm of one year old woodchips.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks. I use a mix of composted wood bark/chips and shredded cedar fiber. Evergreens are a bit slow compared to most of what I propagate - and I've seen people do them in in-ground beds (I think to keep the moisture and temperature more stable than containers over a long period).

[@scotstevig]

I am not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. However, I did not know that you could propagate plants by sticking them in soil. The relative few that I have propagated have been in water. Except succulents, of course which I just lay on top of soil. I am going to research how one propagate using soil for the simple reason that it would say a lot of time and work because I change the water every other day, and then, when they do grow roots, I need to transplant them into soil. So it would be nice to not have to do that. Thank you for your video. Just as a bonus tip for everyone. All of my windows are north facing. Over about a one and a half year period of time after I moved in here, all of my plants, either died or were dying, and I gave them away to my neighbors across the hall who have south facing windows. Interestingly, two plants survived, and actually thrived. As far as I can figure out, they are Peperomia something. I think they are very attractive plants. For some reason I decided to try to propagate them. I’m sure I must’ve looked up if it was possible, and then how to. I used the water method, and they are growing very healthy roots after about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks and I don’t think I lost any leaves. I thought I would share that with people. After not having very many plants for about a year and a half I started really missing them. This time around I am much more conscientious about keeping them as close to the window as possible. I even bought a fiddle leaf fig, which I know is crazy. I’m going to try and supplement the light with grow lights of some sort. I have had it for about three weeks and I have to say I’m very surprised so far seems to be doing well. I also have one spot in my apartment that is probably perfection for plants. It is in my master bathroom, so if I put them on the windowsill and hang some of them, they love it because of the humidity and light I’m assuming. Wish me luck.

[@sharonspopsandplants359]

I have rooted house plants in water a lot and I have a weeping willow that I need to get into a pot and yes I did it in water. I’ve been trying an olive tree as well and my get new cuttings and put them in soil along with my Texas Sage which is in water right now 😊

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for sharing your success! I have it on my list to try this again with a few adjustments.

[@oregonk91]

Would also be helpful to have info on your potting soil - commercial or do you make your own. And moisture level / watering frequency for the soil. Great comparison! Thanks!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I use a commercially prepared mix from a local potting soil company. Under the domes, I don't really have to water the soil - just misting every day or two ends up being enough to keep the soil at the right moisture level.

[@williamstilianessis9216]

I've always had good success with rooting in light soil. My cuttings are places in terracotta pots, in the window sill, south-facing, and watered daily.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for sharing your method and success!

[@anniehyams6833]

Thanks Jason for a lovely interesting video

[@annebeck2208]

The other 1 I had root in water was "dusty miller" that was in with flowers and eucalyptus (I changed the flowers about 3 times for 3 weeks total) and as I was going to throw it all out, the "dusty miller" had grown roots. It transitioned nicely to soil, but I think the eucalyptus must have caused the rooting since the next time I didn't use eucalyptus and it did not develop roots.

[@melissasullivan1658]

I had some success sticking green willow branches in with my cuttings/water, but I’ve never thought to use eucalyptus. :)

[@ssrianprincess4597]

Amazing, thank you, so much helpful information for beginners... A request please, can you do a detailed information on alovera plant, leaf growing, taking care, repoting, as they are easy to kill, with not knowing how to care for them Please

[@followerofyahushua3101]

I enjoyed the video; Thanks for uploading! Did you put the ones you propagated in soil under your humidity dome? If so I think the soil based propagation had an advantage because of the humidity. Your results may have been different if you had put them under a humidity dome. I also believe if you had used an air bubbler in a square tote and put them in a grow grip or a pool noodle the water propagation method would have surpassed the soil propagation. I propagate quite a few cuttings such as blackberry plants, tomato plants, pepper plants, sage, lilac etc. in my Aquaponics tank which is a flood and drain system. The water is does have additional oxygen because flood and drain and I use pvc pipe to take advantage of Venturi effect when the water is pumped into the other tank. I have had better luck with water than soil. My system is in my green house so another advantage is the humidity.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Sheila. I did run the ones in water cups inside a humidity dome for most of the duration. Wilt never seemed a problem, so I moved them out towards the end. I'd be interested to find see how actively aerated aerated water (or flood/drain, or aeroponic) system would perform - maybe I'll try this coming season. In retrospect, I think maybe the choice of plants made the largest difference. If I'd focused on those plants that have a good reputation of success in water, that would be a good place to start. Good to hear about your successes!

[@anniehyams6833]

😃❤️🌹thank you Jason and Fraser Valley Rose Farm

[@anniehyams6833]

Thank you so much Jason @Frazer Valley Rose Farm for the beautiful red roses and the beautiful messages stay safe keep well happy and healthy 🌹😃🌹❤️

[@robertwright180]

A clear plastic cup allows in too much light and encourages algae growth. I found using a opaque container not only reduced algae but enhanced root growth.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Robert

[@mohamedabouzour9649]

excellent video. thanks Jason for sharing your knowledge.

[@kng3rd]

Algae is actually a beneficial factor for the rooting process in water and you should try leaving it because it means the chlorine and other things that are in tap water have dissipated which algae does assist in that and also assist in adding oxygen to the water. When you throw it out you start that process over and over which probably is stalling out the rooting effect. Putting pothos cuttings in with other more stubborn cuttings in the water at the same time gives a similar effect

[@thechosenone5143]

lol man thank you, man you are the greatest, i tried the water method for clones, i wasted my time, and i started searching google i what i am doing wrong? i am doing exactly what the "pros'' says: clone in water, until i saw your video, now i understand life better thanks again, keep it going i am subscribing to you cuz you have a beautiful character

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks!

[@deec5420]

I got a rose cane after the maintenance men pruned and after a month it's still alive. I put it in water and it sprouted new leaves while the cane was in water. The lower leaves died but the ones at top are still alive. No roots yet although I notice the callousing you pointed out in the video. I transferred the cane to potting mix in a styrofoam cup to see if it'll take there.

[@ShingwedziGlen]

I really enjoy your videos 😎 thank you from S.Africa!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

So happy you like them!

[@hallotschuess1133]

Yes, water roots work differently from soil roots. That's why it's important to keep the soil more moist/wet for a couple of weeks then you would usually do for that particular plant, and it will slowly form soil roots or transition the water roots to soil roots. That being said, I think rooting cuttings in soil is generally better than in water. The only downside is, you don't get to see whether roots are forming or not. So it's complete uncertainty for a long long time. Until you see growth on the top of your cutting you basically don't know how it's doing rooting-wise at all because in order to let the plant form roots you shouldn't tug on it or even pull it out of the soil until the roots are quite big and strong.

[@sherrywalker4619]

Thanks so much for you sharing your knowledge with us! This was so helpful!

[@christineedwards4865]

I've had similar results. I think you might be able to use plain water to accelerate the formation of callus, and then move the cutting to potting soil or weak solution in a hydroponic system for even faster rooting, even more so probably with temperature control or bottom heat. Blackberries are easier to propagate from root cuttings, but you might have success with raspberries, which like to self propagate in nature from cane tips that droop to the ground.

[@jasonurquhart4776]

How much does light exposure have to do with the success of the soil cuttings? By that I mean, I understand that meristematic tissue gives rise to the root tissue. Does the lack of light from the tissue being buried in soil play a role? Like the tissue is like "I'm underground, I have to become roots" Been watching your videos for a while now and have become a huge fan.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Jason. The short and honest answer is "I don't know" - a quick look inspired by your question turned up this article: www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2015.00775/full and it looks like light exposure can impact root development in some pretty complex ways. My first (intuitive) interpretation of the results were either that 1) much lower available oxygen underwater inhibited root growth or 2) the plant tissues getting plenty of water so they don't "feel the urgency" to develop roots quickly. The roots higher up on the hydrangea stem make me think #1 could be right (or it could just be a peculiarity of tip cuttings on hydrangeas with rooting hormone).

[@rockyk9316]

One of my best propogating happened when my Christmas tree after standing in water developed roots all around the trunk. So, 7-8 feet fir tree developed small roots. We did not intend to propogate. It just happened. But when we really want to propogate tiny cuts, dancing around, creating green house effect, we end up with nothing