Why Do Cuttings Fail? Propagation Tips

If you're propagating plants by cuttings, you've almost certainly asked the question: why do some of my cuttings die? They may rot (from the bottom up) or dry out (from the top down) but the real cause of failure can be difficult to determine. Here I break them into 3 categories:
Timecodes:
0:00 Intro
1:24 Failure Examples
3:45 Choosing difficult plant or method
6:30 Cutting technique
8:45 Growing environment
I'll share as many propagation tips as I can, but there's no way to cover all of the techniques and scenarios in a 10 minute video. Feel free to drop your questions in the comments below, and I'll try to help with more specifics.
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[@timhills5695]

I can’t believe he jumped straight into the content without wasting our time, good video sir

[@Gasp7000]

Loved that. No dilly-dallying. I’m researching, so that is invaluable.

[@macysondheim]

I can’t believe it’s not butter

[@theresa94010]

Yep, I like that about his videos. His willingness to share his knowledge is also appreciated.

[@fitawrarifitness6842]

@@Gasp7000 maybe he's not an *"influencer"* yet. 😂🤣

[@helloxyz]

yeah good advice I will take to heart, especially that bit about always taking a cutting from a plant.

[@MushroomMagicGrowing]

This guy reminds of when KZbin was pure.. No BS ads or unnecessary talking. Straight to some botany education… Thanks dude!

[@natdm77]

You forgot to mention the fourth reason : Spite. I have had countless cuttings fail, just because they wanted to annoy me. The damage/loss due to spite is usually inversely proportional to how important/urgent/expensive the cuttings were, and how much time/energy was invested in them. Great video by the way...

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks - I'll add it to the list!

[@geniusbusiness2613]

What dose spite mean?

[@didgeridooblue]

"Spite" means the plant dies because you want it to grow.

[@gabrielareyesaviles1362]

Well, you did mutilate it....

[@seweetgirlnay]

🤣🤣

[@DavyGoestoHollywood]

I have been growing stuff from cutting since a kid, and it was always a lottery as to what survived. This was SO helpful thank you for sharing.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

My pleasure Davy!

[@remyebarvia2273]

.

[@Rn_com15]

Right 🤣

[@noxy2007]

I subscribed because you just delivered the content without too long introduction. Your presentation is relevant abd straight to the point. Thanks for this information. Cheers ❤

[@Eidolin]

Hearing the rain in the back is awesome

[@vikamitrichenko6646]

I was able to propagate 3 roses with 100% success. Thank you!!!!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Excellent!

[@everettedl]

3:38 "Let's get right down to the root causes here." Nice one.

[@macjmf43]

Many thanks, Jason. I'm an old timer and have enjoyed horticulture most of my life, but I learnt a lot from your clear and ordered presentaion. Mac F, UK

[@chrisnixon9752]

Super helpful and very well presented to help understanding and TO THE POINT! Thank you! The tip on the higher "callous"? cell concentration near the nodes was very helpful to learn

[@Martive_Led]

This was a very interesting and informative presentation. As others have mentioned there was a total absence of the typical filler language and self promotion. Numerous kudos are due for this YT.

[@seilrang]

Ur explanation are so scientific and makes everything so clear. You could write a book too. My rose cuttings are getting successful after watching ur videos

[@Pippie5555]

I have had luck with Hibiscus. After cutting I place them in water in a vase for about a week. The rooting hormone falls off when I insert the cutting in the ground! :-(

[@Pippie5555]

@@LegendLength Yes, me too. But putting the cuttings in a vase with water for 1 or 2 weeks first helps a lot.

[@vikamitrichenko6646]

finally i found no nonsense source of information, thank you!

[@ThundermanDeadEndScribes]

That rain is so nice to hear.

[@banjopete]

Lovely sound ,especially when it’s not going down the back of your neck😮

[@MikeKincaid79]

Hey, thanks for the shout out! I really appreciate it. Nice setup you've got there!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hey, my pleasure. I'm very appreciative of what you do for the plant propagation community.

[@travelinglovebugs7]

Mike, I am having trouble finding your Facebook page.

[@woofpet]

@@travelinglovebugs7 me too 🙁

[@Tinaejs]

@@travelinglovebugs7 look him up on KZbin and then look in the show notes.

[@giovannifiorentino8947]

Great sound even with the rain background. Like the idea of the plastic box for keeping humidity.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Giovanni - I nearly skipped the video because of the rain noise. Glad I didn't.

[@jangles8061]

I love the rain sound... cosy and relaxing.

[@dilazak3]

Thanks indeed. Very informative and organized presentation with no unnecessary talk. ❤

[@saltlifegull4091]

I LOVE your videos, Jason. I go to your channel when I feel sad and need a pick me up, lol. Subscriber from Florida.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks so much Leah!

[@NorzyPan]

Superb video, straight to the point without unnecessary waffle, thank you. 😊

[@JesseJamesPigon]

I found that cuttings(stems thinner than a pencil) from young plants generally tend to be more viable in rooting even without hormone. Although the downside would be that it will take longer time for the plant mature but at the very least they are alive.

[@naijapropagator9244]

True and the root tip should have a very long angled tip to give the plant room to absorb nutrients.

[@lizliz5854]

wow! this really opens my mind now.... i usually fail in cuttings.. almost all the time. I'd feel lucky if I'd be successful! thank you so much

[@danniellenelson9446]

Massive kudos to your presentation, information and wisdom. I've been gardening for 20 years (badly) hit or miss with everything. This year I am learning so much and your video really helped me. I just started 60box elder cuttings last week (before your video) and now I will be able to see what is and isn't working as they develop. Thank you again! You made a subscriber out of me.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Dannielle

[@kethaniyer5554]

Loved the explanation! U exactly told the types of problems that a stem cutting will go through!!! Excellent work!

[@hercule1610]

I’m glad I watched this! I never thought about going to culture guides. Super helpful! Great video.

[@servantEG]

Concise, informative, and super helpful. It's rare to find excellent material like this on youtube.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for the encouragement Benjamin

[@elraed]

Thank you Jason. I find your videos very informative, clear, and easy to follow. Great work.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks - I appreciate the encouragement

[@dixit-rohit]

I bought a rose plant. It is amazing. When it grows a new stem, It grows 6-8 rose per stem at a single time. I have 8 rose on a stem now and rose size is about 90mm-110mm. size of single rose is more than my palm I have 5 rose plans. One of them looks like valentine rose and size is about 80-90 but it only grows 1-2 rose when stem is new. 3rd grows 4 roses per stem when the stem is new & looks same like valentine rose. The other rose plants grow small roses but their fragrance is amazing.

[@AllInOne-gt2ss]

I love the you tube video which doesn't show ads , nice and thanke for such a Important information about rose plant.

[@alrami2663]

Thanks, for your sharing your knowledge and experience, God Bless you!

[@ingemewis2043]

Absolutely brilliant class on the do’s and don’ts on rooting cuttings. Armed with your facts now, I will probably be wasting much less time. Thank you for this information on how to propagate with a whole lot more invaluable guidance! God bless you!

[@johnharrison4394]

Agreed. These presentations are so good. Very efficiently done😁

[@ariadna3096]

Excellent video, thank you soooo much for shareing your experience. It makes my gardening life much easier👍🍀

[@boncurry8839]

Finally ! Very good and prob. one of the best vids on propagation on youtube, very well done thank you

[@ammarashafqat284]

Very interesting n informative and straight to the point.

[@hmroque4382]

This is very useful. Thank you for the knowledge .

[@brentwoelk3491]

Thankyou thankyou thankyou as a new gardner you have a gift for making things easy to understand. Its so frustrating trying to find videos just to turn it off because i have no idea what they just said for the last fifteen minutes

[@peterseddon1003]

Brilliant, practical, down-to-earth advice! Thank you for this video!

[@claudiameyer6254]

Thank you so much for all the videos and information you share. I’ve been watching many of your videos and in my opinion you’re an amazing teacher, as well as, an expert in your field. I so much appreciate all you do for those of us looking to learn to grow and care for our rose gardens. I understand all the hard work you put into presenting the information and creating these videos and I’m so thankful to you. I’ve learned so much from your videos.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for the encouragement Claudia!

[@patricialee805]

I am hooked! Your explanations are so succinct and methodical. You have also much humility in sharing your failures as well as your successes. Thank you so much!

[@enshalla123]

This is by far the best video on the subject ever published

[@godfathermikal]

Today is my first time trying a cutting for anything. This really helps!

[@ercrad3426]

This is the best video I have found on the topic. Thank you

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Glad it was helpful! I appreciate the feedback

[@DeejayNonChalant]

You answered like 3 things w/o me snaking anything. Thanks my dude.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

My pleasure Shawn.

[@drummerlovesbookworm9738]

Such helpful and well-delivered content! Thank you! 🤎

[@vieratheimer2419]

Very great help, I like that you discussed the problem why it does not work. So far, I was not able to propagate roses, carnations, geraniums... I try with many plants, for my place, or community garden. Also that you share your secrets, which many do not.🙏

[@ninaarroyo]

Great information, very well explained. Thank you!

[@nspector]

Great video. You're a natural teacher. Thank you so much.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for the feedback and encouragement

[@busyrand]

Fantastic guidance. Thank you for being so detailed and forthcoming...

[@karenwhitaker738]

You are very good with your instructions on doing roses I've got my first rose planted thank you

[@eikoqdupree101]

This your BEST video! Hell! One of the BEST all around video "." Fast to the point. Like they say on T.V just the facts ...😆 you left us wanting more 🌹

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Elko. I appreciate the feedback

[@charlesbale8376]

This info was very helpful, thank you.

[@ldm673]

This is so good. I'm failing at growing periwinkle cuttings now. Will try again.

[@Andy_Babb]

This really is excellent lol a lot of great tips and advice but also lots of resources for even more info. Great channel right here.

[@anla3957]

For bushes and any plant with a firm stem, we tie a piece of polythene at the top of the cutting to prevent moisture loss. It really helps!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for sharing your method!

[@TheRainHarvester]

Do you like a bag over the cutting? Tied at the bottom?

[@user-qt6mm9gg5w]

Do you still need to do that if you have the cuttings in an enclosed container that you spray everyday?

[@sko1beer]

@@user-qt6mm9gg5w no it for people with no cover if you have a lid that does what the plastic cover or clinging film does

[@jjrusy7438]

there is an old trick to sectioning a woody trunk into a bunch of short pieces (like a T plant, dracaenea etc) : dip the top in melted candle wax.

[@staceydesorgo]

excellent, much needed information. I have an incredibly hardy rose that I really want more of, but my cuttings failed last year. I'll try again this year with this new knowledge. the hybrid tea has survived drought, ice storms, hurricanes, extreme heat, and both too much and too little attention over the decade I've had it, so if any rose deserves to multiply, this one is it! thanks for giving me quality information and hope for trying again.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Sounds like a keeper!

[@JUSTENization]

Thanks for being honest and very informative, sharing and techniques.

[@johnnyh.6851]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and knowledge.

[@xiomaramartinez3212]

Wow 🤩 thanks for share is always encouraging to know about your experience

[@cameronsales3501]

Hi Jason. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, loving the content and it very helpful in getting me started. Think my first attempt is a failure (Lilly Pilly cuttings looking burnt) but will treat as a learning curve and keeping watching your channel to improve my chances moving forward.

[@SuerteDelMolinoFarm]

Greetings from the LooseNatural farm in Andalusia Spain where we currently live through a drought and we fail on cuttings. Thank you for sharing this video

[@earlyej3008]

Thank you! This was very helpful. I didn't know about what dying from the top meant vs dying from the bottom.

[@karenschwartz5209]

Thank you for your tips!

[@MyCynner]

Just recently found your channel and I'm really loving your content.

[@MartiDeBord]

Absolutely love this. Extremely helpful!

[@kidkeenyle]

To the point and crisp. Thanks a lot.

[@AAHomeGardening]

Lovely information, thank you

[@bruceford9036]

Outstanding information!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I appreciate it Bruce

[@jazzmine2304]

Excellent content. literally I was taking down notes . Direct to the point.

[@elleeo1495]

Thank you for sharing this information! Hopefully, I can put it to use to increase my cutting success.

[@pakgardeningplus]

It’s really good explanation will be careful for propagation of cuttings in future.

[@coffee4050]

I've been waiting for this video! 😊 Thank you !! I've been pretty successful (thanks to your very helpful and precise tips and suggestions) when propagating roses, but it's always good to improve the success rate 🌺 I am always looking forward to your videos!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Marcy.

[@sushmasharma6131]

You explained it very nicely

[@kevinrice7291]

Thank you so much! Most thorough and helpful video by far

[@natgmac6625]

Thanks for d tips Jason. Nice to know why we should need to clean d pruners with alcohol or Lysol first

[@LittleJordanFarm]

Great info ..I actually done a softwood from my hydrangea and a hard wood from my Rose's this past yr. I'm starting to really see what you shared with both thank you. Please continue teaching...blessings

[@blueskies6475]

No Jason, we're not all geeks loving and willing to share new info!! But hey, this IS how I am so nice to meet you, kindred spirit!

[@rubberband1951]

Thank you so much. Rooting has always been a mystery to me. Love your explanation.

[@lorizinn4331]

I took hundreds of cuttings in the late spring, the time stated as the best time for them. Some were firm tip cuttings, others small semi-hard wood. Most were not dipped in rooting hormone as I did not have access to it it at that time. I stuck the cuttings some into sharp sand, some in commercial potting mix, some in a mix of two different brands of potting mix, and some in a mix of sharp sand and potting mix. Stuck them into tubes. They in trays under 75% shadecloth as summer was coming on, and were watered every day to keep them moist. For many weeks they stayed green and alive looking, and in fact some continued that way for up to four months! Yet most of them did not grow roots, and eventually died off. In the distant past I regularly propagated most of these same kinds of plants using our ordinary garden soil, no rooting hormone, and four-inch pots with a number of cuttings in each pot - and had a good success rate. Have you any ideas or suggestions about what I have done wrong with these latest cuttings?

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Lori - it's encouraging that you've had good success in the past. I don't know that I can trouble-shoot accurately from just a description, but maybe the first thing I'd consider is the shade/moisture. A moist shady location will do a good job of keeping cuttings green, but also may not be offering the right conditions to encourage fast rooting. If you're don't treat with rooting hormone, the cuttings rely light to help send down their own natural rooting hormones to the base of the cuttings.

[@davegizzi962]

@@FraserValleyRoseFarm .deanwood estate estate agent

[@scottyg.4199]

This is a great post & time codes is a great idea. Another method that really helps is to not cut, but to push off suckers on plants like crepe myrtles, peregrinates, etc. That partial node at the bottom really helps. You still cut the top off as needed. This really helps on hardy hibiscus by pushing off new spring shoots, sometimes a few small roots are already present. I am in east Texas doing one or two at a time, so I cover with a baggie and keep in the shade. Very high success rate.

[@user-px7nh7vs4b]

Fellow east Texan here. I blame everything on the heat and humidity (and not the good kind.) :-)

[@-ChrisD]

Fantastic!! Very detailed and instructional. Good man, thanks for sharing!

[@debradelarue9717]

Thankyou for sharing yr knowledge

[@bobgreene7338]

Thanks Jason, as always very informative and concise. Hope to be as good at propagation as you someday!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Bob

[@Youppp2]

Thanks so much for these informations, you explain it very simply. I watch you from France, I try your method and it work well. Keep going with your videos ! ;-)

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks for the encouragement!

[@ailsaeccles111]

Thank you! Really! I've been getting really quite upset with myself. This was so helpful! God bless you sir 🖤

[@hasanchoudhury5401]

Very helpful and informative. Thanks.

[@lupitamacedo193]

🙏 Thank You so much 😊 Very informative ! 💕

[@Thingys-Jill]

This is a really informative and well organized video. Thank you!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

I appreciate the encouragement Jill

[@sandralewis1689]

What a blessing this video is to me. Thank you!!

[@jitudash4910]

You are a good man, a good man gives back to the world, more than he takes

[@johnswartz7872]

Look at “air rooting”..& make a package of dirt , around the damaged stem ... that has some cloning gel added- to cause root growth... (& You leave the item on the plant... until the roots are already growing...)

[@dustin2250]

Wow! I mean fantastic information and extremely well explained! I've done a lot of research on the subject and it was all consolidated here in this great video. 🌱❤

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Dustin. I'm glad you found it useful

[@cknaidoo1751]

Great video,beautifully explained. Thanks

[@dcfromthev]

Fantastic info and tips, thanks from a beginner!

[@tarottime3219]

Thanks love, your the best!😉

[@magicassassin1947]

I wished this information is taught in school. Thank thank thank you super information 💓💓💓💓.

[@Tyler_Stoltz]

Thanks for sharing. Good tips. Going to see how propeogating in ground and just trying out some simple methods works

[@heidiedgely9238]

Thank you so very much for this video, it was very informative & I learnt something new. I really appreciate your knowledge & giving up your time.

[@dennistaft7868]

Thanks for this Jason. I tried propagation this year for the first time. I had a few successes but far more failures. Next year I will try your advice.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Best of luck Dennis

[@oakleywarioe9937]

I love your videos so much! Would love to see some succulent advice if you have any!

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Hi Oakley. I do have a little succulent hobby too: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqTdmaephrOAopY

[@femalephobia]

Love this video, have watched multiple times. Ty💕

[@phillipleboa5251]

Thank you for all the advice. Love your program.

[@FraserValleyRoseFarm]

Thanks Phillip