Rooting hormone is a chemical solution designed to speed and strengthen root formation for plant cuttings. Additionally, it can revive weak or struggling plants.
Powder, liquid and gel forms of nutritional supplement are available and each has their own distinct set of advantages and disadvantages.
Dilute the Chemical
Rooting hormone is a chemical agent designed to assist plants in producing roots. It comes in various forms such as powder, liquid or gel and can be applied both hardy and tender plants to increase the chances of propagating successfully.
Before applying chemicals to cuttings, it is crucial that they are properly diluted so as to not overdose your plants with too much of this product. Too much can harm them and result in yellowing or death of their leaves.
First step to successfully growing plants: selecting an effective rooting hormone product that suits their specific needs. These products come in different concentrations; be sure to look over each package to select one suitable for your plants.
Commercial rooting hormones typically contain natural auxins or synthetic compounds that stimulate roots to grow quickly, like IBA (indole 3 butyric acid). They come in powder, liquid and gel formats making them easy to use.
Rooting gel is another easy and effective rooting hormone solution, offering fast results with its sticky formula covering more of your cutting’s base and stems to develop a strong root system quickly.
Make your own rooting hormone at home easily by mixing one teaspoon of vinegar with five to six cups of water – it’s very straightforward, and any kind of apple cider vinegar should be available at your local supermarket.
Once your cloning solution is ready, simply dip the bottom of your cutting in it before placing it in your cloning medium. This method works great with soft herbaceous or semi-hardwood cuttings.
Maintain a moist but fertilized cloning medium to help avoid drying out and killing your clones. Doing this will prevent them from dehydration and death.
Cloning medium should be stored in cool, dark conditions to maximize effectiveness. A metal cabinet or refrigerator are both good options to keep it fresh for as long as possible.
Dip the Cutting
Rooting hormone is an invaluable aid for propagating plants that may otherwise be difficult to grow from cuttings. By speeding up root formation and providing more robust cuttings than those without this ingredient, rooted cuttings offer more opportunities for success in propagation.
Rooting hormone comes in both liquid and powder forms. Their concentration can make application tricky.
Rooting hormone can be applied most easily by dipping cuttings in various media – from soil and peat moss to rockwool cubes – until their tip becomes swollen, increasing access to rooting hormone.
Homegrown rooting hormones can also be easily created using various ingredients that promote root growth in plant cuttings, such as aloe vera gel, cinnamon powder, turmeric or vinegar. Honey diluted in water or even one tablet of aspirin/ibuprofen can also be added for further rooting effects.
Willow tea contains auxin hormone, making it another natural rooting hormone. Soaking cuttings for several hours prior to planting them allows enough time for it to work its magic.
Some gardeners utilize an aspirin solution mixed with water to promote root growth in ornamental and succulent plants alike. It has proven very successful.
If you have the time, and a garden center nearby, creating your own rooting hormone could also prove useful. Mix some powder with water and a pinch of salt until a solution can be easily used to submerge cuttings in.
Before dipping a cutting into any chemical solution, it is vital that it remains dry. Wetness can affect how much hormone gets onto a cutting, potentially leading to too much hormone absorption by its stem and potentially burning off.
Although there is some risk of disease transmission through dip suspensions, it is considerably lower compared to other methods. To minimize pathogen build-up in dip suspensions and maintain good sanitation practices.
Place the Cutting in the Medium
Rooting hormone is an integral component of propagation tools. It assists new cuttings with developing strong roots that will remain intact over time and flourish into vibrant plants.
There are various kinds of rooting hormone available, including powdered, gel and liquid formulations. Most need to be diluted prior to being applied to plant cuttings for best results.
Powdered rooting hormone is still the go-to choice, but liquid and gel forms of rooting hormone have gained in popularity in recent years as less messy solutions for users who prefer not dipping or rolling their cuttings in water prior to planting them.
Rooting hormones rely on auxin, an auxin-like compound produced naturally in plants but also produced synthetically. Indole-3-butyric acid, commonly found in rooting hormones sold commercially, is one such auxin that acts to encourage plant stems and leaves to produce roots.
When purchasing rooting hormone, make sure it is non-toxic and will not harm. Some of its more toxic components may pose severe health issues if used incorrectly.
Honey can provide a natural and effective alternative, helping ward off disease while encouraging roots to expand quickly.
Addition of cinnamon powder can further increase the effectiveness of this DIY rooting hormone, as its natural antifungal properties help prevent rot while stimulating root growth.
Place the cut in a bowl of water and soak for several hours – this will allow honey to penetrate deeper into the cutting, encouraging roots to form.
Once the cutting has soaked for at least two hours, it is ready to be planted into its rooting medium. Plastic may help retain moisture as the cutting roots.
As part of your cuttings preparation, remove any flowers or parts that may hinder rooting. Flower petals and seeds may rot in the potting medium and deprive your cutting of nutrients necessary for creating strong roots.
Keep the Medium Moisturized
Rooting hormone is a chemical solution designed to encourage plant cuttings to form roots quickly, speeding the propagation process and increasing chances of successful clones. When selecting rooting hormone products for use on your cuttings, always read their labels to make sure it matches up with their age and stage of development.
Rooting hormone comes in various forms, from liquid concentrates and powders to gels. Each has its own purpose and should be taken according to the instructions on its packaging.
Care should also be taken when using too much plant hormone when treating plant cuttings. An easy way to keep this under control is dipping cut plant tips in separate dishes and discarding the extra in a timely manner; doing so helps protect against diseases spreading among your plants.
Honey can also help keep the medium moist when using rooting hormones, protecting cuttings from pathogens while encouraging natural rooting processes.
This method is particularly effective for succulents, as their lack of stems or leaves requires special care in getting established in the garden. You could also add an organic fertilizer solution to their medium to stimulate root growth more quickly.
Rooting hormone is a liquid used in hydroponic systems where nutrients are provided through solution rather than soil as their substrate.
Purchase this product in either a spray bottle or container that can be diluted with water, and store it in an area that remains dark and cool to reduce degradation of chemical components and keep its efficacy high.
Homemade rooting hormones offer another natural option to consider for your plants’ wellbeing, such as willow water (aka willow tea). Willow water contains auxin hormones which stimulate root development on cuttings.
