Have any of you used any of these methods for rooting cuttings? Also, might they be helpful for germinating/treating seeds?
[url]https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Homemade-Hormone-Rooting-Powder-or-Tonic[/url]
Personally I am very skeptical. Willow water might have benefit and salicylic acid in that, and aspirin (as an acetyl ester) definitely are plant hormones but not usually associated with rooting. Salicylate is a mobile signal for resistance to many plant pathogens.
If honey has any hormonal ingredients they must be very low concentration. The sugars might boost growth, but I’d expect it to make more bacteria grow, rather than the plants.
Both honey and the gelatinous material in aloe vera can keep natural plant hormones from diffusing away from the root. that may help increase levels so they stimulate root or callus development. The burrito wrap method of stimulating callusing may work in a similar way. It traps ethylene from the injury of cutting, which stimulates callus formation.
I would expect coconut milk (the water inside one I mean) is probably a better bet. It was an ingredient in some of the first plant callus growth media by Skoog and others. Very low levels of 2,4-D will also stimulate roots.
All kinds fo things have effects on plants. The hard thing is doing controlled experiments to show what actually works.
Thanks. Interesting about the burrito method which is what I use. I have noticed that when wrapping the stems if I push out most of the air when re-wrapping they do seem to callous better. Maybe putting a piece of apple in with the stems would be an interesting test.
Apple, or banana peel. Back around 1980 I deliberately added low level ethylene to cuttings and got callousing at both ends. But for some CV the leaves dropped off and roots refused to form. I get callous in the burrito method but have really bad luck making the transition to rooting. Maybe I need to add some real hormone like IBA or NAA.
Larry, try adding heat. I had no issues getting roots from callus in Encino (Zone 10a,inland valley heat with marine influence). I get callus which often stalls here in 9b by the ocean with cold/wet, particularly with Teas and Chinas. It can be thirty degrees colder here than Encino.
Thank you. I was thinking the opposite because traditional outdoor winter planting of hardwood cuttings occurs in something like a coldframe. I’ve tried the burrito method in my basement which is rather cool in winter, and in a cold greenhouse. Neither worked. Next time I’ll go for a warm lab.
BTW, November cuttings with a few rusty leaves on them did OK. More than half took, despite a “drought event” after they were uncovered from plastic bags over pots. (my error, not mother nature)
Just to make sure I am relating it properly, the heat comes after the cuttings are unwrapped and individually planted. If the wraps are too warm, they won’t callus.