Historically I’ve rooted plants using clonex rooting gel with good success. I’m told IBA Rooting Hormone gel aka Midas is superior. I’ve also been told some people prefer rooting powders. Its that time of the year and I’m wondering which rooting hormone do you prefer? I’m going to use a clear box in the shade with a hundred cuttings in the box.
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I personally prefer “MX Clone Gel” because it’s antibacterial and a very good rooting gel. Then there is Xtreme Gardening’s "Azos* which adds good bacteria so they cancel out each other if you use them both.
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I don’t like the powders with figs, the powder tends to stick, and the cuttings rot easily. The gel is better. I can’t say which gel? I use the powder on other cuttings . I have it so use it, but will only buy gel in the future.
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I bought the powder as it was a little cheaper and I’m on a budget. I have heard that you need to make sure that the cutting is dry before applying the powder and you should shake out any clumps. I’ve tried to follow this advice and I haven’t seen any signs of rot. My problem is the opposite, at some point the roots and cutting tend to dry out and die. That said, I’ve been fairly successful in getting the cuttings or airlayers to root (it’s just the transition I find so hard.)
I haven’t used the gel, so I can’t really say which is better.
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That’s good advice about how to use the powder. Even with the gel keeping the layer thin is probably best. I’m sure I made those mistakes with the powder. This year I had a lot of good luck rooting figs and mulberries outside. I have a spot against the north side of my house. Indirect light except in the evenings. I also rooted mulberries, and pomegranates. My success rate was high considering it was left over wood, saved all winter, waiting for the spring, the stuff was old and still rooted.
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My most successful fig cutting was one I left outside in a pot underneath a tomato plant. When I realized it had taken, I pulled the tomato. The Deanna Fig is about 3 feet tall and has a bunch of figs on it. I pruned them all off one branch, but will leave the others. You never know, they may ripen. I didn’t use rooting powder on this one as it was an after-thought. No parafilm - nothing! On the other cuttings I went all in, hormone, parafilm, transparent cup, etc etc. Ok results and the two cuttings that did well are still pretty small (a couple of others are still doubtful at this point.)
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Dip n’ Grow
works excellent.
My friend a professional propagator of decades uses it. Here are directions directly from him:
use 1 oz. to 5 oz. of distilled water for hardwood cuttings. 1 oz. to 10 oz. of distilled water for soft wood cuttings. 5-10 second dip. I order fresh dip n grow every year.
It’s only good for 6 hours after it’s mixed.
Go to the 1:30 mark of Jaime’s video to see how to score any cutting. Then do the dip and stick the cuttings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1LNCvPhR7M
Dax
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Thanks Dax!
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Yup!
My buddy uses dull scissors from the dollar store, btw.
Take care,
Dax
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