I’m having real good success callusing cuttings this year (see post and photos - Callused Cuttings) with my simple setup. Won’t know about roots for awhile but at least it’s a start and much better than I’ve ever done with just sticking direct in pot or bench. I have a tupperware basin with mix of DE and chainsaw sawdust/chips (because that’s what I had on hand), well dampened. I bury cuttings in it and cover with plastic. It sits near our woodstove with mix temperature staying about 70 (air temp 60 to 80).
I’ve gotten good callus on apples, pears, honeysuckle, in from 1 to 2 weeks. The nice thing is it’s easy to check, take out (and pot) when callused, and add more anytime. The last few weeks as the snow goes down I’ve been finding low broken branches (from the icy snow going down and pulling them off) and girdled branches (snow was a foot higher this year than my 2 ft vole guards). That’s given me more cuttings to put in my callus bin - apple, cherry, mulberry, juneberry, rose, haskap. Be interesting to see how they do. For those that don’t callus this way it seems Jason’s idea could work.
Of course, gettings roots from there is the big challenge.
Sue