Give the Gift that keeps Giving! Root Cuttings and Homemade Natural Root Stimulant/ Hormone with Success
In my recent post I wrote about seed swaping, and starting seeds for the fall harvest. Now I will tell you all about Root Hormones for the plants that are just so damn expensive, or hard to find, and want to have more, or make as gifts. Giving plants as gift is the gift that keeps giving and it is free. Follow me to discover how to stimulate those Root cuttings and have a higher success rate. I will discuss 2 different Root stimulants.
First off, why make a homemade root hormone? Today's commercial products for Root stimulant is full of chemical and pesticides, which is not good, and it's damn expensive. The pesticides will deter worms in finding their way to your soil around the plant, which is also not good. So on that journey of self reliance why not give these methods a try.
If you are going to tackle your project to propagate your favorite plant in the Spring, then this method is for you. Willow shoots! Willow will be the most potent in the spring. The new shoots start to leaf out but can be made anytime of year, provided you use that year's new growth. The Older shoots are not potent enough to make the homemade root stimulant. Willows have a rooting percentage of 90-100%. By adding any other rooting hormones doesn't increase the success rate. So the Willow hormones are strong and sufficient enough that no additional hormones are needed to propagate them.
Your new cutting needs to protect itself from infection by both bacteria and fungi. These are two very common threats to newly propogated cuttings. So infusing water with Willow will protect these plants and help fight off infection and grow hardy roots that will sufficiently feed and nourish the plant once it's transplanted. Willow has growth and defense properties to help. Systemic acquired resistance,” when attacked on one part of the plant it triggers the plant’s internal defenses in other parts of the plant, namely a resistance to invaders. You may use any species of willow as long as the shoots you use are young meaning yellow or green bark, if the bark is brown or grey it is too old.
A Willow plant is a must on any homestead. It can grow as much as a meter in one season. It is ideal to use as a fence to defend against unwanted animals and pests to your garden area. A willow fence can be in place in just one season.
So now here are the instructions how to make the Root Stimulant using Willow.
Take one young willow shoot, removing any leaves, and cut it into 1-2″ pieces. Half-fill a quart-sized mason jar with the pieces and pour freshly boiled water over them, as if you were making tea.Steep for 8-12 hours, then strain and compost the willow pieces. The willow water root stimulant is now ready for use.
Store in the refrigerator for up to two months.
The Second Natural Root Stimulant you might want to consider using to propagate your plants in HONEY. Honey has many many properties for healing and antibacterial function. So naturally this is perfect for shoots.
To make a honey rooting hormone, take a few simple steps: boil 2 cups of water, add 1 Tablespoon of honey, let the mixture cool and place it in a covered container (like a canning jar). Store your honey rooting hormone away from the light. It will last about 2 weeks. To use: dip cuttings in the solution then pot up as usual. To use: dip the cuttings in the solution then pot them up as usual.
And just like that you Now know how to Propagate a cutting from your favorite plant, and have a good chance for success. Yes there are many other methods to Roots stimulation, such as using ASA (Aspirin) in water, but I only have experience using these 2 methods and like to post about my own experiences. If any of my fellow gardeners out there have any of their own success with any other methods please do share.
Happy Trails
Image Sources:
https://www.niftyhomestead.com/blog/living-willow-hedges/
http://dreamicus.com/honey.html
https://uconnladybug.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/willow-water-contains-rooting-stimulant/
How helpful!! I'd heard of using willow water as a stimulant, but never honey. This is SO perfectly timed, as I have several plants I want to propagate but no willows in sight. Thanks so much for sharing! Upvoted, resteemed, and put into my memory bank. I'll probably be propagating some Rose of Sharon cuttings this afternoon (just found out you can eat the blossoms)!
Yes you can, you can dry them and store them in a mason jar, and boil them in a tea. Lots of healthy benefits. Thanks for the upvote and re-steem.
Nice post it is an unusual form of uses the roots of trees, i tell you when i was young i meet a man who sold wood for fire, but he got the wood from roots because people cut the trees and take the wood and nobody never see the root, this man was the unique, that i knowing who retire from the sol good wood for seller and believe me people who get their root wood are very happy because this wood is so strong and hard, imagine in our world how many sourse man could usesful if we use completlely, of course tis sourse in the soil itvis a good compost for the soil
Thanks for sharing a good post.
In Republica Dominicana some roots are uses for a alcoholic drink it is name mama juana.
This is so informative. I want to take cuttings of my best blueberry bush and encourage them to root. The nerd in me wants to do an experiment with side by side willow, honey, rooting hormone, and plain water as a negative control :). Is that willow fence made of ordinary willow trees? I thought they would grow to be actual big trees but the fence looks so sleek and slender. Great post- resteemed!
Thank you. You can use any willow you want. Yes willow do grow into trees, but these are the limbs from young trees. If you simply want young tree's for fening you just keep cutting it back. Thanks for the vote and re steem. You go Nerd. I am a big Nerd!
Yes! Nerd girls unite!
lol
Really good info! I have tried to propogate some figs but had no luck. I dont have access to willow right now but I do have honey..I will try this next time! Upvote, following and resteeming!
Thank you
Willow works amazingly well.Must try the honey to see how it compares.Great info @gardengirlcanada
Had no idea of either of these methods. Thanks for sharing!
This is great information @gardengirlcanada!!!
Upvoted, resteemed, following and I've bookmarked this post specifically (I hate losing good posts and it's the only way I can think of to sort the good ones.)
Thank you following you now
A well written post with lots of practical information! I'll be following from now on!
We're always looking for affordable ways to provide natural fences and privacy, so we might give this willow fence a try.
Great recipes for natural rooting hormone! :)
This is awesome. Right now i am getting ready to take spme of my plants and clone them. The root stimulant is very important to get the plants to grow roots. I am definitely goimg to try the honey method. Thank you for sharing. Upvoted and following.