What To Do When Your Plant Cutting is Still Alive But Not Rooting

Plants can be propagated, or multiplied, in several different ways. Most people are familiar with growing new plants from seeds, but new plants can also be created by cutting off a portion of an established plant. This “cutting” is placed in an environment that encourages it to produce new roots and/or stems, thus forming a new, independent plant.

Cuttings can be made from any part of the plant. Most frequently, however, either a stem or leaf is used. A stem cutting includes a piece of stem plus any attached leaves or buds. Thus, the stem cutting only needs to form new roots to be a complete, independent plant. A leaf cutting uses just the leaf, so both new roots and new stems must be formed to create a new plant.

Stem cuttings can be taken from both herbaceous plants (e.g., garden flowers and houseplants) and woody trees and shrubs. Because the new growth of trees and shrubs hardens as the summer progresses, cuttings taken at different times of the year vary in their ability to form roots. Softwood and herbaceous cuttings are the most likely to develop roots and become independent plants, hardwood cuttings the least likely.

Softwood cuttings are prepared from soft, succulent new growth of woody plants just as it begins to harden (typically May through July). Shoots at the softwood stage will snap easily when bent. The youngest leaves have not yet reached their mature size.

Semi-hardwood cuttings are taken from the current season’s growth after the wood has matured. The wood is firm and all leaves are full size. This occurs in mid-July to early fall for most plants. Many broadleaf evergreens (e.g., boxwood, holly, rhododendron) can be propagated by semi-hardwood cuttings.

Hardwood cuttings are prepared from shoots that grew the previous summer. They are cut in winter or early spring while the plant is still dormant. The wood is firm and does not bend easily. Some deciduous shrubs and needled evergreens will root from hardwood cuttings.

Leaf cuttings are prepared by taking a single leaf from the plant. This leaf must generate not only new roots, but new shoots as well. The leaf used for propagation usually does not become part of the new plant, but disintegrates after the new plant is formed. Only a limited number of plants have the ability to produce new roots and shoots from just a leaf.

Cuttings taken from roots may also be used but only a few species can be propagated this way. Cuttings are taken when the plant is dormant and the roots contain the most stored energy. Each root produces two to three new stems and each stem then produces its own roots. The original root cutting disintegrates.

To successfully propagate plants from cuttings, a number of challenges must be overcome. Once a cutting is severed from the parent plant, it can no longer take up water, and excessive water loss will result in death. The wound from the cut makes it susceptible to diseases. New roots must be formed as rapidly as possible if the new plant is to survive.

Start with cuttings that contain as much water as possible. Water the plant well the day before and take the cutting before the heat of the day reduces water content.

1. Process the cutting immediately. If this is not possible, stand the cut end in water or place the cutting in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel and store out of direct sun. If the plant is frost-tolerant, store the bagged cutting in the refrigerator.

2. For a stem cutting, remove some of the leaves. Most of the water will be lost through the leaves, so by decreasing the leaf surface you also decrease the amount of water loss. A general rule of thumb is to remove 1/2 to 2/3 of the leaves. Cut remaining leaves in half if they are large.

3. Once the cutting has been prepared and placed in the rooting mix, enclose the pot in a plastic bag. Insert straws or wooden sticks around the edge of the pot to hold the bag away from the cutting. Place the pot in a bright area, but out of direct sunlight, so the leaves will receive the light they need but the plant will not get overly hot. The plastic bag insures that humidity around the leaves remains high, which slows the rate of water loss.

Take cuttings only from healthy plants. To prevent the spread of disease, use clean tools and pots (clean with 10% bleach, rinse, and let dry thoroughly). Use fresh soilless potting mix since garden soil can harbor plant diseases.

Just like leaves, the roots of plants need air to live. Rooting mix that is continuously waterlogged is devoid of air and cuttings will rot rather than form roots. A mixture of 50% vermiculite/50% perlite holds sufficient air and water to support good root growth, but any well-drained soilless potting mix is acceptable. If your cuttings frequently rot before they root, you know the mix is staying too wet. Add vermiculite or perlite to increase its air- holding capacity.

Cuttings use energy to form new roots. If the cutting has leaves, most of the energy comes from photosynthesis. Expose these cuttings to bright light, but not direct sunlight, during the rooting period. If you use hardwood cuttings that have no leaves, the energy will come from reserves stored in the woody stem. For best results, select shoots that are robust for the species. Since you want all the energy to go into the new roots, make sure you cut off any flowers or fruits that would compete for energy.

Auxin, a naturally occurring plant hormone, stimulates root formation. Several synthetic forms of auxin are sold as “rooting hormone.” Though some plants will root readily without treatment, application of rooting hormone to the base of the cutting will often improve your chance for success. Two synthetic auxins, IBA (indolebutyric acid) and NAA (naphthaleneacetic acid) are most frequently used. They are available in several concentrations and in both liquid and powder form. 1,000 ppm (0.1%) is used most often for herbaceous and softwood cuttings; 3,000 ppm (0.3%) and 8,000 ppm (0.8%) are used for semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings. Liquid formulations can be used at low or high concentration for softwood or hardwood cuttings, respectively. To determine the appropriate concentration for your cutting, follow the instructions on the product label and the general guidelines just given, or consult the references listed at the end of this publication.

To use rooting hormone, place the amount needed in a separate container. Any material that remains after treating the cuttings should be discarded, not returned to the original container. These precautions will prevent contamination of the entire bottle of rooting hormone.

Cuttings will root more quickly and reliably in warm rooting mix. Keep your cuttings between 65°F and 75°F, avoiding excessive heat. If your area is too cold, consider a heating mat or cable especially designed for this purpose.

How to Make Semi-hardwood Cuttings

Follow the same steps as described for herbaceous cuttings. Semi-hardwood cuttings may need a higher level of rooting hormone and may take longer to form roots. Wounding the base of the cutting sometimes stimulates root initiation (see Step 5 in “How to Make a Hardwood Cutting” below).

Preparing Needled Evergreen Cuttings

Needled evergreens are often propagated as hardwood cuttings. Because they still have leaves (needles), these cuttings are handled in a different manner than hardwood cuttings of deciduous plants.

• Use shoot tips only, making the cutting 6-8 inches long.
• Remove the needles from the bottom 3-4 inches of the cutting. To reduce water loss, trim the remaining needles so that they just cover the palm of your hand (Figure 7).
• Wound the base of the cutting by drawing a knife point down the lower inch of stem on two sides (Figure 8). Cut into the stem but do not split it. Apply rooting hormone to the lower inch of the stem and place about 2 inches of the stem into the rooting mix, making sure that no needles touch the surface of the mix. Firm the mix around it.

The potted cuttings may be placed in an unheated area with a heating element to warm the rooting mix if the area is well lit. If not, cover the pot and cuttings with a plastic bag and place in a warm, brightly lit room, as with deciduous hardwood cuttings. Providing light is essential for successful rooting of these cuttings. Check for roots once a month. It may take three or four months for roots to develop. Acclimate rooted cuttings as described above.

Why Do Cuttings Fail? Propagation Tips

FAQ

What if cuttings are still alive but no roots?

If no roots have formed, or if they are very small, firm the cutting back into the mix, rebag, and check for roots again in one to two weeks. Once roots have formed, slowly decrease the humidity around the plant by untying the plastic bag and then opening it a little more each day.

Why are my cuttings not rooting?

Plants growing under stress or strain become increasingly difficult to root as energy levels diminish. Cuttings from plants that are quiescent or in a period of naturally slowed growth are more apt to resist immediate rooting than plants that are in that part of the growth cycle when they are enjoying robust growth.

How to revive a dying cutting?

Reviving a Dying or Dead Plant

If the roots are still healthy, cut back any of the dead stems to the healthiest node. However, if you’re starting with just a single cutting, you’ll need to propagate the cutting.

How to force cuttings to root?

Place in small jar of water and keep on a sill. Make sure to give your cuttings fresh water every 2-3 days, giving the jar a quick cleaning as well to remove any slime. This is a key step to do! In anywhere from 2-8 weeks, you should see happy, little roots sprouting out.

How do I fix cuttings that fail to root?

When it comes to troubleshooting cuttings that fail to root, there are several techniques that can be employed to improve rooting success. By optimizing humidity levels, using rooting hormones, and selecting the right growing medium, you can increase the chances of successful root development.

How long does it take a cutting to root?

Keep your cutting moist throughout the whole rooting process. If it goes for a short period without any water, there’s a high chance it’s already too late, and it will not root. Finally, have a little patience. A cutting can take a few days and, in some cases, weeks or even months before you will visibly see any root growth.

Why are my Cactus cuttings not rooting?

Cuttings need to be kept consistently moist, but not waterlogged, in order to encourage root growth. If the cuttings are too dry, they will not be able to take up water and nutrients, leading to failure to root. Another common reason for cuttings failing to root is incorrect temperature conditions.

Do cuttings need a rooting hormone?

Rooting hormones contain compounds that stimulate root growth in cuttings. Look for powdered or gel rooting hormones containing auxin, like indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), to enhance root development. 5. Root Rot from Excess Moisture While cuttings need consistently moist soil poor drainage can lead to root rot.

Do cuttings rot?

In a plant encyclopedia, you can easily check whether your other plants can tolerate drafts. This is your reminder that cuttings are delicate beings. For this reason, they can easily succumb to the dreaded rot. Change the water about 1-2 times a week to prevent this.