Soil mix for cuttings....

What do you use? It's time to start cuttings and I need to figure out what I plan to use for a mix....

I always root them in water, but have used part peat/perlite/MG potting mix. Just needs to be loose so it drains good, but I think you already have "the green thumb".
Your rooted cuttings are bigger than any of mine! Keep growing.

70/30 top soil with grit. done by eye so probably different everytime

I just did my first cuttings this morning and I'll let you know how it goes. I used half sand and half fine seed starting mix. Used Calalily's technique of soda bottles cut so the top makes a lid and can be vented. A plus is that mine are clear so I will be able to see roots.

Will these rooted cuttings go into the ground this year? Or will they be wintered over indoors? Thanx.

I use perlite/vermi. mix. start many of my cuttings in a terrarium. successful with vines, roses, rosemary, many others. you know when rooted when slight tension when tugging at the cutting.

Celia, Mine will overwinter in pots, mainly because I have just listed my house For Sale and will probably end up moving in late Fall or early Winter.

I have several Hellebores and Daphnes that vic gave me last Fall, rooted cuttings in 4" pots. I put the pots in the ground in a sheltered location overwinter, and transplanted to larger pots this Spring. They will go with me, too.

a_leon, I read somewhere you have to be careful with perlite because it can absorb and retain too much water. (Mine always floats, so not certain myself.)

I spray the mix allowing no standing water for any period of time. Being enclosed in glass and plastic retains moisture when sprayed. will become unsterile and rot after a couple months and then change out mixture

Who knows Darius, you could be surprised and have your house sell quickly! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

What is "grit?" I have seen it mentioned a lot but have only seen it in one gardening catalog, long ago. Is it just another name for sand? Or a coarse sand? Thanks. I've always wondered!

grit is a very fine gravel 1/8" (about 3mm) in diameter

For years, I have been buying "cheap" topsoil at Wally Mart, and mixing it with peat moss. The topsoil isn't really soil, but mostly a mixture of ground tree bark, and other "organic" substances (leaves, grass, whatever).

But maybe....

HORTICULTURAL USES OF PERLITE AND VERMICULITE

http://www.schundler.com/hort.htm

I've been meaning to visit a local "cinder" block supplier to see if they sell perlite and vermiculite in bulk (for block insulation purposes).

I use a number of different mixes depending on what is to hand at the time, as long as it's an open, free draining mixture it doesn't seem to matter.

On the other hand my Mother nips off cuttings with her nails and unceremoniously plonks them anywhere she pleases, suprisingly it works very well for her, she has far more success than I do with cuttings (she can't germinate seed for toffee though, that's my department). This year the Purple leaf Sage began to die as it split all down the middle, Mother cut off a large branch and plonked it whole in the clay soil right next to the old plant, contrary to all books on propagation ... guess what, we have a new purple sage, if I'd done that it would have been dead in a week.

top soil in the UK is top soil

I use half vermiculite and half soilless mix.

use half vermiculite and half soilless mix.

Where do you buy the vermiculite, big bags, costly?

I still can get vermiculite at Super Kmart 1/2cuft bag for like $5.00

Where do you get grit?

I have had good luck with just plain ol' sand. I use a 4" pot. Fill with sand and soak with water. Poke a hole with a pencil. Put on root hormone. Stick in the cutting and press the damp sand against the cutting. Put a plastic newspaper bag trimmed down to about 10" over the pot (it fits real snug). Blow in some air to keep the bag away from the cutting. Put it in bright shade and leave it to do it's thing.

Sounds good to me, I'm going to try it!

I would have thought sand would compact too much.

Grit is used to open the soil to allow better drainage and can be bought from garden centres and nurseries

At a gravel pit/yard?? ask for torpedo sand,,it is very course, almost mini gravely sandy stuff.I rinse torpedo sand to wash out the clay if any is present.... If you can get to a gravel pit the stuff is really cheap. I get 1/2 scoop from the loader dumped right in my truck box/bed.It's the trucking that is the main cost if you have it delivered and it ain't cheap! Usually doesn't matter how much product you want.it's still the trucking charge.................
The sand in the plastic bags that they sell for weight in your vehicle,to provide better traction on slippery roads is usually course sand....................
ORRR,feed mills/stores sell bags of grit for feeding to fowl.Usually this product is coursely ground seafood shells.
No odor,heat treated.......might get Ca. leach from this...not sure ('-'?)>>>>~~~~~~>>>>>>> Ok ,I done for now[maybe] tee-hee........SB

Poppy, in the prop class I took our instructor said to use pumice. I have had great luck with it too. I have a few brugs stuck now and they are doing fine, I too need to get some cuttings going. I will use bottom heat this year too and see if that makes much difference.

Lenjo, where can we get pumice?

I may be wrong,but this seldom happens.lol,Pumice and vermiculite are both a form of exploded volcanic mineral,light in weight. I have used vermiculite as rooting medium for houseplants in the past. This can be found cheaply almost anywhere they sell potting soil.

Warmly,scooterbug

I think you are right, scooterbug, they are both forms of volcanic byproducts. Celia, I would check a garden store or do you have places that sell barkdust or organic compost etc in bulk where you take your pickup in and they dump onto the back? I actually purchased quite a bunch of pumice this way.

From a previous post

I've been meaning to visit a local "cinder" block supplier to see if they sell perlite and vermiculite in bulk (for block insulation purposes).

Today, I went by my local masonry block supplier and purchased a 14lb bag of "Carolina Perlite Loose Fill Insulation".

The bag is huge, nearly 4' high, 20" wide, and 12" deep. It's a lot of perlite.

Brought it home, took one bag of cheap Wal-Mart top soil (which is mostly ground bark), about a third again the same amount of peat moss, and about a gallon size bucket of perlite.

Mixed it in my contractor's wheelbarrow with a flat-bladed shovel, and it's as near perfect as any potting soil I've ever made (on the cheap).

Vermiculite can be found at building supply / lumber yards. Large bags are sold as insulation,as in our century farmhouse. We have purchchased perlite for insulating the horse barn there also.
If you have a shredder/chipper you can chop straw....NOT hay....for large areas to lighten soil,it takes 2 or 3 years to decompose.
Scooterbug