Roots easily in water?

If you plan to grow your plants in soil, why root them in water? When the water roots have formed and you pot up the cuttings, the water roots break off when the soil is added. The cutting has to start developing roots all over again. What have you gained? Even if the roots didn't break off, water roots won't function in soil. The cutting is going to have to develop roots that allow it to extract water from the soil it's in.
I can understand temporarily putting cuttings in water until you have a chance to pot them for rooting, but otherwise cuttings need to be placed directly in soil, placed in the shade, and kept moist, but not wet, until new growth appears, which signals root formation. Then watering can be decreased. It can take anywhere from several weeks to several months for a plant to develop enough roots to be repotted, depending on what it is.

Did you read the part 1 thread yet? Heathrjoy has great results. I have tried rooting some plants directly in soil with unsatisfactory results, but that is just me. So I am willing to "try" the bubbler. Maybe it won't be successful for me either, we will see. Also is there an article you are getting the info from? If so, post the link for me please.

Well, for me- I only use the bubbler in spring - cool weather..
Right now I have been experimenting with adding lava sand to my potting medium for cuttings with great results- Right now I haven't figured out the right combination for brugs, although I do have around 30 brugs that have propagated in the medium, but not to my satisfaction. Other plants though do pretty good- I propagated alot clerodendrums- with leaves with a 90 percent survival rate, which is pretty good when you consider the heat index the plant has to survive. Have theories on using this in colder weather though - and that is when the bublbler works well for me.
I am keeping a journal for anyone interested.
http://davesgarden.com/journal/ed/index.php?tabid=1720

Sheila_FW, here is a link to a site that has instructions for rooting plants. If you have not had luck using a potting mix, the article recommends some mediums to use.
Best wishes.

http://www.ext.nodak.edu/county/cass/horticulture/indoor/start.htm

This message was edited May 30, 2010 8:21 PM

Woofie, those look great! Outstanding! Have you thought about taking some cuttings off of these ones you've grown and growing some more? Just think of how many plants you could have, and practically for free...all thanks to your crazy little poochie! Now, go give that poochie a big kiss!

I'm not remembering for sure right now, but I think it might be good to pinch Mums as they are growing if you want them to be bushier and have more flower heads. I love the color of these, reminds me of sunshine!! Don't forget to save seeds too...you're just going to be bursting at the seams with Mums! Woo-hoo!

I've been rooting Salvia uliginosa in water. They'll also root in very moist soil, but since it takes a bit of time for them to root, it's easier in water. Once they have a good amount of roots, I carefully pot them up and start with tons of water, tapering down until they're well established.

I also propagate Pencil cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli) in water. They take very little time to root, and seem to be able to live indefinitely in water, which seems odd for a succulent.

I've never had problems potting up water rooted cuttings, but I am careful about sprinkling the soil over the roots, NEVER tamping down the soil, and watering in, along with a couple days of heavy watering.

I'm going to have to try Pelargoniums now...

Regarding the salvias...so far have had luck rooting Waverly, Jean's Purple Passion, s. guaranitica /Omaha Gold, s. guarantica /Costa Rica Blue, s.gravida, s.corrugata, and s. mexicana /Huntington Gardens. We've not yet had temps to affect my salvias, but it's raining an awful lot this week and I worry about cold, wet roots. so I'm going out today to take more cuttings to try in water. Thanks for mentioning uliginosa. I think I'll try every salvia that I have.

wcgypsy, I have only tried S. uliginosa, which is great in water since it is, literally, 'Bog Sage'. I don't even have any other Salvias yet, so I don't know much about them in general. S. guarantica 'Costa Rica Blue' sounds lovely.....

Almost all salvias are lovely. I've spent this last year acquiring and propagating with the intention of doing salvias at a couple of our local farmers' markets so I'm glad to find that some root easily in water also since my very small greenhouse is full and this allows me to be doing some more cuttings right now in the midst of our winter. I've simply fallen in love with salvias.....going out to cut some uliginosa right now.

bump...

Hi, I just came across this (very old) thread on Google! It had soooo much fantastic info that I'm adding it to my watch list and thought other members might also enjoy it.

Since it's probably about 2000 pages back in the forum, I decided to bump it up. Hope none of the original posters mind. :o)

Thanks for the bump Nuts, it's a very good thread.

I also thank you. I will be pulling out a 15-year-old Rosemary that is absolutely Huge. I was wondering if I could take cuttings or if I should wait until next spring and take cuttings then. I was also wondering if I could root them in water. Now I'm going to try both ways– Water and soil. Also will try doing it now and again next spring. Surely one of them will work! LOL Thanks for the bump.

I lot almost all my rose of sharon's to the drought, would like to propagate the surviving one. I also have 3 year old seed geraniums (the kind sold as annuals, bright red) and I would like to propagate that. Are these good candidates for rooting in water? i have trays of water infused with co2 over the fish in my greenhouse. Fish are marvelous CO2 sources, and a lot of things I stuff in the tray (which has bioballs and expanded shale) do go ahead and root.

If I were going to try geranium and rose of sharon where would I take the cutting from?

Gypsi, take the cutting on an angle just below a leaf node and remove any leaves that may be submerged. Wet leaves will only rot. I have successfully rooted Rose of Sharon this way, I can't imagine rooting Geranium cuttings would be more difficult.

Will give it a try Robin, Thank you!

You're welcome, good luck with saving some of your babies.

I had great success with Rosemary in soil. I really didn't expect much being they are kind of like "hardwood" cuttings, but they ALL rooted. So now I have Rosemary hedge EVERYWHERE. I did not have the same success with Lavender, maybe just the wrong time of year. Has anyone gotten Lavender to root in water?