My rooting set-up

This is what I've set up to try and grow my cuttings. I've been rooting them in large Ziploc bags. I like the ones with the easy zippers the best because they're easy to close up as I pull my straw out when I'm blowing air into the bags. Once they have some nice roots I cut them into a few pieces, pot them up in 4" pots and put them on my heat mat. The heat mats from Lee Valley fit perfectly into a plant tray. I have the tray in my bay window. I keep the blinds down if it's sunny since it's south facing.

Do you think it sounds and looks all right? I'm new at this and would welcome any suggestions to make my set up better. I've lost a few.

Sandy

Another view.

I've hung up a few once they seem to be growing nicely.

Sandy it sounds and looks great! I would suggest misting them several times per day just to help with the humdity. Way to go!!

Blessings,
Awanda

Thanks Awanda, I'll do that.

Sandy looks fantastic to me. I'm not having too much luck with the ziplock baggie method. Looks like it worked great for you!!
Heather

Looks great, Sandy!
:) Donna

Sandy...that looks very organized and great. Also looks like it's working for you & that is what is important.
One question....do you have your heat mat "inside" the tray? I put mine on the outside.. under it. I guess they are waterproof, but I freek out a bit thinking of electrical things coming in contact with water.
Marcy

I have it on the inside. I was a bit concerned about that at first too Marcy but the wires are totally enclosed by the plastic so I figured it would be okay. I'm careful with it....I always keep it flat. I think if you were to bend it a lot you might have problems. Maybe a wire could break and poke through the plastic or something. I'm more afraid of having the heat right on my wood. I actually use two trays. I have one of those trays with all the holes on the bottom. It helps support the thinner waterproof tray so that I can move the whole thing around easier.

Great Set up Sandy, especially with south exposure in the wintertime....we need all the warmth we can get in between the rain in November!......what is the hoya in the middle of the pic with the little stake in it?.....

Sandy

Thanks Sandy. That's H. cummingiana.

Looks terrific!!! Do you transplant them to small pots when they root? Maybe it's the angle of the camera, but the pots look really large!
Awanda has a good suggestion about misting them...or getting some water in little cups between the pots which would evaporate helping with the humidity!

Carol

They're all 4" pots except the H. compacta is in a smaller one...maybe 3". There are 2-3 cuttings in each pot. I cut them up to increase my chances of survival. The water in little cups between the pots is a great idea. I always think the humidity is pretty good here because it's a rain forest area but I know in the house in the winter it would be a lot drier.

Do you all think bottom heat increases the chance of rooting? Would placing under grow lights increase the chances? Nice set up Sandy.

Tami I believe that bottom heat helps with rooting, especially when it's cold. I would think that using grow lights would help with the rooting process too.

Blessings,
Awanda

Thanks Tami. I thought it would be a good idea to use the heat mat because it's starting to get pretty chilly at night. Last winter I was trying to root some passiflora cuttings. I wasn't having much luck. Then I read that they need bottom heat so I got the heat mat. After that I had great luck rooting the cuttings. I didn't want to take any chances with these ones.

Your set up looks perfect and your window looks like the ideal home for Hoyas. Misting makes a ton of difference too. A humidifying fountain would also look fabulous and make for some happy Hoyas.
Tami, bottom heat makes all the difference in the world when rooting in the winter time!