What a difference a hormone makes...

This is an oleander cutting about 10 inches long,taken about 5 weeks ago, I used Dip and Grow liquid on the cuttings before I stuck them in vermiculite under mist. Notice the very full fibrous root system. without this cutting hormone I usually got about 3 soft and brittle roots that normally would break off when trying to pot up the cuttings. I have used this on Hibiscus,oleanders and hardy shrub cuttings.Can be diluted for easy to root cuttings or adjusted stronger for hard to root types. I'm sold on it.

:-)

Another view

Wow! Where do you get the Dip n Grow? I would love to try some myself!

I'll have to find me some of that, who makes it?

Googled info found here. http://www.dipngrow.com/

I sure would be interested in getting some of this, maybe Kyle wil give us some more info on where to buy this as the one place I found it was $40.00.

Charleys Greenhouse has it (and others) and I have been pleased with them.
http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/index.cfm?page=_productdetails&productid=8102&cid1=175&cid2=423&cid3=-99

Active ingredients: Indole-3 Butyric Acid (1%), 1 Napthaleneacetic Acid (1/2%)

The first ingredient is very common in rooting, the later doesn't seem to be.

In searching around (http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Product.jsp?REG_NR=00548100219&DIST_NR=005481), Napthaleneacetic Acid (NAA) is a "Bad Actor" chemical "...one or more of the following: highly acutely toxic, cholinesterase inhibitor, known/probable carcinogen, known groundwater pollutant or known reproductive or developmental toxicant." and is has "Acute Toxicity."

Other sites have identified NAA as an auxin. Here's another link to information on auxins. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auxin Very interesting.

As an electrical engineer, however, I'm quickly getting over my head. I like to be very careful, however, in any use of chemicals. I don't think "Acute Toxicity" should necessarily scare us since we probably all use such herbicides and pesticides, and are not likely to be ingesting Dip-n-Grow or any such chemical. I also have an interests in auxins having experimented with them on inducing pups on Bromeliads years ago. (These were inconclusive and highly amateur.) Other related experiments included spraying Bromeliads with very diluted 2-4-D (a synthetic auxin) to enhance growth. (I never tried that one! Bromeliads are monocots like grass and probably aren't negatively affected but who would risk it?)

Hopefully some members with chemical/biology expertise will chime in here and educate us. I'm intrigued by the roots on Eclipse's cuttings - they are impressive.
Dave.

Well, for one thing the acute toxicity that they refer to on that site is for 100% active chemical, and Dip N Grow has it at 0.5%, still wouldn't recommend eating the stuff, but it's not going to be nearly as bad as the 100% active stuff. I bet if you looked up most common pesticides and fertilizer ingredients, they'd have high acute toxicity when they're 100% active. Many pesticides are also ground water pollutants so I don't think that makes this one stand out, plus if you're using it for rooting I think the amount that would eventually get into the groundwater would be so minute that it shouldn't be a concern. The link given above only lists it with a ? for carcinogen, it has the same thing for indole butyric acid which is used in all rooting products. So I would handle with care, but honestly I handle all rooting hormones with care, I think most of the chemicals used for this are similar enough in structure that there are going to be similar concerns with all of them, and the manufacturers tell you to wear gloves or avoid skin contact for a reason!

I JUST ORDERED A 7 OZ BOTTLE FOR $7.99 FROM THE WEB SITE. CAN'T WAIT FOR IT TO COME IN. I'M A MASTER GARDNER AND WE HAVE A PLANT SALE ANNUALLY. I'M PRETTY SURE THIS WILL BUST OUR SALES.
THANKS FOR THE INFO.
JERI

I had read this thread last night and today I just happened to be at a nursery (imagine that) and was looking at PH kits when right before me appeared Dip 'N Grow...........and since I so trust Kyle's expertise, I grabbed it. I think I will pot up some brugs this week and check it out. THANKS Kyle.

Jeri, are you sure yours was 7 oz? Mine was only 2 oz for $9.99. It was an expensive nursery I guess. LOL

I've used it and you only use a tiny bit in water; that little bottle goes a long way. The dilution rate is different for different types of cuttings, i.e. soft wood, hard wood, etc..
I know rooting hormones like Root Tone have a very short shelf life after they have been opened. Does anyone know about the Dip & Grow?

alice

You can make your own hormone by putting sand in the vaseline! heheheh

Sorry i thought that was funny enough to share!

that is just bad!

It only comes in a 2 oz, a 16 oz and 1 gal.
What nursery Kell? Still cheaper to buy locally because of shipping cost.

Hi, Impressive roots, did you add heat? I too use the Dip n Grow for various plants. Read the dilutions, it does vary quite a bit for the different types. To save $$ I grouped cuttings of the same type, or else went from using it least dilute, then adding more water for other plants that need it more dilute. After diluting, it has something like a 10 day shelf life but the undiluted stuff is good for a long time (do not know off-hand how long, but longer than 10 days, I'm sure!).

Store dark and cool and should last a full season or longer. And yes we use bottom heat year round 80F.And I root the cuttings in 6 inch pots in small particle sized vermiculite.

My results are not even close to Kyle's but I have noticed much better root growth when I use straight vermiculite. It seems to hold just the right amount of moisture. I have been using it for both seeds and cuttings.

Thanks, Kyle! That's god info. Charley's website says the undiluted Dip n Grow has a shelf life of up to 3 years and 10 hours once diluted. $8.50 for 2 oz or $7.50 if you buy 2. We should get a co-op going on this.
Barbara

BDunn, thanks for correcting me. 10 hrs vs 10 days, what a difference! Yep, let's do a coop, I'm almost out.

I've been using pre-wetted peat moss and sand 50/50, so far it's worked for everything from tropicals to mints. Sometimes I throw some perlite into it.

It was Evergreen in San Leandro, Sue. I was thinking the hydroponics store probably has it.

Check this link for less expensive online ordering

search-desc.ebay.com/search/search.dll?query=dip+'n+grow&newu=1&krd=1

Wowzers, Kyle! Look at those healthy roots!!!! Do you mix the vermiculite with perilite or soil? Is that oleander the double one??? Someone should definitely start a co-op. I would luv to try some to.
:) Donna

Donna, this oleander is a single red, and I just use straight vermiculite.

K. do you use straight vermiculite for hibiscus also?

I use it for everything I root..

Thanks, Kyle.
:) Donna

I ordered me some of the Dip'N'Grow, received it on Friday and haven't tried it yet. I have some Hibiscus that I want to root, and putting them in water seems to take so long. Will let you know how things go.

If someone does get a coop going on this would you please post here, because I don't go to the coop forum very often. Simply because when I do I buy more then I need.

Hey Everybody,

I must not have had my glasses on when I read the size of Dip n Grow. I bought 2 oz for $7.99 off the web site.

Sorry if I started any false rumors!!!
Jeri

I was wondering what I might have to do to get a great deal like, too. ;-)
Now I can rest easy.

Robert.

Got my dip n grow today so I guess you know I'll be taken cuttings tomorrow. The question is where do I start. Roses? Angel Trumpets? Gardinias? The choises are endless.

Jeri

Thanks for the tip Kyle
I got mine today,Maybe this will improve my success rate which so far has been 0.

I was wondering if it could be used on small plants that have a poor root system , like my baby EEs to give them them a boost , or is it just for use at the cutting stage.

celt, I wouldn't use it for anything other than rooting cuttings,there is root stimulator for growing plants available at stores and nurseries. Miracle -Gro has one out, mix with water and water in.always follow directions. :-)

Thanks
Im about to repot all my EEs There not making very much progress, some are even going backwards with each new leaf.I don't seem to have the soil mix correct, Im going to try for better drainage.

I bought some and it works real well on a few plants I've had problems with in the past. It must be the product because I can't believe I've just otherwise suddenly become lucky. =)

ooh! I just bought some off of eBay, thanks for the tip! All our locals had were the usual powders. I've been looking for a liquid.

I have not been very "lucky" in my misguided attempts at rooting anything difficult (aroids, plumeria and brugs don't count!) so I will know for a fact if this works that it's the product, not the user

:)

I am trying ot get away from all man made chemicals in growing and finding things that can give me good results organically. I am using many products by Circle One out of Brooksville, FL. for fertilizers with great results and Turf Pro USA -products out of Eustis, FL. for natural soil ammendmetns.
I am getting very healthy root growth from cuttings on a number of tropicals and am finding a real reductin in insect problems. This is the first year I have not had to fight scale on both new pups and older bromeliads.

Thanks! I will look for some around here. I don't intend to eat it either but I am trimming my hibiscus for the winter to bring them in and folks over on the hibiscus forum have asked me about rooted cuttings. I have used hormone powder in the past for other plants but I have never tried rooting my hibiscus before. They are far more woody than the geraniums, bedding plants etc., that I have rooted successfully and I didn't know if the powder would work well. I like the look of that root system in the top photo. That's what I am going for.
Thanks again,
Martha

Is Evergreen a good nursery? I went there one time on a Saturday but they had already closed (5pm)..

Does anyone know if there is a source in the Coastal Texas...........Houston, Galveston area that sells "Dip n Grow"?
I don't want to spend $40.00 dollars to see if it works or not..
Thanks

Dee