rooting cuttings

I don't know if this is the right place for this thread but here goes. I have been trying to root some things especially things that don't necessarily expand in size so that I can dig a bit of it out to trade to someone. And somethings I can't find where the seed is at either like Stokes Aster for example. So I have been trying my hand at rooting cuttings and I googled how to root cuttings of plants and it was mentioned about willow water. Supposedly you can take willow tree branches and put them in the water of something you are trying to root and the properties of the willow will help the other things root. Or take the willow branches and cut them up and put them in a jug of water and set it out in the sun like sun tea and in a few days use it to water the plant you are trying to root in dirt or water either way. This is the forum I read it on. But does anyone have any other things that work best?

http://www.plantswap.net/forum/f25/rootings-868/

There are commercially available rooting hormones you can buy, those are probably the best, most foolproof way to go. Some brand names I can think of off the top of my head are Rootone and Dip 'n Grow, but there are others as well. If you google "rooting hormone" you'll find a bunch. Willow water does have a chemical in it that can stimulate rooting, but you don't have a way to know that you've got the best concentration of it, plus I think the chemical they use in the rooting hormone products is a little more effective.

Thanks ecrane3 I do know there was rooting hormones I was wondering if there were any homemade remedies that people have had passed down too them. But while I am still on I have seen a low growing daisy around in gardens when I am driving and would love to know what to ask for. I have Becky daisies which I am in love with because of the fact that they do not get wind blown because of their sturdy stem, but they get very tall and are just not what I want in certain places in my beds. I don't mind them up against my house but not out in the middle or outside edge of a flower bed. I was wondering if anyone knows what the name is of a very low growing plain looking daisy that looks just like the Becky only shorter like about 10 to 12 or 14 inches but not as tall as the Becky.

Willow water is probably the most common homemade recipe, or you could use aspirin instead (the chemical in aspirin is very similar to the chemical in the willow water). But I think you'll have more consistent luck with a wider range of plants using the rooting hormones.

You might want to start a new thread for your daisy question--there might be people who would know what those are but since the thread says it's about rooting cuttings they might never read the thread and see that part.

Thanks your right.