To promote rapid root growth on plant cuttings, use a sharp, sterile tool to snip a 4–6 inch stem just below a leaf node. Apply a commercial rooting hormone to the base, provide a warm and humid environment (such as a propagation dome), and place it in bright, indirect light.
Stimulate root growth in cuttings by applying rooting hormone to promote cell division, using a heat mat to maintain an optimal temperature of 70°F to 75°F, providing bright, indirect light, and maintaining high humidity with a clear plastic cover.
The most effective homemade rooting hormones are Willow Water and raw Honey. Willow branches contain natural auxins that stimulate cell division and root growth, while honey acts as a mild antibacterial agent that protects cuttings while they develop.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Acidic Balance for Root Health
ACV is fermented from apples, retaining beneficial acids (like malic acid) and trace minerals (potassium, calcium) that stimulate root growth. It also acts as a mild fungicide, preventing soil-borne pathogens from attacking vulnerable cuttings.
Rooting cuttings is a simple, cost-effective way to multiply your favorite houseplants and garden plants. By taking a small stem or leaf and encouraging it to grow its own roots, you can create entirely new, genetically identical plants.
Add a Pothos! I'd heard of using willow as a natural rooting hormone (no idea where to source that however), but didn't know Pothos has this 'super power' too! Just pop a Pothos cutting in with the water with your slow-to-grow cuttings and it helps speed up root development. That's a big yes please.
It is illegal to propagate some plants primarily to protect intellectual property (such as plant patents or trademarks), to prevent the spread of agricultural diseases, or to control invasive species.
You can substitute store-bought rooting hormone with common household items like honey (antibacterial agent), cinnamon (antifungal), or aloe vera (natural rooting enzymes). Alternatively, you can make a DIY growth tonic using willow water (made by steeping fresh willow twigs) or a crushed aspirin dissolved in water.
Yes, you can use Dawn dish soap, but proceed with extreme caution. Dawn is a heavy-duty detergent designed to strip grease, so it can easily strip away the natural waxy layer on plant leaves. If you must use it, always heavily dilute it (no more than 1 teaspoon per gallon of water) and rinse the leaves thoroughly afterward.
Using vinegar to improve soil pH is a great way to make sure your plants are getting the best growing conditions possible. The acidity of vinegar can help break down hard minerals in the soil that prevent certain plants from thriving. Plants like hydrangeas, blueberries, and gardenias benefit from higher soil pH.
No, baking soda is generally not recommended as a rooting agent. While viral gardening videos often suggest using a mix of baking soda, sugar, and vinegar to stimulate roots, there is no scientific evidence that baking soda promotes root growth.
Honey is one of the well-known natural rooting hormones.
It consists of antibacterial that keeps the cuttings from any bacterial or fungus issues, which definitely helps the roots to thrive even more. Honey as a rooting hormones for succulent propagation.
NAA (Naphthaleneacetic acid) is a synthetic auxin and is widely used as a rooting hormone.
Hardwood cuttings are taken from mid-autumn until late winter from vigorous healthy shoots of the current year's growth - this will be woody but pliable. Use for deciduous climbers, shrubs, trees (including fruit) and some evergreens such as hollies.
The strongest rooting hormones rely on synthetic auxins, primarily Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Because potency is measured by concentration, liquid formulas that can be mixed for hard-to-root cuttings are the most powerful.
Rooting Plant Cuttings
Plants prefer to rest between waterings. Keeping the soil too moist all the time can rot the roots. OVERWATERING is the #1 killer of houseplants.
A plant-safe soap is specifically formulated to control pests without harming delicate plant foliage. The only universally recognized safe option is potassium soap (also called horticultural or soft soap), which uses potassium salts from fatty acids rather than sodium, making it gentle on plants.
The most effective homemade rooting hormones are willow water (for natural auxins) or a mix of aloe vera gel and raw honey (which stimulate growth while protecting against bacteria). Many plant cuttings will successfully root on their own, but these DIY options speed up the process.
Many plants will root just fine without a rooting hormone of any kind. Some plants, however, are more of a challenge and so will not be as easy to propagate without using one at all. So using a rooting hormone broadens the range of cuttings that most of us can get to root successfully.
Use proper rooting hormones or correct propagation conditions, and avoid sugar, baking soda, and vinegar on cuttings.
It is legal to propagate most houseplants for personal use, but it is illegal to propagate and sell patented cultivars. Plant patents are intellectual property protecting new, asexually reproduced varieties for 20 years. Popular patented houseplants include:
Bill Gates argued against relying on planting trees as a primary solution to climate change, calling the idea "complete nonsense". He believes tree planting is insufficient, unproven at scale, and distraction from necessary technological solutions like direct air capture, arguing that emissions reduction requires fundamental industrial changes rather than relying on reforestation.
Water lettuce is banned in many areas because it is an aggressively invasive aquatic plant. It reproduces rapidly, forming dense mats that block sunlight, deplete oxygen in the water, and crowd out native species.