Providing too much moisture during propagation can result in rot and cutting loss. A practice often observed during propagation of unrooted cuttings is frequent, heavy misting, which provides too much moisture and should be avoided.
Cuttings are very delicate and vulnerable so pests, disease, the wrong growing conditions, too much water or too little water can all cause them to fail.
All cuttings need to go directly to an environment with 100% humidity after being cut. If the cuttings dry out, they will not do well. Keep them dark, cool and moist. If you are working in large areas, use wet cheesecloth or burlap to wrap the cuttings as you go along.
It's also worth reducing water loss by removing the lowest pairs of leaves from each cutting, and snipping the leaves of larger-leaved plants in half. Another way to reduce water loss is to keep the cuttings in a humid atmosphere – place a clear plastic bag over individual pots or use a propagator with a lid.
Controversially, I'm gonna suggest you don't water them very often. I would start with very evenly moist airy soil – water in sans cutting, and mix it round so it's not saturated at the bottom. Add your cutting, and then mist the surface thoroughly daily (trying not to get the cutting). Twice a day if it's hot or dry.
The basic principle behind applying mist to vegetative cuttings is simple. Without roots, cuttings cannot adequately replace the water lost to the environment due to evaporation and transpiration mainly. To aid them along the beginning of their life journey we must replace this water loss with water applications.
Providing too much moisture during propagation can result in rot and cutting loss. A practice often observed during propagation of unrooted cuttings is frequent, heavy misting, which provides too much moisture and should be avoided.
A suggested maximum light intensity is between 100 to 150 µmol∙m−2∙s−1 from the time cuttings are stuck until the initial roots form (a few millimeters in length), which is usually the first five to seven days of propagation. A retractable screen is best so that it can be opened during cloudy conditions.
It's important that your water propagated plants receive some light, but bright indirect light with no direct sun is important. They are growing new root systems and are fragile.
Warm growing medium temperatures accelerate cell division which leads to faster callusing, root initial development and subsequent root growth. It also speeds up the dry-down rate of the growing medium, which also helps encourage better rooting. The best way to warm the growing medium is through bottom heat.
Some plants will root in water, but cuttings will develop a better root system when rooted in a soil-less potting mix. Sand or perlite can also be used, especially for cuttings that need good drainage and may rot if kept too wet.
Try to wait until at least 50% of the cuttings have good rooting before potting them up; however, for some hard-to-root species, you may be lucky with only 10% to 20% success.
Change the Water Regularly or Use Activated Charcoal
To prevent bacterial growth and maintain a healthy environment for rooting, remember to change the water in the container every few days. Alternatively, you can add a small amount of activated charcoal to the water, which helps keep it bacteria-free.
Give cuttings bright light but not sun. Keep soil moist but not wet. The cuttings should root within three weeks. Admit air gradually to wean the cuttings from their humid environment, then pot singly before outdoor planting.
Media is usually kept at 72-77° F while air temperature is maintained at 68-73° F. If bottom heat is not used, air temperature should be maintained between 77 and 80° F. Maintaining air temperatures lower than medium temperatures retards shoot growth while promoting root development. Excessive heat can damage cuttings.
Technically, you can transfer your cuttings to soil at any time. In fact, you can actually propagate directly into soil, however, it's much harder to do within your home. When you propagate in soil, you have to keep a good balance of soil moisture, air flow, and humidity.
“I would say overwatering is one of the biggest reasons for houseplant deaths. People tend to 'overcare' for their plants and over water. Overwatering can 'drown' your plants and lead to root rot. I would definitely under water than risk overwatering a plant.”
You may be overwatering. Make sure your container has adequate drainage and then cut back on watering. Use pruning snips to trim away dying foliage. Yellow leaves can also mean the plant is rootbound and needs to be moved to a bigger pot with drainage holes.
Hydrogen peroxide can help to control fungal growth and fungal infection, such as root rot, by preventing the growth of fungi. It can also help kill fungus and bacteria on plant roots.
Cuttings planted in soil will grow roots more slowly. Make sure to keep soil / moss moist. This is easiest if you tent with a plastic bag or use a covered container such as a clean, lidded take-out food container. Check the plants weekly for moisture and growth.
The sooner you can get your cuttings into a more normal environment with air flow and no dome, the better off they'll be. After about a week, remove the dome and monitor your cuttings to see if they begin to wilt. If they do, they're not ready to go dome-less, so try again in 1-2 days.
Got a cutting that's refusing to root or taking its sweet time? Add a Pothos! I'd heard of using willow as a natural rooting hormone, 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.