Using Rooting Powder to Speed Root Formation in Plant Cuttings

I mentioned using rooting powder to a friend yesterday and was surprised when she asked what it was. Having grown up with my mother using it to start new plants, I assumed everyone knew about rooting powder, also referred to as rooting hormone or rooting compound.

This amazing product makes rooting cuttings a breeze and is inexpensive to use. I recently used it to start cuttings from my scented geranium. I had tried starting them in water, but the stems always rotted.

By using rooting powder and starting them in moist peat moss, I produced a dozen healthy scented geranium plants from the cuttings when I cut back the original plant.


If you haven't tried rooting powder for starting cuttings, I highly recommend buying a bottle and keeping it on hand. One container will last for years without losing its effectiveness and is ideal for those hard-to-root plants.

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How to Use Rooting Powder to Root Cuttings

• Take 2 to 4 inch cuttings from the growing tip of  the plants you wish to propagate.
• Remove the leaves from the bottom 2 inches.
• Pour a small amount of rooting powder into a paper cup. This makes dipping the cuttings easier and prevents contaminating the rooting powder with plant pathogens or disease.
• Dip the bottom inch of the cutting into the rooting powder. Tap the stem on the side of the container to remove excess rooting powder.
• Make a hole in your potting media (I use peat moss, but you can use seed starter or vermiculite.) with a pencil to a depth of 1 inch.
• Insert the treated end of your cutting into the hole and firm the soil around the stem to secure the cutting.
• Place the cuttings in an area that receives bright, indirect light and keep the soil moist. I start mine on my back porch, but you can start them inside, if you wish.
• Watch for new growth on the cuttings, as this typically indicates that roots have formed. 
• Test for root formation by gently tugging on the cutting. If it resists your efforts, the roots have formed.
• Repot the cuttings in individual plant pots once they have established roots.

Cuttings typically form roots within a few weeks, but the amount of time depends on the type of plant you are rooting. Leaves should remain green and appear healthy. 

There are many brands of rooting powder available, but I have had good luck with the Schultz "Take Root".


                                                                         Until Next Time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!

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