Rooting powder helps cuttings and newly planted plants develop strong and healthy roots. In this article you can read how to use this remedy correctly and what you should pay attention to.

Rooting powder is particularly good for roses

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  1. What is rooting powder?
  2. Apply rooting powder
  3. alternatives
  4. Propagate cuttings successfully
  5. frequently asked Questions

    6. What is rooting powder?

    Various agents are commercially available under the name "rooting powder" which are said to have a positive effect on root growth. Natural growth hormones, which occur naturally in all plants and are responsible for cell division and cell growth, are used primarily in professional horticulture. From a chemical point of view, these hormones belong to the group of auxins - the so-called growth regulators - and should not only help roots develop faster, but also significantly reduce the failure rate. Finally, not all cuttings will root, which in turn has economic implications for farms when rates of non-rooting are high.

    The relevant plant hormones are natural growth hormones

    • indole-3-acetic acid
    • indole-3-butyric acid
    • and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid.

    Various solvents (e.g. alcohol) and fillers (e.g. talc) are added to these so that they can be used. These root activators not only ensure that the roots grow at all, but also have an influence on their growth in thickness and length. Plants with strong roots are better supplied with water and nutrients, grow faster and more luxuriantly and often need less fertilizer and irrigation water at their later location. Therefore, growth hormone use is beneficial for several reasons.

    In the home garden, however, other root activators are usually used that do not require any artificial hormones. These are usually agents obtained from algae, which also contain natural hormones to a lesser extent. In addition, these rooting powders score with added nutrients and trace elements that promote healthy growth.

    digression

    Do rooting powders actually work?

    In principle, rooting powder or root activators - after all, these agents are not only available as a powder but also in liquid form or as a gel - give plants treated with them growth advantages. However, these remedies can fail with some cuttings or show hardly any noticeable effect, which has various causes. Not every plant “jumps” on the treatment, especially since other factors also play a major role in the successful rooting of cuttings. Incorrect use as well as an overdose can have fatal consequences: Both can lead to the plants developing little or no roots.

    What do you need rooting powder for?

    As already mentioned, rooting powders are mainly used for the propagation of cuttings, whereby non-native and exotic species in particular often have difficulties with root development and therefore benefit from support. However, there are other areas of application where the rapid development of strong roots is important. This is the case, for example, when inserting new plants into the bed or into a planter, especially if they are sensitive plants. There is already a rootstock here, but it has to be encouraged to root - the faster this happens, the less stress the plant experiences and the faster it puts its energy into above-ground growth.

    Furthermore, root activators are suitable for use in plants to be grown from seeds, as they also promote germination and the development of seedlings. Here it is advantageous to choose germ-killing agents, since seedlings are often killed by fungal or other infections. On the other hand, if fungi, bacteria and viruses have no chance of spreading from the outset, the young plants can develop undisturbed. The best way to find out which means are suitable for this is in the "Alternatives" section.

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    Which plants are particularly difficult to root?

    You can tell from the mother plant whether a cutting is easy or difficult to root. In general, robust and easy-care species develop roots very quickly and safely, while more capricious plants also have difficulties with propagation. Many woody and non-hardy potted plants - such as the various citrus species - as well as camellias, roses and hydrangeas often benefit from the support of root activators.

    Apply rooting powder correctly

    How you use the rooting powder correctly depends on various factors. Firstly, the dosage form is decisive for the type of application, because powder, tablets or gel each require a different approach. In addition, cuttings are treated differently than, for example, finished plants that are only to be used or young seedlings. Carefully read the manufacturer's instructions for use and follow their recommendations - especially when it comes to the dosage of the selected product.

    You can usually use powdered root activators in four different ways:

    • Dissolve in water: Rooting powders dissolved in water are suitable for watering cuttings and already rooted plants, whereby the latter can be treated with this product both when planting and when repotting.
    • Mix with potting soil: Instead of dissolving the powder in water, you can also mix it directly with the potting soil. It is essential to observe the specific relationship between soil and root activator.
    • Scatter in the planting hole: If you want to plant already rooted plants in the garden or in a planter, you can simply sprinkle the recommended amount of rooting powder as well as the starter fertilizer in the planting hole.
    • Submerging the cutting: When propagating cuttings, it is often advised to dip the cut point of the cuttings in rooting powder, which will later be placed in the substrate. Then shake the cutting very gently and carefully so that only a thin film sticks.

    After treatment with rooting powder in water, the cutting is gently shaken but not rinsed

    Root activators in tablet or gel form, on the other hand, are dissolved in water and used as a nutrient solution for cuttings or adult plants. These solutions do not keep for long, which is why you should always stir them up freshly before each use and not leave them for a long time.

    What alternatives are there to rooting powder?

    Rooting powders based on growth hormones cannot be chemically recreated by laypeople, since you need a certain basic chemical education, an appropriate laboratory and the right ingredients - these are not usually available in pharmacies, however. But that doesn't matter, because there are a few alternatives that are also very effective and easy to obtain.

    The best home remedies for better rooting

    Why make it complicated when the following home remedies also make it much easier and, above all, cheaper?

    willow water

    Probably the best home remedy for rooting plants is willow water. Young willow twigs contain large amounts of plant growth hormones (especially indole-3-butyric acid), and they are also rich in salicylic acid, which is effective against numerous pathogens and thus strengthens the resistance of the plants. And this is how you get the effective willow water:

    1. Cut young, pencil-thin willow branches, preferably in spring or early summer.
    2. Cut the branches into smaller pieces.
    3. In terms of quantity, you need two coffee cups of willow twig schnitzel for about three liters of water.
    4. Alternatively, you can use willow bark, but you'll need at least three cups of it. The hormone levels are significantly lower in the older parts of the plant.
    5. Place the willow pieces in a sealable container.
    6. Pour them over with freshly boiled water.
    7. Close the jar and let the mixture steep for 24 hours.
    8. Now remove the pieces of willow and fill the brew into a glass bottle.
    9. The rooting solution is now ready to use and can be stored in the fridge for up to two months.

    You can place cuttings to be rooted in the willow water for a few hours before planting, or water them with it immediately afterwards.

    This video shows very nicely how the propagation of cuttings in roses with the help of willow water works:

    youtube

    aspirin

    However, salicylic acid is not only found in willow twigs, but also in the painkiller aspirin. This means that you can use simple aspirin tablets just as much as willow water for plant propagation: buy aspirin in the pharmacy and explicitly ask for uncoated tablets. Dissolve one tablet per glass of water, either water the plants with the resulting aspirin water or place the cuttings to be rooted in them for a few hours before planting. Incidentally, in contrast to willow water, aspirin tablets do not contain any phytohormones - as the plant growth hormones are also known - but act primarily against all kinds of pathogens and strengthen the still young plants.

    What you have to pay attention to when propagating cuttings successfully

    “Roots nourish us, enliven us, and tie us firmly to the earth. So plant them carefully.” (Author unknown)

    When propagating cuttings, however, not only the rooting agents used determine success or failure, but above all the following factors:

    • season: In general, cuttings should be taken in early summer, when the plants grow best. In the autumn or winter months, on the other hand, there is usually no point in wanting to root plants. During this time, nature enters a rest phase and all growth is stopped.
    • Substrate or water glass?: For rooting in the substrate, you should always use a germ-free and nutrient-poor growing substrate, as normal potting soil is too rich. If, on the other hand, the cuttings are to be rooted in the water glass (which also does not work with all species), change the water daily.
    • Plant part used: Not all cuttings are the same! Depending on the type of plant, use different parts of the plant for propagation. Most species can be propagated using head or shoot cuttings, while others root better when using root sections, cracklings (here the cuttings are not cut but torn off), leaf cuttings (especially in thick-leaf plants and other water-storing leafy plants), offshoots or sticks.
    • temperature and humidity: Also important for successful rooting is a warm (between 20 and 25 °C, depending on the plant species) and bright, but not directly sunny, location. In addition, the humidity should be kept constantly high for the time of rooting, for example in a indoor greenhouse (made from a PET bottle).

    frequently asked Questions

    I've read that cinnamon is also good as a rooting hormone. Is that correct?

    The spice is obtained from the bark of the cinnamon tree, but in this state it no longer contains any growth hormones. However, cinnamon works against fungi and other pathogens, which is why the powder is well suited for prevention and strengthening of the cuttings. Incidentally, honey has the same effect, as long as it is real, untreated beekeeping honey (and not the adulterated and chemically treated stuff from the supermarket).

    You should put rose cuttings in a potato, because then they root faster. What is it?

    In fact, rose cuttings root better if you put them in a fresh potato tuber first and then plant them together. However, the method harbors a problem: if the tuber begins to rot, the cutting is gone too. In this case, willow water is less risky and also more effective.

    My grandma claims that apple cider vinegar makes plants root faster. Is she right?

    Similar to cinnamon and honey, apple cider vinegar does not have a direct root-forming effect, but it reliably kills fungi and bacteria. The dosage is important here, because too much apple cider vinegar acidifies the substrate and deprives the plant of its livelihood - most plants need neutral to alkaline soil to thrive. Mix a teaspoon of vinegar in about a liter of water and dip the cuttings with the interface only briefly.

    tips

    Place rooted cuttings - especially if you have rooted them in a glass of water - as soon as possible in a suitable plant substrate. Otherwise, specimens transplanted too late will be hampered in their development and could become weak due to nutrient deficiencies and become susceptible to infection.

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