Hello everyone! I'm trying my hand at rooting plants and trees from cuttings. I watched this video on how to do so ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?... ), and am wondering- does it have to be clay sand? Can you use dirt or even a cup of water to let the cutting soak in?

As long as I put it inside my little greenhouse with the humidity do you think it might work?

Does anyone have experience rooting plant cuttings and if so, what have you done that's made it successful?

Different plants prefer different methods, I just finished rooting about 50 fig plants in about 2-3 weeks. Took some cuttings, added some root hormone and put in dirt. I put heat pads underneath which I think sped the process way up. I put them in clear cups this way so I could pull them out to check roots.

There are many different techniques for propagating plants from cuttings. The preferred techniques often depend on the plant species being propagated.

If you want to make this a new hobby, find a couple books on rooting cuttings. As WillC pointed out, different plants have different requirements.

If you tell us what you are attempting to root, maybe we can help.

While I agree that different plants have different requirements, to answer your question about clay-based rooting medium... I'd always heard to use sand.

Many plants will root in sand without any special treatment.

Other plants require special times, special hormones, bottom heat... And, still may not root.

So, what are you trying to root?

This spring, I've been taking cuttings of various climbing roses, and rosemarry. They seem to be growing, just by potting in sand and leaving in the shade.

I found layering was a good way to propagate sage, gooseberry and redcurrant.