If you use something like a plastic drinking glass and start them in water, when you start to see roots 1/2 to 1 inch, you can start dribbling potting soil into the water till its thick soup, then add a bit more in a week or so then leave it until water pretty much is used up and its just the potting soil. The water roots by themselves if you let them get too big do not like the sudden change into straight potting soil. Karen M.