I always had the very best luck with rose cuttings that were taken from a stem that had at least color in the bud, and even better if the bloom was spent.
A translucent milk jug is great, especially since you can start leaving the cap off when the cutting has started growing to start getting it acclimated to our dryness. And yes, I'm sure that experience makes a huge huge HUGE difference. I've never done salt water, but I've been doing fresh water aquariums for almost 45 years and I'm sure it's why I had no problems at all starting a water garden, while friends of mine just had one problem after another with their fish.
I have quite a bit of dieback since those horrific winds a little while ago. Those 70 plus mph winds sucked the moisture out of things and blew over a 20 year old spruce tree. Jeanne Lajoie is leafing out.
I've always used rootone, but probably more for the fungicide in it than for rooting hormone. I've had good luck without it as well.
