How to root plants?

Cuttings of pussy willow are easy and the best time is early spring. Cut a 10" to 12" section of stem, measuring from the tip toward the base. Choose stems about as thick as a pencil and as straight as possible. Remove any buds or leaves from the bottom third of the stem; parts below the water level make the water stink. Place the cuttings in a container of water and set where they will get some light but not sun. They will root in several weeks. Check on them occasionally, and plant them in soil in #1 pots when the roots get about 2" long. All willows prefer damp soil, so don't let them dry out.

Forsythia cuttings should be taken after the blooms have fallen. Cut stems about 6" long from the tip, Take more cuttings than you want plants, as they won't all survive. Trim off any remaining flowers and any leaves from the bottom half of the cutting, though cuttings with buds are more likely to root. It is advisable to use a rooting hormone. Plant them 3" deep in a combination of damp sand and peat moss. The medium should be well drained, but not allowed to dry out. Set them where they get light but no sun.

Rose of Sharon cuttings are taken starting in May through July. Cut about 5" of new growth at a 45º angle. Again, take more cuttings than you want as not all will root. Dip the cut end into rooting hormone and plant 2" deep in damp, sterile potting soil. Cover the plant and pot with a plastic bag that is supported with a stick; don't allow the plastic to sit on the cutting. A water bottle with the bottom cut off and the cap removed also works well to create a greenhouse that keeps humidity high. Keep the cuttings out of direct sun. Rooting should happen in one to two months.

Different plants root better in different mediums, but for most cuttings it's important that the planting medium be sterile. Keep the cuttings warm, but don't let them get hot. Keep them damp, but not wet.