Cuttings and rooting hormone

[Rivian]

Ive got various cuttings started, but didnt use any rooting hormone. Im not going to pull them out again but I could mix clonex with water and either stand them in that for a while or water them with it from above. Latter might be less wasteful.
I just dont know if using clonex (from last year) this way is worth it? Have people tried? At what dilution?
Varieties: Crabapple, JM, Blaauw juniper

 

[bwaynef]

If you're not going to apply the rooting hormone correctly, I think it'd be wasted effort ...and hormone. If the cuttings haven't rooted, there is no danger in pulling them out and applying the hormone. How long have they been stuck? (That said, I think the crabapple and juniper will likely root well w/o hormone and the JM may.)

 

[sorce]

Timing over Products!

I wouldn't want to keep a tree that needed help rooting for a lifetime of repots.

I reckon a paper and pen is cheaper than rooting hormone. I'd take cuttings and notes every week till the simplest solution revealed itself.

Sorce

 

[Rivian]

apply the rooting hormone correctly

Ive seen some bonsai people consciously choose to dilute clonex and stand cuttings in that, and it wasnt an afterthought like in my case

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

You can water down clonex, but it's a waste of product.
When placed in a strong solution, the cuttings will absorb the hormones. Then they'll activate the right cascades.
After the wounds have started recovering, it's too late.
But.. If you can find IBA-K salts, the potassium salt form of indole-butyric acid, you could always use it as a foliar spray once or twice.
Look up the ppm in clonex and try to mimic it.

Maples might respond with some stretchy growth though.

 

[Shibui]

Whether hormone is needed depends on the species being rooted. Some plants have plenty of naturally occurring growth stimulators and will root successfully regardless. Other species are less likely to root without added hormones.

I have seen some recommendations that hormones can be diluted and sprayed over the foliage of new cuttings for successful hormone treatment. That approach was pioneered after concerns about health and safety re employees handling concentrated growth stimulant chemicals with bare hands.
I have not tied it so cannot vouch first hand for effectiveness. I don't think there's likely to be any adverse affects so probably worth trying.

Years ago, just to check effectiveness of rooting hormone, I did a side by side test with Chinese elm cuttings. Untreated cuttings rooted at around 90% but the treated side produced close to 100% rooted cuttings much quicker so the treated cuttings were more advanced at potting up. I've continued to use hormone since.