A mixture of one volume of peat moss and 3 volumes of coarse perlite is a good rooting medium for most plants. Combinations of other materials like perlite and vermiculite, or peat moss and sand, are also satisfactory. The medium should drain freely and be free of disease organisms and weed seed. Do not use field soil as a rooting medium. It packs too tightly under wet conditions and is prone to develop diseases. Compressed peat pellets are available for seeding and can also be used for rooting cuttings. They expand rapidly when soaked in water. Place them in plastic bags after soaking and draining; insert a single cutting in each pellet and close the bag at the top. No additional watering is necessary until the cutting is rooted and the bag opened.
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What type of soil or soil substitute should I use to root cuttings?
Last Updated: September 05, 2008
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