FAQ: Making your own Rooting Hormone

You can have greater success with plant cuttings by using rooting hormone. But you don't have to spend the big bucks to do it! You can make your own rooting hormone easily as long as you have access to a willow tree.

Any species of willow will work. You will need some of the small branches - pencil-thin seems to work the best. Cut them up into small pieces.

For an all-purpose rooting tonic, 2 cups of cut stems soaked in a half gallon of warm water for one or two days. For a stronger tonic, use more willow stems! To make the tonic faster, use boiling water instead of warm and soak overnight. This will work even if you are lazy (like me!) and just use cold water and soak the willow stems for a couple of days. Use promptly and make a fresh batch for each use. Or, put your willow water in a jar with a tight fitting lid and stick it in the refrigerator. It will keep about 60 days or so that way . . .

Using willow water is even easier than making it. Soak cuttings you want to root in it overnight. Or water your soil-planted cuttings with the willow water. Two applications should do it. Some cuttings will root directly in a jar of willow water. The stuff also works great when you are setting out transplants - just water them with it after you plant them! Try this the next time you get a bouquet of roses - you might get a beautiful rose bush or two!