Anyone serious about gardening is probably aware of the convenient method of propagating plants through cuttings. Various types of plants respond well to this technique and it doesn’t take a particular set of skills to get good results from cuttings. However, you might still sometimes struggle to propagate plants from cuttings. Instead of new, healthy plants, you can often end up with wilted cuttings that fail to grow as expected. This problem can be solved through a little growth encouragement provided by a rooting hormone.
Whether you’re dealing with less suitable plants for propagating via cuttings or simply wish to accelerate this slow process, your best bet is to use a special hormone that boosts the development of roots. It can make a significant difference compared to just meeting basic water and soil needs. There are various types of rooting hormones on the market depending on the kind of characteristics you prefer. The most common are gel, powder, and liquid forms. In this article, we’ll explore the best rooting hormones so you can spend your money wisely and grow plants from cuttings more successfully.
Best Rooting Hormone Gel
1. HydroDynamics Clonex Rooting Gel
If you want an easy way to apply rooting hormone to your young plants, consider a gel like the HydroDynamics Clonex. This water-based model offers excellent growth performance and solid value for the money. It’s designed to include all the necessary minerals and trace elements to enable the successful rooting of your cuttings. You can count on the gel to support the plant in the critical developmental stages.
The formulation contains no alcohol and has been carefully refined using years of experience in plant propagation to deliver the best results. One important aspect of this product is the liquid gel form that’s more effectively reaching the stem and supplies the much-needed hormones. Whether you own a plant nursery business or just wish to propagate some plants to take root in your garden, the Clonex gel is highly recommended.
Best Rooting Hormone for Succulents
2. Midas Products Rooting Gel Hormone
With a reliable formulation designed for strong plant cloning, the Midas Products gel hormone is an ideal match to encourage the development of healthy roots. This rooting gel is engineered with a particularly effective IBA hormone that should provide excellent results regardless of plant species. The product comes in a practical jar that seems promising in terms of value for the cost.
Although this rooting hormone works wonders if you have some experience with plant cloning, it’s safe to say that beginners can also learn how to use it most effectively. It contains some vital nutrients that contribute to the thriving of young roots. The hormone is especially potent when it comes to propagating succulent cuttings but other plants should also grow much faster. Instead of waiting for more than a month, you can expect roots to start appearing in a matter of days for lots of plants.
Best Rooting Hormone Powder
3. Hormex Rooting Hormone Powder
The Hormex rooting hormone powder promises accelerated rooting performance in virtually any grow medium. It’s compatible with typical soil but also works nicely with Rockwool, clay pellets, and others. Depending on the type of plant, the manufacturer offers a selection of various hormone strengths. Some plants can be tougher to root and require a different version of the powder so you can fine-tune your approach to maximize young root development.
This particular rooting hormone is designed for common plants that are typically easy to root. It’s formulated without harmful ingredients such as dyes or alcohol so there’s no problem using this product for vegetables or fruiting plants. Aside from enhancing the growth speed, this rooting hormone is also reliable when it comes to preventing some characteristic diseases affecting the roots. It’s recommended for improving the chances of success when transplanting plants as well.
4. Bonide Bontone II Rooting Hormone
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One excellent rooting hormone that also works well on bulbs and seeds, the Bonide Bontone II offers impressive value for the money. This is a versatile product that works wonders for cuttings to stimulate root production. It’s a recommended powder for many types of plants such as ornamentals, fruit trees, or vegetables. The rooting hormone can come in handy for transplants to allow the plants to thrive with stronger new roots.
When it comes to applying the rooting hormone, the process is fairly straightforward. It’s only required to dip the end of a single cutting in it and then provide plenty of moist soil that contributes to successful growth. The fact that you can also make use of this rooting hormone for seeds or bulbs can bring a new layer of versatility. Flowers such as azaleas and geraniums seem to deliver the best results in terms of plant cloning performance with this rooting powder.
5. Technaflora Rootech Gel
Anyone looking for a rooting hormone gel that’s easy to use and highly performant for the cost should try this .25oz model from Technaflora. You might not need this kind of product to support the development of some plants but for others, it’s a must-have boost. The included powerful hormone is focused on strong roots production. The gel form can be considered more practical for lots of plants that can’t absorb the sustenance as effectively from powders.
Thanks to its high-quality formulation, the cloning gel promises consistent results when it comes to the development of healthy root systems. It’s strongly recommended for more stubborn plants whose cuttings don’t produce new roots as easily making them harder to propagate than others. This smooth gel leaves no hot spots to prevent overstimulation issues. Plants that are simple to clone can require dilution in water due to the enhanced potency of the hormone.
6. RootBoost Rooting Hormone Powder
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Reasonably priced and simple to use, the RootBoost rooting powder can promote vigorous growth for your plant cuttings with the help of an advanced hormone formula. It’s based on Hormodin 1 which’s recommended for propagating many varieties of flowers, succulents, and more. The powder is provided in a simple 2oz container that’s concentrated enough to last for hundreds of cuttings. You can also opt for a larger 4oz bottle option if you need double the amount.
When it comes to the application of this rooting hormone, the process couldn’t be simpler. There are just three steps to follow. First, you need to cut the plant that you intend to clone. Dip the cutting into the powder and just plant it in a new pot. Then it’s simply a matter of enjoying accelerated growth. Make sure you never put the plant directly into the bottle to avoid any contamination issues. It’s not recommended to combine this powder with water because dilution will reduce effectiveness.
Best Rooting Hormone Liquid
7. Dip’N Grow Liquid Hormone Concentrate
Those who favor a liquid rooting hormone solution need to check out this Dip’N Grow kit. It’s designed to remove any cross-contamination issues and deliver premium growth performance for the cost. The concentrate is based on two root-inducing auxins that are typically used by many propagators at nurseries in the country. Thanks to the use of alcohol, the rooting agent becomes self-sanitizing so it could be a better option than others.
Due to its great concentration, it’s required to dilute the liquid rooting hormone so you can reach the desired strength according to the type of plant you wish to clone. If you’re not sure about the proper dilution necessary for your plants, the manufacturer offers a great guide to adjust the concentration accordingly. If you’re a more experienced gardener or nursery owner who wants a rooting hormone to cover more heavy-duty needs, the Dip’N Grow kit is highly recommended.