Blackberries

I know my Wa. relatives would think I'm a nut, but my family and I love blackberry's.  In Wa. it's something everyone has they want to get rid of, but here in Ca. I have had a tough time keeping them alive.  I planted 2 last spring and they survived and even grew, thanks to wood chips and being planted behind my rose garden, so they get watered when I remember to water them, and when the roses get watered.  I was weeding around them and accidentally pulled down a large section of vine.  I cut them into  about 12" sections, leaving a couple of leaves at the top and put them in water hoping they would grow roots.  They are alive, growing new leaves and even started some berry's that I removed, but I don't see any roots.  My question is should I have put root tone on the ends and put them in soil instead?  Is it to late to do that now? (I would say they have been in the water about a week)  Do I just need to be patient?  Just wondering what the best course of action is.  If they don't make it oh well, I was just hoping to make use of my mistake.  Thanks  

Do your blackberries have any shade? Here in Missouri, afternoon shade helps them a lot.

I haven’t grown blackberries from cuttings.  I think planting them in the ground now would probably work. It usually works with grapes. Well, they don’t all survive. Most do.

If you leave them in water they will probably start rotting soon. An aquarium bubler, prevents rot by giving them air. I have done this with figs.  If they are in a transparent container, I would wrap aluminum foil around the jar to block light. Light makes algae4 grow.

Ugh.  Blackberries are the bane of my existence.  

Can't help you too much with the question of what to do with the cuttings, but around here, just jabbing a live piece of cane in the ground and forgetting about it will usually result in a yard full within a year or two.  They do like a degree of shade.

Willow has natural rooting encouragers.  Twigs from weeping willow or pussy willow stuck in the water would might help.

Thanks everyone I think I will get them in the ground ASAP

Almost all blackberry vines propagate by tip rooting. During the winter they deliberately grow the the tip of the vine down to the ground where it starts to grow roots. The roots then start a new crown which send out new vines. That is how they can take over large lots in a few years. At Qberry Farm I try to keep ahead of them and keep them trained to the trellis and cut off any attempts to tip root. I am always behind so if you want some tip roots of Boysenberries, Loganberries, or the dreaded invasive Himalaya aka Afghan PM me. I have successfully mailed them before.
If you wish to propagate your vines place soil on the tip of a vine and it will probably develop roots then cut the vine in half so that it has leaves to support growth of a new vine that will grow from the crown of roots.
Black berries do like wood chips inoculated with mushroom spore.