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Root Hormone for Trees

 
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Does anyone have any experience using honey as a root hormone for starting tree cuttings? I’m looking for a household item or something in nature to use as a root hormone rather than purchasing a specifically named “root hormone”.
 
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Willows produce rooting hormone naturally to help reestablish disturbed wetlands, with the increased biomass holding water for more willows eventually. I just soak 18” willow branches in a 5gal bucket, often with cuttings I’d like to root (ie kiwi) alongside. I also water cuttings in potting soil or river sand with the willow water. Changing/using the water every couple days helps keep the water oxygenated so the willows ultimately root, and I then plant them around wetlands.
 
Ben Zumeta
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1 more consideration is that many trees grown from cuttings never get strong root systems. It can work for dwarfing but if that’s not desirable like in heavy clay then there’s a better way. Many rootstocks are from true breeding seed (ie pears/pyrus and prunus myrobalan), and then get grafted with a desired varietal.
 
Megan Abdallah
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Thanks so much. This helps a lot!
I’m on a really tight budget but want to start a bunch of diff. Varieties of trees
 
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thanks for the eye opening subject. the question spurring me onto google searching.  I never knew adding a little honey to boiling water and soaking cuttings in it will help rooting by killing bacteria but the willow water actually has hormones or something that spurs new growth faster. the google searching turned up 7 or 8 different things to help with rooting cuttings besides the little bottle of white hormone powder I';m so accustomed to.
these I found are
spitting on clipping,
apple cider vinegar , 3 tsp/to 1 gal water
ground cinnamon powder
honey, 1 tbsp to 2 cups boiling water
aspirin 1 aspirin dissolved in gallon warm water
willow tea or willow water
aloe vera, pureed aloe gel in blender with bit of water
 
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