So I bought this rooting powder a while ago and I've never had any success with it, I've had more success not using it at all with rooting cuttings and I've even done experiments by rooting cuttings with rooting powder and rooting cuttings without rooting powder and all the ones that had rooting powder all went bad, the ones without rooting powder grew roots and stayed healthy so that tells me that this particular rooting powder is no good or maybe I'm doing something wrong?

Look at the ingredients and be sure it contains Auxin which is the main hormone that causes root formation. The best success using rooting powder is to strip off at least 2 rows of bottom leaves in the cutting, dip it in water then dip it into the powder and plant up to over the first set of leaved you took off

I tried it 40+ years ago without any noticeable benefit.

I'm not a fan of rooting hormone either but, have had more success with the liquid stuff.

There are many possible explanations for your experience with your rooting powder. I am not familiar with the "Natural Rooting Powder" shown in your image, but I do use synthetic rooting hormones to successfully promote the rooting of cuttings of many different species. Keep in mind, that every plant species and cultivar responds to rooting hormone treatment in different ways. To my knowledge, one naturally occurring rooting compound, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), is found in all plants. Because of economics, safety, stability, or shelf-life, the horticultural industry primarily uses two closely-related, but synthetic hormones, Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) as a substitute. Various amounts of these synthetic rooting compounds are combined with carriers like talc or alcohol in commercially available rooting products. Powered rooting compound formulations are manufactured and sold as pre-mixed formulations of specific concentration (typically 0.1 to 3.0% IBA) whereas liquid formulations, which are typically stronger (>1.0%), are intended to be diluted to specific concentration by the end-user. There is also at least one commercially available gel formulation (Clonex Rooting Gel, 0.31% IBA) which is not intended to be diluted. Typically, softwood (green) cuttings are more sensitive to high levels of rooting hormone while hardwood cuttings, which are dormant, are less sensitive to, and in fact require, higher levels of hormone to root. But sometimes it is the hormone carrier, typically alcohol, which is toxic. Roses for example, are extremely sensitive to alcohol dips and best success is achieved with a talc (powder) formulation. Unfortunately, both hormone and carrier toxicity response in a species and/or cultivar can only be determined by trial and error. You may get lucky occasionally, but generally speaking, successful rooting hormone use requires lots of trial-and-error and/or research.

I read a long time ago that plants react to rooting hormone in a very specific way. If a plant has sufficient top growth and no roots, it will produce roots when Auxin is applied. If it has less top growth and more vegetative tissue, it may produce more leaves.

Ive had the same question. At first, after many consecutive failures, i thought rooting hormone was bunk... and i wanted to prove it by doing controlled experiments... i.e. potting 4 cuttings in the same pot, 2 with, 2 without.

I have found that rooting hormone is not a magic potion, but it can help. Its never resulted in worse outcomes, and sometimes it does result in faster/better initial root development. it's never been the difference between sucess and failure, but I have noticed a little better long term outcomes.
With stuff I know I can root, like succulents, yucca, philodendron, monstera, sanseveria, wandering jew and other easy stuff, I dont bother.

Since Im just on the border of zone 6, my winters can be brutal, so if i take cuttings from perennials that are iffy and need to be ready for a cold winter, like the hydrangeas I did today, I do use it because it can help speed the process/increase roots when time is short. Ill probably have about 60% sucess with these cuttings. There wont be any numerical difference between # of cuttings treated vs those that werent, but when its time to pot up those that survive, the ones I treated w hormone tend to have better developed roots and that little bump helps. They are more likely to be in good shape come freezing temps. When your growing season is this short and it can take 4-6 weeks for roots to appear, it can make a difference.

The only other time I find it helpful is dusting the bottom of leaf cuttings like begonias and African violets where its a race between rot and roots.

Paula you are such a knowledgeable gardener, why are you not present more?

Gina, thank you. Thats very sweet to say. Im not here because Im out playing with (slaving for?) my babies! digging and cutting and potting and watering, mowing, and staking..lol.

A lot of times I avoid it, not because I dont love it, but because I do. I end up down the rabbit hole and the next thing you know its 4am. Youll see me plenty in the winter.

One good this is that since Ive started coming here Im much better at tracking my steps and outcomes.. I get a lot of help too, so I feel compelled to track and (eventually) report my results. Ive learned a ton just by keeping track of whats happening in my own back yard. A lot of times, especially when it comes to data like dates and duration I realize what I think happened is way off once I check my notes.

If you're looking for an answer why the rooting powder did what it did for you, we need a WHOLE lot more information.
For starters:
- what are the ingredients
- liquid or powder
- what are the plants you tried to root
- time of year you tried
- type of cutting, woody or herbaceous, softwood or hardwood
- rooting medium
- after care
-how old is the contents you used since you opened the bottle

Leftwood said:If you're looking for an answer why the rooting powder did what it did for you, we need a WHOLE lot more information.
For starters:
- what are the ingredients
- liquid or powder
- what are the plants you tried to root
- time of year you tried
- type of cutting, woody or herbaceous, softwood or hardwood
- rooting medium
- after care
-how old is the contents you used since you opened the bottle

Here are the cuttings I tried...

English Oak tree cuttings... although I've found that Oak trees are almost impossible to propagate the rooting powder killed the cuttings a lot quicker than the ones the ones that didn't have any. The best way to root an oak soft wood branch is by air layering I've found.

Willow hardwood cuttings... those are pretty easy to root and the ones with rooting powder were very poor but the willow cuttings without rooted nicely.

Common Fig Tree softwood cuttings... the fig cuttings with rooting powder rotted at the stems but the fig cuttings without rooting powder are rooting nicely in water.

Snake plant... cuttings failed with rooting powder but the other ones without are getting roots.

English Ivy... that failed with rooting powder but the cuttings without are starting to form roots.

The rooting powder I bought recently about 2 months ago and the cuttings were done Spring time.

I think that rooting hormones works best on soft stemmed plants that have sufficient nodes for it to work on.
Rooting hormones only works on the meristem tissue. When you take a fresh cutting, the lowermost leaves are the last nodes. When you remove those leaves you create a small injury. The Auxin enters the stem there and causes new too tissue to form at the injury.
Just dipping the cut end of something into the powder does not usually generate root growth. The bare tissue of the cut is not where roots generally arise from. SO you have to start by taking your cuttings properly.

More woody stems are said to generally have better luck rooting by air layering not stem cuttings, though I am sure there are many exceptions

Rooting hormones are needed when the correct hormones are not available in the plant naturally, or in the right amounts and/or ratios. Hormones work in incredibly tiny amounts. Too much can be just a detrimental as not enough. As an example: 2,4-D based broad leaf weed killers (most of the lawn weed killers) work in this fashion.

Your data seems to be saying that these plants will root on their own. So you used rooting powder in hopes of getting quicker results? Mostly, it just doesn't work that way. I still don't know what the ingredients are in your product, so I can't say for certain, but adding more hormone when there is already enough, isn't playing fair.

the fig cuttings without rooting powder are rooting nicely in water.
Is this rooting powder supposed to be mixed with water? Or did you use the rooting powder with something soil like. (another critical fact you didn't mention) If you didn't use the rooting powder in water, then how is your conclusion valid? There are so many variables you haven't explained.

I'm sorry, you are probably angry with me now, but the way I see this (with what little you have said) your results are exactly what I would expect.

AmberLeaf said:...so that tells me that this particular rooting powder is no good...

AmberLeaf, the label of your 'natural powder' does not list rooting hormones as an ingredient, but instead a seaweed ingredient 'to promote healthy roots.'

You may have assumed, as I did reading your post, that your product contained one of the usual hormones in its mix that we usually expect when we talk of rooting cuttings with a powder or dip. Others responding may have also thought your powder contained a rooting hormone. HighDesertNatives post explains that we often have synthesized hormones in these products, but seaweed may have natural hormone properties?

Regardless, your product seems quite different than what I've used before.

You may wish to try your experiments again using a more traditional rooting HORMONE powder or liquid, along with the techniques mentioned by others on this thread.

Willows don't need hormone powder to root they root on their own quite well. In many cases soaking willow stems in water for 48 hours you can make your own hormone rooting product for free.

Indolebutyric acid (IBA) is a plant hormone that stimulates root growth. It is present in high concentrations in the growing tips of willow branches. By using the actively growing parts of a willow branch, cutting them, and soaking them in water, you can get significant quantities of IBA to leach out into the water. Provided the plant is open to this particular hormone.

I used this technique on stems from many Varieties of geraniums, hebes, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums, and many herbs, trees, and shrubs. Many plants simply root easily on their own without root hormone. Apply a light coating of powder hormones. If the cutting is coated to heavily it will rot. Technique is important. Also check with your local county extension service and the Master Gardner program they have brochures on plants that require a hormone to root and those that do not. Also the right temperature and soil temp is important . Always use sterile soil to prevent bacteria from infecting the cuttings. Using sterile sharp knives when taking and preparing cuttings, wipe knife with alcohol after each cutting.

Cinnamon applied on the cutting end to prevent bacteria from entering before placing in sterile soil is helpful for cacti, succulents or desert roses.
I apply cinnamon on the side of a cacti above the soil after removing a rotted spot from the plant to contain the infection.

It's important what time of year and what type of plant the stem cutting is taken from most shrubs, trees and flowering plants.

Amber leaf, I'm surprised that the rooting powder seemed to stop or retard rooting, especially willow sanseveria and Ivy... it seems live you've tried it a bunch of times and it's always made it worse... throw it out...
I don't know if you got a bad batch, if this brand is snake oil, or if maybe there was some contamination.. I don't know, but given your results I would definitely toss it.
I'll try to remember to take a photo of mine, I've had the same bottle forever and as I said, it's never been the difference between success or failure, but when stems do root, those I rooted with hormone do tend to have bigger faster root development

Hi! I never use the hormone stuff but for roses. I root all my violet leaves in water. They do great!!