What kind of soil should be used in planting stem cutting plants?
I just did some cuttings myself, and I put it in 100% compost, and it is doing great! I won't do it any other way myself. For example, I did some tomato cuttings last week, and they all ready are 5 inches taller than when I planted them! Good luck
It somewhat depends on the variety of plant that you want to root cuttings from - some plants will root in water, though this will just cause rot in most. Generally, I keep some gritty sand, vermiculite and perlite, which I mix with good sterilised soil or potting compost - the ratio of the mix I vary, according to the plant. These ingredients increase the amount of air that's in the growing medium, as well as assist with drainage. Edit your question of you've got some specific plants that you want to propagate, and we can answer you more specifically. Don't use builders sand, but get all of these products from a garden nursery or products supplier. The reason for using sterilised products is to ensure that you don't introduce the chance for infections to set in - new cuttings go through a stress period, after being cut from the parent plant, and are somewhat more susceptible to infections. Some plants are tough as old boots, and it hardly matters, but I always like to improve my success rates, and prevent waste. Hope this helps. Good luck! Rob
