I been holding off watering since I lost a bunch of cuttings that had beautiful roots due to overwatering. So, today I go check on my babies and two that looked fine this morning are now shriveling up and I definately didn't overwater these two. They're under lights with a bunch of others,(the others are still thriving knockn on wood) three or four good sized, dark green, healthy leaves and a LOT of roots. Some of the roots are a brownish color but most are a dirty white, with little hair sized roots growing off of the main roots. I will say that the roots aren't as thick as when they started but there's still a lot. I gave them a decent amount of water and an hour or two later they're on the mend. I put them in cups about a month and a week ago, should I move them to one gallon pots? If so, I accidentally bought miracle grow brand potting soil( it says that it feeds plants up to six months) could I use that mixed with extra perlite or will it burn the roots? On that topic is it safe to give cuttings with leaves a watered down dose of fertilizer? And finally, how important is misting the cuttings and why do some people use foil around clear cups? Are roots supposed to do better in the dark? I know there's a bunch of questions here but any answers to any of the questions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much, Luke. Oh and for the gentlemen out there, if you haven't already made reservations for Valentines Day, I'd do it ASAP cause they fill up quick, and Big Mac's just aren't romantic.

I have lost some for no reason that I can explain as well. Some to over water. I thing gnats got the rest. So I wait till the leaves get a little droopy then I water from the bottem. Lost a few too a little neglect on my part going through a bit of a tuff time.

Sorry to hear that Dave, just remember, it's always darkest before the dawn, press on my friend.

If they revive with water they probably need to go into a bigger pot.

gnat/larvae damage appears before you actually see those bastards... watch for them! Cuttings sometimes make but sometimes they don't, no matter how good you are to them.

Hi, Luke.
1.Covering the cups with foil, just protect the roots from the light, which can be bad for them. I don't cover mine, but maybe I should.
2. If you see a lot of root growth it might be time to up-pot them. Just be careful when you transfer them. Take your time and give the cuttings a good watering beforehand. This will help the soil stay together and not fall apart.
3. I don't think Miracle Grow will hurt your trees. If your worried try the Organic Miracle Grow. I would add extra perlite to any soil I would be using. Once I started adding extra perlite I stopped having so many cuttings die on me.
4. When you decide to fertilize, pick something that's not too strong. I use organic citrus growers blend, it has trace minerals and a little bit of nitrogen. It is gentle on the plants and I have had good results with it.
5. I mist my cuttings a little because they are out in the open. Just so they don't dry out too much. You can also place a clear cup over them to trap the humidity. Just look out for mold.

Sometimes its just a flip of the coin whether or not a cutting makes it. Hope this helps you Luke.

Hank, thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, your answers are a big help.

I root in 7oz then move to 16oz - 32oz - 1 gallon

I use colored or painted cups (without holes) of the same size to block sun/algae/gnats