My 4 cup rooting method


Here is what I do.

I use 3-18 ounce clear cups and one 18 ounce black cup.
With the dirt cup and a air gap cup  (clear)in both cups I put 10-12 holes (1/4" dia) with soldering iron
in the sides and bottom.

In what will be used for my top cup
I add only 1 hole centered on the bottom and holes in the sides.

I use finely ground sphagnum peat and equal part perlite
for my rooting mix

Prepare the cuttings by cutting from the bottom to about 6 inches
total length. I just want a clean cut before dipping it in Clonex.
I later learned that a small paint brush worked best to put a light
coat on all of the cutting going below soil line

Make a hole in the dirt for the cutting, dip in clonex (brush on) and put into hole..put your dirt cup into the air gap cup then put that
in the black cup.


I fill the cup to about a inch from the top.
Don't pack it but it needs to be a bit firm around the cutting.


For my top cup, I use scotch tape to cover all holes but the 1 hole
in the top center. Later after roots are seen, I start removing the taped holes 1 at a time.
Give a day or more before removing another hole.



Put it on a window sill a leave it alone for at least 2 weeks.
Check the black cup for a teaspoon or less of water.
As the day cycles the top cup will fill with humidity.
Then in the evening they slowly lose some droplets.
Those droplets act like a terrarium recycling the water back through
to the black cup.

I have learned by adding the air gap cup I cannot over water
a cutting so long as it has drainage.

This is the most simple, yet most successful rooting technique
I have used thus far.
Make sure you see roots before adding holes to top cup.
The leaves can come before roots show or not.
It is just important to see the roots first.

Should be easy for anyone to root cuttings.
Here is how I melt holes in the top cup.
I normally use scotch tape

IMG_20170107_222803596 by Doug B, on Flickr

IMG_20170107_222607984 by Doug B, on Flickr

then I make the air gap and dirt cup like this

IMG_20170107_222644844 by Doug B, on Flickr

Doug

I like it. How do you moisten your soil ? Is it totally dry when it is mixed with perlite then sprayed after its mixed ??

I like to wet the sphagnum and perlite in a bucket, then I add it to the dirt cup.
After it is set up I monitor the black cup to see that wee bit of water.
If it is dry, your mix is too dry. I add water through dirt cup holes.
Doug

I also notice that the extra cup is providing a bit of insulation vs the cups
sitting on a cold board. I'm attempting this method under only led lights in a closet.
I'm betting the soil warms quicker under my lights this way.

Doug

Great write-up, Doug.  Thanks for sharing!

Thanks Frank.

Doug

Those trying the old 3 cup method should really consider adding a air gap cup.
It does help.

Doug

Thx for sharing.

My mission tomorrow is to try and find clear and black cups that size around here.

I found mine at wally

Doug

Anyone have any pictures of this? I suck at visualizing things. :(

I will try to post pictures tomorrow.

What kind of sucess rate are you having?

With the 3 cup over the last few years I get 90% at least.
With the 4 cup it will be about the same, only with a better root system.
I just put a dozen cups under lights on 1-7-17.
I will show progress in a couple weeks.

Doug

I just checked a strawberry verte I put in the closet 2 weeks ago, big fat roots
today. If I took my black cup off the bottom the roots would turn from white to brown by tomorrow.
(Noel)

here is my rooting set up.

IMG_20170109_190415 by Doug B, on Flickr

works super good at seed starting as well. I have cherry tomatoes,, rutgers tomatoes, baisl and lettuce

I have been worried since I put my cuttings under artificial lights. I have never went this route
without using sunshine through window and led above table to extend daylight hours.
Now that I have actual roots, I know I can finish the job in the closet.
I have some very expensive cuttings this year, but I would not trust any other method
to root them.

Doug

my top cups are re used cups,, I will have to drag out the soldering iron
to add my holes to the top cup this batch, but then they will be pre made for next year.

IMG_20170110_132610 by Doug B, on Flickr

IMG_20170110_132628 by Doug B, on Flickr


strawberry verte has in the past been stubborn to root.