So, I've been goofing around with different ratios of mixtures using Jon's "alternate baggie method".

If you want to know where I got the bags, please click the link at the end of that last sentence and read the tutorial for more info (Thanks!)

This last batch, I went with 90% potting mix 10% perlite for rooting.  I bought a bag of potting mix from the nursery a couple of days after it rained so that it was pre-dampened.  I washed the cuttings, bagged them, then dumped in the mix as-is and added ZERO water at the end of the process.  I jammed about six bags int 1-gallon pots, then placed the pots in a closed storage bin, which was aired out daily.

I think it is noteworthy to say that most of the cuttings used had been in the refrigerator for 5-7 months prior to scrubbing, drying and bagging them up. 

I had visible root growth on about 1/3 by the 12 day mark.  I had visible rooting on 1/2 by the 20th day.  Ironically, the freshest of the cuttings (less than 6 weeks old) had the worst success, but these were all of the same variety, so I doubt it has anything to do with the rooting mix or technique.

Today, out of approximately 30 cuttings, I repotted 13 (pictured below) which were of varying root growth.  They had been rooting for approximately 5 weeks, and were showing the root growth you see below.  Some were lighter growers than others (or they were rooting heavily on the other side of the bag).

What I noticed this time is that if roots begin to grow out of the holes at the bottom corners of the baggie, you really gotta cut them off, else they will die and mold.  As much as it might make some wince at the thought, it is critical to mold prevention with mine.  If I don't, the cutting fails due to rot eventually.

That is some good rooting
How often did you have water them?
was the soil real damp or just not dry when you started?
How many different varieties were in this batch?

Nice work, Jason. Did the storage bin allow much light to hit the cuttings?

@Jim, I never watered them, the whole time, no need. I opened the bin an hour per night. The mix was moist, like a good chocolate cake (crumbly/fluffy). 7 different varieties from four sources.

@Ken, cuttings kept inside indirect light, behind/under a south-facing bookshelf that has a window over it.

Jason
Thanks for the information.
PS There is no such thing as a good chocolate cake :)

Jason
Nice pic roots and good work.
That was the temperature in the box or the room?

@bugs, we have the A/C in the house set to 77ºF.

I have an analog thermometer (for snake cages) in the box, and it reads between 79ºF and 81ºF depending on the time of day.  There is one point in the day for approximately 2-4 hours where the sun is hitting a a small part of the opaque lid, I assume this may heat up the box a little bit, but I've never seen the analog thermometer climb above 82ºF at any time.

I wish I could better explain the dampness of the soil.  If you squeezed it hard in your hand, no water would come out.  If you squeezed it with a mechanical device, a few drops would come out.  You cannont achieve these results by watering and mixing the soil by hand unless you leave the soil in a 5gal bucket for a few days after mixing with water. 

I always buy my bags of potting mix 2-4 days after a decent rainfall and keep them closed in the basement, they maintain a good moisture level for 2-3 months.  It should be wet enough to stick to your hand, but not wet enough to "clump".  Proper moisture is so critical to rooting.  Too many people overwater.  Different rooting mediums require different moisture.  If I had used 90% perlite, I would have probably had to lightly water once a week using these tall skinny baggies.

I would point out two things about the picture I posted: 

One, notice the "steam" inside the bag.  This was caused by my hand holding the bag.  There is no condensate on the bag naturally, it looks dry until my hand is on the bag, at that time, the heat from my hand causes condensation.  This is a good indication (to me) that my mix is perfectly moist. 

Two, look at the bags in the first picture above and notice how the color of the mix changes near the top.  The top half inch of the soil is totally dry, bone dry.  The baggie method that Jon has introduced is genius in a way, because if you use soil straight out of the bag that is perfectly moist, it can sit in a storage bin for weeks without losing that perfect moisture level IF you leave your cuttings stacked loosely into pots as you see below.  I can fit 6 baggies into a "cheater" 1gal pot (actually 0.6gal) and 7 into a true 1gal pot.  Having all of them together prevents moisture loss from the bottom two holes in the bag, and it  prevents them from falling over.

Ps - I just looked back at notes.  I started around half of these cuttings on 7/24, two days prior to meeting up with Rafed in July.  I started the other half one week later on 8/1.  There are just as many cuttings from 8/1 which are as advanced as those started 7/24.

Good work J! And nice post.

So far your pot up ratio is 13/30, right? You wrote that you repotted 13 but I think you meant potted up, i.e., from bags to a pot. How many have you lost out of that 30? I know that you lost the freshest cuttings...any others? I am trying to get a sense of how well the 90-10 works compared to the success/failure ratios that I recall from your previous rootings.

Jason--what's your plan for the one (third from right) that leafed out under the soil? Will you cut a hole in the bag for the shoot to grow out of, and then plant it on its side, or wait for another shoot to sprout higher on the cutting, or what? Just curious.

@JD, one lost so far. Only one bad enough to say "trash it". Mold central. Per the second picture above, it was 28 cuttings... So 13/28 transferred, 1 trashed so far. I expect root growth on about 70%. I expect about 50% success (to actual tree) again. This seems to be a running average using this method. Granted... It takes about 90% less time to do things with this method. Almost zero maintenance, "fire and forget", which is what I aim for if I have at least 3-5 cuttings of each type.

@ken, that cutting had about 6 nodes and only the bottom two appear viable. It had a lot to do with the way it was cut by the pruner. as you can see, one shoot was brown/rotting and the other was solid white and looking a bit sickly. I broke off both and repotted with the viable nodes just below the surface less than a half inch and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it has enough energy left to push out one more shoot and maintain it. (ps - good eye on that one).

Jason
What was the reason to root these using alternate baggie method?
It is summer time and you could have directly rooted in half gallon pots and would not have to re-pot soon.
I got some unexpected cuttings this summer and rooted those directly in half gallon pots and would stay there until spring just saving me a bit of work.

During a dozen tries I have had 0% success with direct rooting. I used this method because of simplicity.

Jason where would I find these bags/tubes?

on 8/6/11 i tried my first rooting. out of 12 cuttings i had, i picked two and stuck them directrly into the soil and left it in shade. within two weeks, they dried up and died. out of 10 that i put into peat pot method, 1 rooted within 2 weeks and i gave that to one of the forum member. one was getting too much mold and i got rid of. currently 4 are in 8" pot, and two are in 4" pot. two are left in peat pot 'cause i don't see any roots yet.

i know i'm doing something wrong with directly putting cuttings into the pot and leaving in the shade thing, but i can't figure out what it is. i took a fresh cutting from my VdB and gave 3 cuttings to one of the forum member and one i also stuck into soil and left it in the shade. that one dried up and died also.

pete

So far, no losses after transplant.  Everyone that had leaves prior to transplant (all but two) is still looking good, some have even put on new growth.  This is a big improvement over recent trials with this method.  I'm not sure if it's because of the change in rooting medium, lower moisture level, or if it's because I up-potted with much less root development than I would have in the past.

I still have the other 14 cuttings in a bin.  So, 13 rooted and in 1gal cheater pots, 1 trashed, 14 still rooting (very very slowly).  I might transfer out a couple more tomorrow.

Picture, just for S&G:

You stink! I ____ the bed this year on cuttings.

jason - how long did it take from start of rooting process to this picture above?

Approximately 6-7 weeks. Fastest I have ever rooted anything.

PS - I literally started rooting this batch on 7/24 using sticks that were in the fridge for 6 months.

Jason That was the name of the potting mix that you used. Bugs

It is just regular old potting mix. Fafard brand "professional" mix. It is comparable to any other "professional" mix. I don't like Miracle Gro products, and Fafard is easily sourced locally.

I mixed it with about 10% Perlite.

My Fafard Professional formula comes in about 20 different mixes. Like germinating,  peat- light, 1p,  2p. and so on .  What mix was it? Is there another Fafard product that I'm not aware of? I f so please advise.