Some people disagree with the title but here are my results.  I score each cutting at the bottom along opposite sides exposing the green cambium, paint the score with Clonex and use Jon's new bag method with #3 agricultural perlite.  These are larger chunks than the coarse horticultural perlite.  I put in some NAPA Floor Dry and a pinch or 2 of peat in each bag.

This was a 1.5", 1 node cutting.  I saw roots in the bag, potted it and here's a shoot already started, not inhibited by the Clonex at all.

 

And others:

 

 

As far as tip cuttings go, don't get me started:

 

 

  

 

And I'll stop there.  :)

Nice! I picked up some Clonex to work with when I start the bulk of the cuttings this year. What do you think about scoring and dipping then putting straight into clear cups with potting mix and use a humidity hood, skipping the bag? Or even doing bags, but instead of the perlite, sphag moss? The rooting looks prolific on those cuttings. I'm kind of curious if this is the wonder product that can hedge failure no matter the method. Have you used before? I'm hearing nothing but praise for this stuff!

I've always had better success with Clonex. Down here we have two liquid types, one is for soft to semi-hardwood cuttings and the other is for hardwood. I have only used the former but recently have experimented with honey. Results to come.

IMHO a lot of rotting problems with cuttings can be solved by reducing or removing completely the organic material in the potting mix and raising the rooting temperature

I dont really believe that Clonex all by itself caused cuttings to rot

i've been staying away from hormone for few reasons, but this seems like a good reason to use hormone. i've seen too many refresh good solid thick tip cuttings just sitting in the cup doing nothing. i think i'll give this a shot next time. 

Bob C,
Thanks for posting the pictures and commentary.

Guess I'm one of those people : ). I don't have a problem with tip cuttings other than that they usually grow much slower that cuttings without tips. After rooting hundreds of cuttings, its still the same conclusion, removing the tip increases the growth rate.

two Maltese Beauty cuttings. one was tip cutting. with no root hormone, the non-tip cutting is doing very well now. tip cutting is still showing no response. i got tired of looking at it and gave a little cut to the tip few days ago. the cutting is still good no sign of drying up or rotting. will see what happens in next few months.

Since January 12 I have stuck three to four hundred cuttings using Clonex. I 'll know how it goes soon. The majority of the cuttings 95% had the Clonex wiped on with a Q-tip. I did vertical scores, nicks, circular cuts and some with just a wipe. Size of the cuttings varied from one inch tips to twelve inch sticks nearly one and a half inch in diameter. I did not have time to do controls but I tried to keep some notes wrote on the labels of the five gallon buckets. I'll just try and draw some logical conclusions later.

Bob,

I've not had issues with tip cuttings, in fact I slightly prefer tip cuttings since they give a straighter start to the tree.  I know in a few years a non-tip cutting will morph into a large straight tree, but to me I just get a bettter warm fuzzy feeling with tips cuttings.  Perhaps the cuttings feel this positive energy and respond kindly to me, kinda like talking to your plants.  Don't know about you, but I spend so much time talking to myself I don't have any extra time to talk to my fig cuttings and trees. ; )

Where do you find this #3 ag. Perlite