I root my cuttings in the dark but sometimes I get leaves first.  This year I'm using dilute miracle grow and dabbing it on the leaves.  They still get bottom heat and if leaves appear they go under a 23 W CFL (100 W equivalent) over them.  The foliar feeding seems to have worked.  They all had vigorous roots within 3 days of getting the fertilizer on the leaves.  That's better than past experience.  There was one that hadn't rooted for 2 weeks but after 3 days of foliar feeding it got its first root.  Could be coincidence but judging by the universal success so far I'm going to stick with it.

i'm noticing that if the cutting has roots, but no leaves, bottom feeding weak fertilizer will promote top growth. i think pete s. also adds weak fertilizer when wetting his soils for the cuttings. there might be something to using fertilizer at very weak strength without burning the root or the leaves and promote quicker growth from the start. 

I also water with dilute fertilizer as soon as I see roots.

Bob C,
Thanks for starting this topic.
I hadn't noticed a foliar feeding / root growth connection, but I also haven't had any cuttings that did not produce roots since using the dilute Dip n Grow Rooting Hormone (15x dilution). I will add this info to my arsenal : )

I do use Foliar feeding with a spray bottle on cuttings with weak looking leaves (thin and or pale) and the same concentration of Miracle Grow General Purpose 24-8-16 @ 1/2 teaspoon / Gallon to water and pre-wet the cutting mix. I have had very good results using this weak fertilizer solution.

Bob,

I too have also found that a light fertilizing on newly rooted cuttings helps as it stands to reason that a new plant will require some kind of nutrition. 

We root most cuttings in a 50/50 perlite/potting mix and pot up to a similar medium. Just cannot believe that there is much in there in terms of nutrients there for the plants so MG diluted to 1/4 strength basically through 1 gallon pots until they are root bound works.

Then from 3 gallons pots onward (30/70 mix) with added Osmocote/dolomite and full strength MG every other week and so far they've all been pretty good. 

We haven't played much with heavier soil amendments like compost yet but I'm researching them still. Very concerned about creating a PWT in the pots.

-Vince

Vince, what's a PWT?

perpetual water table? no clue... 

PWT (perched water table): Idea is that if fine-grained material sits on top of large-grained material--for instance soil sitting on top of a layer of gravel-- instead of the water draining down and away, as we would expect, the adhesive quality of water makes it actually cling to fine grained material. Water may be less effected by gravity, but rather needs small enough grains to be wicked away. When this happens, such as in a cupped cutting, the upper soil around the root crown would stay too wet. I suppose the answer to a possible PWT problem would be to maintain uniformity of media throughout, leaving water no particular favorable place to park itself.

PWT problem can be resolved by using wick system to drain the water in the container. 

I don't have drainage problems because I use 100% perlite.
When I have leaves with no visible roots in the quart container filled with perlite I leave them in the humidity chamber on the heat mat @80f until I see roots.

New info for me! I have never fertilized so young before.

Ok, so, I am using the shoe box method (well, I actually use a better bin made by Sterilite that has a much better wider area for the cuttings, and it is less than half the height of the shoe box, and with them being flat, they do not take up as much room and are easily stackable).

So, can you dab with diluted fertilizer as soon as the leaf buds break dormancy, or do you wait until the leave is fully out?

Can you lightly dab the beginning roots also to get the cutting growing?

Or can you dab the cutting itself in only the early callus stage?

I am a huge fan of Dyna-Gro, but not sure what diluted strength would be safe. Anyone familar with Dyna-Gro can suggest a strength ok for the sensitive applications mentioned above?

Thanks!

What great info in this thread. I had a verte and a sals el cutting leaf out before rooting I potted tnem up in perelite and starter mix and had not seen any roots. Two days ago after still seeing no roots I sprayed the small leaves with quarter strength foliage pro and walla, roots. This is the same strength I use on my pepper seedlings weekly. Thanks for the great advice! The cuttings showed no signs of rooting after 21 days so I took a chance. I don't think it was a coincidence, but I'm very happy I took the chance. Peace, chad

I am using B1 with my rooting and after I plant them I water them with B1 water.
Is anybody else using B1?