You may be asking yourself, "What are the pros and cons of using a rooting hormone?" Well you have come to the right place. While most people don't know the answer to that question, I'm here to tell you all about it! The short answer is that there are many benefits to using a rooting hormone when growing grass from seed. It's an easy way for anyone at any skill level or age group can enjoy their gardening experience more.
What is a Rooting Hormone?
Rooting hormones are chemical solutions that are applied to the cut end of a stem or branch in order to promote root development. They are used primarily by gardeners who propagate their own plants, but also have applications in agriculture and horticulture. The rooting hormones can be divided into two broad categories: synthetic rooting compounds and organic rooting hormones. Synthetic rooting compounds are usually plant-derived chemicals which have been modified so they may remain active for longer periods of time. This makes them more economical because they last longer before becoming ineffective. Synthetic rooting compounds include indolebutyric acid (IBA), naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), IAA, zeatin, thidiazuron (TDZ), and chlormequat chloride. Organic rooting hormones are derived from plant extracts. These rooting hormones tend to stimulate rooting over a shorter period of time and they do not need to be applied as frequently as synthetic rooting compounds which has an overall higher economic benefit. They include indolebutyric acid (IBA) and benzyladenine (BA).
Rooting Hormone Pros and Cons
So what are the pros & cons of using rooting hormone? Let's do this...
Pros:
-Rooting hormone reduces the amount of time it takes for roots to grow, so less stress on your new plant
-One application lasts up to 3 months.
-It's easier to grow plants from cuttings
Cons:
-Some rooting hormones can be harmful if inhaled or ingested by humans, so make sure not to lean over the rooting hormones when you're adding it to your soil mix.
See? There are some pros and cons of rooting hormones.
How to Use Rooting Hormone
Rooting hormones can be used to help roots form from branch cuttings as well as rooting stem cuttings. You can also use rooting hormone powder on a plant's stumps to encourage rooting and promote lateral branching. Make sure that you remove any dead leaves or leaf litter before rooting your cutting so that rooting hormone doesn't get trapped underneath these leaves where it might block water and gas exchange. While some rooting powders will not require a high humidity environment, most types of rooting hormone benefit from a high humidity environment during application. If possible, mist rooting media with a fine spray of water just before applying rooting hormone powder for results. When using natural rooting hormones, mist rooting media with rooting hormone solution, not water. When rooting is complete then plants should be transplanted into standard potting mixture or your normal rooting media.
How Long Does Rooting Hormone Take to Work?
If you've wondered "how long does a rooting hormone take to work?" - you're in luck!. Accelerating the propagation process from weeks or months to as little as one week depending on the product used. The rooting hormone allows for new root formation so the plant can be transplanted into soil without damaging it further. Rooting hormones come in many forms but all reduce transplant shock and increase rooting rates; there is no major difference between rooting hormones (plant rooting hormone) except which plant they stimulate and how strongly they do this. However, some rooting substances may take longer than others to become effective.
How to Use Rooting Hormone on Cuttings
Rooting hormones can come in gel, powder, liquid or aerosol form and are suitable for rooting most plants from seeds and cuttings up to 50cm long. Apply rooting hormone with a brush/sponge on the moistened cut surface of a stem cutting up until it is covered by a fine layer of rooting hormone powder. Make sure there isn't excess rooting hormone on the leaves as this burns them off. For rooting larger plants, e.g. shrubs and vines, use a powder that contains higher concentrations of auxin. Depending on the rooting hormone product, rooting occurs usually after 2 to 8 weeks. Before this rooting period is over it usually isn't necessary to water plants as often as they would normally need during the rooting stage under normal conditions. Do not overwater rooting plants or keep them dry for too long as this can sometimes affect rooting negatively and may even kill the plantlets completely! If there is no sign of root development at all by the end of the rooting period then rooting has failed and you should remove the cutting and start again with a new one! If roots have grown well then it's to slowly acclimate to outdoor conditions by stopping the rooting hormone treatment slowly over a few days and only treat plants with water. Grasp plantlets or larger cuttings at their base and pull them from rooting media ever so gently, do not pull cuttings out of rooting media by the leaves! In case of rooting in soil, always dig up new plants carefully. Rooting Hormone powder can be applied indoors on rooting modules/rockwool cubes for easy root inspection. Plant roots will show more quickly when rooting hormones are used during propagation, however there is no guarantee that plants which haven't been treated with rooting hormones root any slower than those which had been treated.
How Much Rooting Hormone to Use?
One of the most common questions horticulturists are asked is, "How much rooting hormone do I use?" The answer is not so simple. It will depend on many factors, primarily plant material being propagated. To give you an idea, rooting hormones have been formulated for rooting poinsettias, pansies, petunias, geraniums and countless others. When using rooting hormone with woody plants or perennials it can be easier to layer them into their own pots before rooting them. By rooting plants in their own pots you are able to prevent root circling that sometimes occurs when rooting plants directly in containers. However, there are exceptions to everything! If you have had rooting problems in the past, rooting hormones can help. If you suspect rooting hormones will be helpful because of plant material that has been tested and shown to be difficult, then rooting hormone may help improve rooting percentage rates. The next thing to do is look at the rooting characteristics we want for specific plants we've chosen to root.
Before You Go!
So, when it comes to rooting hormones for your plants and trees, there are a few different options. The most popular is the powder form of the product that absorbs into the soil and makes its way down to root level where it helps new roots grow strong in preparation for transplanting. There’s also liquid versions of rooting hormone available which can be mixed with water or other liquids before application (making them great for hydroponic systems). And if you want something more natural than artificial products like this one, there's always organic rooting hormones made from all-natural ingredients! It may take some experimentation until you find what works best for your plantings - but we hope these tips help get you started on the right track.
