Rooting hormones

[John85]

How long do they last?For ever if kept dry ?

[Maggi Young]

I haven't used hormone rooting powder for years, John. I've found most things root well enough in pure sand without it, but I have heard that if kept dry and cool then it will last for a very long time. That's not what the manufacturers want us to  think though, is it?! It would be bad for business if we kept it  until it was all used up.

[John85]

Maggi I am not as gifted as Susan with her Daphne cneorum cuttings and i haven't a heated mist unit neither so I am relying on the hormones for some "help".But they are expensive and sold in big pots.That's why i asked that question.
Any idea how long is"a very long time"?
May be a nurseryman 'd be so kind to share his observations?

[Maggi Young]

Hormone rooting powder used to be sold in the UK in little pots, say, around 25 to 50gms. It lasted several years, I reckon.

Have you any willow on your property John ?  You could make willow water..... that's how they used to do it. .... and still do!
I think thiswas mentioned before in the forum - but it may have been long ago...

 I found this note from a rose grower on the method:
www.texasroserustlers.com/Library/Propagation/WillowWater.pdf

[John85]

Thank you Maggi
You have plenty of things in the UK that are not available here!!!Why do you think there are so many channel hoppers to buy plants and other horticultural stuff?
Here it is 500gr!
I'll try the willow water.As it is free ,if it doesn't work it is not a big deal!

[Will Itsell]

Maggi I am not as gifted as Susan with her Daphne cneorum cuttings and i haven't a heated mist unit neither so I am relying on the hormones for some "help".But they are expensive and sold in big pots.That's why i asked that question.
Any idea how long is"a very long time"?
May be a nurseryman 'd be so kind to share his observations?

I'm a nurseryman and my observations are ......  exactly the same as yours!

I do use them, just the retail product, and a 50g tub of powder lasts me a full season - and most of that gets thrown away.

I'm not sure that they are effective even though research shows they are. Other factors (timing, choice of material etc.) make much more difference. And are they actually absorbed? One retail product is 0.5% NAA, another 1% NAA.

Years ago I was given most of a bottle of liquid hormone that one could dilute and use as required - you could actually watch the cutting suck up the liquid so at least I knew it was absorbed, unlike the powder formulations. I still wasn't sure if it made any difference.

Anyway, If I could only buy a large tub I wouldn't bother. Personally, I wouldn't keep it longer than a year.

[Lesley Cox]

Willow water is excellent and can be made up fresh whenever needed. Just soak a handful of willow twigs in a cupful of water until the water is discoloured and use the liquid as a dip. I use a liquid hormone anyway (Liba 10,000), preferring it to powder and it lasts for years provided the bottle lid is well tightened. Manufacturers say replace each season but that's not necessary.