Optimal temperature for herb cuttings
I’m having mixed success at the moment with my herb cuttings. I appreciate it’s Winter so I have less fresh growth to play with and temperatures aren’t exactly ideal. I’ve lost 80% of my first round of Rosemary and Santolina cuttings due to rot, and I suspect the problem was not enough drainage/too dense potting mixture. I’ve since loaded the next round of cuttings into a more sensible compost and perlite mix that is much less damp. I’ve also upgraded from plastic party cup covers to placing the pots in a propagator above a heated mat.
However, I’m reading conflicting info online with regards to optimal temperatures and whether heating from below is an absolute must or an absolute no no. The propagator is currently in an unheated garage (near-ish to a window) but on a heated mat. The vents are closed and I open them briefly once a day to mist the inside. The thermometer inside the propagator is showing around 14C, which strikes me as rather cool, but then as I say some sources suggest too much warmth will aid rot/mould.
However, I’m reading conflicting info online with regards to optimal temperatures and whether heating from below is an absolute must or an absolute no no. The propagator is currently in an unheated garage (near-ish to a window) but on a heated mat. The vents are closed and I open them briefly once a day to mist the inside. The thermometer inside the propagator is showing around 14C, which strikes me as rather cool, but then as I say some sources suggest too much warmth will aid rot/mould.
Are these conditions too cool or too enclosed, or about right do we think? Again for reference I’m mostly propagating Rosemary, Santolina and a little thyme and oregano. Rooting gel has been used, hence I’m hoping for a little more success.
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Damp air can be a problem and it generally takes me about a dozen cuttings to get a good plant so I mainly take my cuttings in late summer or in the spring before they flower. Don't know if this helps but good luck anyway.
There is quite a long running thread about rooting plants in water and I have certainly seen woody sprigs of thyme stuck in a glass on the kitchen window sill start producing roots within a few days.
Other people have had success with rosemary and plants such as artemisia so santolina might be a good candidate.
The advantage at this time of year is that (IME) this method works better with firmer, woody bits of plant. It’s also very, very simple - literally shove the cuttings in a glass or bottle of water and wait for the magic to happen. Once you have some reasonable roots pot up the individual plants in small pots filled with very gritty compost.
Link to the thread:
https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1004868/plants-that-root-in-water/p1