What am I doing wrong with geranium cuttings?

angel00079

I have tried to take cuttings but I have had no sucess. I followed a couple of video clips but no joy. I tried cuttings in compost and water to get started. I took leaf, nicked vein leaf and stem cuttings. With and without sandwich bag.

The compost I used looked bitty, like fine bark if that makes sense and I only used cheap growth horome, would this make a difference?

The cuttings rotted and died. I thought that the compost wasn't too moist so I am not sure where I went wrong.

Would mixing with sand make any difference?

bromsgrovebarry

Leave the cuttings on a bench to dry out before inserting into a freely draining compost that is barely moist. Water sparingly when growth commences.

peter_the_piper

Just to add a tad, you can dip into a hormone rooting compound but its optional. Cuttings root best at about 15-20deg C. I have found the best take is when both day and night are 12hours. Keep in good light but out of strong sunlight. (if we ever get any more)

Vibrant

This is how I take my cuttings, which has about a 50% success rate.
I use empty Vegemite jars, fill them two thirds full of water and put a bit of cling film over the top, which I poke three holes in.
I then take stem cuttings, cut straight across, just under a leaf bud, remove the lower leaves if present. Then pop the cuttings into the holes in the cling film.

The advantage of using water, is that you can see if any roots are forming and you dont need to worry about keeping the compost moist. When some roots are present, I gently pot them up.
I keep my cuttings on the brighter window sills and on the living room table (which is by a big window). They seem to do best in the warmer rooms and I often let the ones in the living room flower (your not supposed to), as it cheers me up in the winter and doesn't seem to hurt them.
I never bother with growth hormone, so cant say if it would improve the success rate. Although bigger cuttings seem to do best IMOP.

angel00079

Thanks, will give your suggestions a go. It looked a lot simpler on the video clips. One of these was for school kids, LOL.

I think that I might have put the cuttings in an area that was too cold.

I have never tried to take cuttings before. I saw some geraniums in the garden centre last year. I have never even tried to pot up a plant before so they became my pride and joy.