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It is a Saturday afternoon in May. Esther's neighbor brought over a beautiful cutting from her old heirloom rose bush — the same variety her mother brought from Switzerland in 1962, still blooming every June, a flower you cannot buy in any catalog because the variety is no longer commercially propagated. The cutting is in your hand. Six inches of green stem with three sets of leaves. And if you can get this single cutting to root, you have multiplied a piece of history that almost died with the last bush of its kind.
You walk to the kitchen and pull out the small plastic container of commercial rooting hormone powder you bought at the garden center last spring. Fifteen dollars for two ounces. You stare at the label — "Indole-3-Butyric Acid 0.1%." One synthetic chemical, two ounces of talcum powder filler, fifteen dollars for what science researchers can measure in micrograms. And here you are, about to dip the most important cutting of the season into a product made in a factory when the same chemistry sits in your spice rack, your refrigerator, your honey jar, and the willow tree growi
It is a Saturday afternoon in May. Esther's neighbor brought over a beautiful cutting from her old heirloom rose bush — the same variety her mother brought from Switzerland in 1962, still blooming every June, a flower you cannot buy in any catalog because the variety is no longer commercially propagated. The cutting is in your hand. Six inches of green stem with three sets of leaves. And if you can get this single cutting to root, you have multiplied a piece of history that almost died with the last bush of its kind.
You walk to the kitchen and pull out the small plastic container of commercial rooting hormone powder you bought at the garden center last spring. Fifteen dollars for two ounces. You stare at the label — "Indole-3-Butyric Acid 0.1%." One synthetic chemical, two ounces of talcum powder filler, fifteen dollars for what science researchers can measure in micrograms. And here you are, about to dip the most important cutting of the season into a product made in a factory when the same chemistry sits in your spice rack, your refrigerator, your honey jar, and the willow tree growi
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00:00It is a Saturday afternoon in May.
00:02Esther's neighbor brought over a beautiful cutting from her old heirloom rosebush,
00:07the same variety her mother brought from Switzerland in 1962, still blooming every June.
00:14A flower you cannot buy in any catalog because the variety is no longer commercially propagated.
00:21The cutting is in your hand.
00:24Six inches of green stem with three sets of leaves.
00:27And if you can get this single cutting to root,
00:31you have multiplied a piece of history that almost died with the last bush of its kind.
00:36You walk to the kitchen and pull out the small plastic container of rooting hormone powder
00:42you bought at the garden center last spring.
00:45Fifteen dollars for two ounces.
00:48You stare at the label, indole-3-butyric acid 0.1%.
00:54That's it.
00:55One synthetic chemical.
00:57Two ounces of talcum powder filler.
01:00Fifteen dollars for what science researchers can measure in micrograms.
01:05And here you are, about to dip the most important cutting of the season
01:10into a product made in a factory in China,
01:13when the same chemistry sits in your spice rack, your refrigerator, your honey jar,
01:19and the willow tree growing by the creek behind the house.
01:23Now I want you to sit with this.
01:25There are at least ten different things sitting in your house right now,
01:29most of them costing less than $2 total,
01:33that work as well as, or better than, $15 commercial rooting hormone powder.
01:39The Pennsylvania Dutch have been multiplying their gardens this way for 300 years,
01:45long before any synthetic chemical existed.
01:48Esther's grandmother rooted cuttings of every plant in her kitchen garden,
01:53using exactly the methods I am going to walk you through today.
01:57Real chemistry.
01:59Real folk knowledge.
02:01Real plant science backed by university research.
02:05I am Elias Yoder.
02:07I am Amish, and I farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
02:11Today I am going to walk you through ten powerful homemade rooting hormones.
02:17Every one of them sitting in your kitchen, your spice rack, your garden,
02:22or your medicine cabinet, right now.
02:25Real chemistry behind each one.
02:28Honest scope on which methods work strongest, and why.
02:32And at the end of the video, I will show you the combination formulas
02:36that work better than any commercial product on the market.
02:39By the end of this video, you will never need to buy commercial rooting hormone again.
02:46Quick word before we go further.
02:48The old methods my family uses, there is more of it than fits in any one video.
02:54I gathered the whole of it into a book at EliasYoder.com.
02:59The book is the long version.
03:01If you want it, it is there.
03:03I will not mention it again.
03:06Now, the ten methods, plainly.
03:08The chemistry of rooting in one paragraph.
03:13Before I walk you through the methods,
03:15you need to understand what is actually happening when a cutting roots,
03:18because the chemistry tells you why some methods are stronger than others.
03:23A plant cutting needs to do two things to become a new plant.
03:28First, it needs to grow roots.
03:30And this requires a specific class of plant hormones called auxins,
03:35the most important of which is indole-3-butyric acid,
03:40which you will see written as IBA on commercial rooting hormone labels.
03:46Auxins tell the cutting cells to differentiate into root tissue.
03:51Second, the cutting needs to stay alive long enough for the roots to form,
03:55usually two to four weeks, depending on the plant.
03:59During that time, the cutting is vulnerable to fungal and bacterial infection from the cut surface,
04:05which is the most common reason cuttings fail.
04:08So, a powerful rooting hormone has two jobs.
04:12Stimulate root formation.
04:14Prevent the cutting from rotting before the roots can form.
04:19Some of the ten methods I am about to walk you through do the first job well.
04:23Others do the second job well.
04:25The most powerful combinations, and we will get to those at the end,
04:30do both jobs at the same time.
04:33Group 1. The Root Stimulators.
04:37Methods that actually contain natural auxins.
04:40These are the methods that contain real plant hormones
04:43identical to or similar to what commercial rooting hormone powders provide.
04:48Method 1. Willow Water.
04:51This is the gold standard of natural rooting hormones.
04:54Real research from multiple universities confirms that willow water contains genuine indole-3-butyric acid,
05:03the exact same active compound found in commercial rooting hormone powders.
05:09Willow bark and willow branches also contain salicylic acid, the natural form of aspirin,
05:15which signals plant defense systems and supports root development.
05:20How to make it.
05:20Cut 12 inch lengths of fresh young willow branches.
05:24The bright yellow-green spring growth has the highest IBA concentration.
05:30Strip off the leaves.
05:31Cut the branches into 1 inch pieces.
05:34Place about 1 cup of cut willow pieces into a quart jar.
05:38Pour boiling water over them to fill the jar.
05:42Cover loosely and let steep for 24 to 48 hours.
05:45Strain off the willow pieces.
05:48What's left is your willow water, the most powerful natural rooting hormone you can make.
05:54How to use it.
05:55Dip the cut end of each cutting into the willow water for 10 to 30 seconds,
06:00then place the cutting in your potting medium.
06:03Or soak the lower inch of the cutting in willow water for several hours before planting.
06:08Stronger soak, stronger root response.
06:12Storage.
06:13Willow water keeps in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks before the IBA begins to degrade.
06:19For larger batches, freeze in ice cube trays and thaw cubes as needed.
06:24If you are lucky enough to have a willow tree on your property, or know a neighbor who does,
06:29this is the single strongest natural rooting hormone you can make for free.
06:35Esther's grandmother had a small willow growing by the creek for exactly this purpose.
06:40Every spring she would cut the young branches, fill 3 jars with willow water,
06:45and root every cutting she needed for the year.
06:48Method 2. Coconut Water.
06:50This one surprises folks, but the chemistry is real and verified.
06:55Coconut water is packed with natural plant hormones,
06:58specifically cytokinins and auxins.
07:02Coconut water is used commercially in plant tissue culture laboratories worldwide
07:06to grow plant cells.
07:09The reason is simple.
07:10A coconut is technically a seed, one of the largest seeds on earth,
07:14and the water inside contains every plant hormone and nutrient
07:18the seed embryo needs to start growing into a coconut palm.
07:22Those same hormones work on any cutting you dip into them.
07:26How to use it.
07:27Use plain unsweetened coconut water.
07:31Not coconut milk, not flavored coconut drinks, just plain coconut water.
07:36Available at any grocery store, usually for about $2 to $3 per quart.
07:41Dip the cut end of each cutting into coconut water for 15 to 30 seconds before planting,
07:47or soak the lower inch for several hours.
07:49Research published in horticultural journals confirms that coconut water significantly increases rooting success in plants,
07:58ranging from common herbs to difficult to root tropical species.
08:02Best for soft stemmed plants, herbs, house plants, and decorative cuttings.
08:08Less effective on woody hardwood cuttings where willow water is stronger.
08:12Method three, aloe vera gel.
08:16Fresh aloe vera gel contains real salicylic acid, plant enzymes, amino acids, and growth-supporting minerals.
08:24The same compounds that make aloe vera soothing to human skin help cuttings establish roots.
08:31How to use it.
08:32Cut a fresh aloe leaf from your plant.
08:35Slice it lengthwise and scoop out the clear gel inside.
08:38Dip the cut end of each cutting directly into the gel.
08:42The gel coats the cut surface, sealing it from infection while providing real growth-supporting compounds.
08:50Honest scope.
08:51Research on aloe vera as a rooting stimulator is positive, but more limited than research on willow water and coconut
08:58water.
08:59In one study, aloe vera combined with coconut water produced more roots than commercial IBA powder.
09:06Real chemistry, defensible results.
09:10Best four, succulents, indoor cuttings, soft herbaceous plants.
09:15Esther uses aloe vera gel on every houseplant cutting she takes.
09:21Method four, lentil sprout water.
09:24This one is less famous, but the chemistry is real.
09:28When lentils, peas, or any dried legume begin to sprout,
09:32they release natural, auxin-like compounds into the surrounding water.
09:37These are the same growth hormones the seedling needs to begin its own root development, and you can capture them.
09:45How to make it.
09:46Soak a half cup of dried lentils in water for 24 hours.
09:51Drain and rinse.
09:53Place the soaked lentils in a clean jar and add fresh water to cover.
09:57Let's sit for another 24 hours.
10:01Drain the water.
10:02This drained water is your lentil sprout water, rich in natural growth compounds.
10:08You can continue sprouting the lentils for another day to collect a second batch of water.
10:14How to use it.
10:16Soak the lower inch of each cutting in lentil sprout water for several hours before planting.
10:23Best four, general cuttings, soft and semi-hardwood species.
10:29Works as a supplement to, or replacement for, willow water when willow is not available.
10:35Group two, the rot preventers.
10:38Methods that protect cuttings from fungus and bacteria while the roots form.
10:43These methods do not directly stimulate root formation, but they keep the cutting alive during the two to four weeks
10:50when it is most vulnerable.
10:52Combined with a root stimulator from group one, they create the most powerful homemade rooting hormone formulas.
11:00Method five, cinnamon powder.
11:03Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde, a real antifungal and antibacterial compound.
11:09Research confirms that cinnamon prevents fungal infection of cut plant tissue.
11:15Used commercially by some nurseries as a powdered cutting treatment.
11:20How to use it.
11:21Buy ground cinnamon at any grocery store.
11:24Dip the moist cut end of your cutting directly into the cinnamon powder, coating the lower inch.
11:30The cinnamon sticks to the moisture on the cut surface and creates an antifungal barrier.
11:36Then plant the cutting as normal.
11:38Honest Scope.
11:40Cinnamon does not contain rooting hormones itself.
11:43What it does is prevent the cutting from rotting while the cutting's own natural auxins,
11:49or any added willow water or coconut water, do the root stimulating work.
11:54This is one of the most reliable and cheapest cutting protectors available.
11:59A four dollar jar of cinnamon treats hundreds of cuttings.
12:03Method six, honey.
12:06Raw honey contains real antibacterial and antifungal compounds.
12:10Trace amounts of hydrogen peroxide, gluconic acid, and natural defensins from the bees.
12:17Honey also has such low water content, about 17%, that it pulls moisture out of bacteria and fungi, killing them.
12:26How to use it.
12:28Use raw, unprocessed honey if possible.
12:31Pasteurized supermarket honey works, but has reduced antibacterial activity.
12:37Two methods.
12:38Direct dip method.
12:40Dip the cut end of each cutting directly into raw honey before planting.
12:44The honey coats the cut surface, sealing it against infection.
12:49Honey water method.
12:51Mix one teaspoon of raw honey into two cups of warm boiled water.
12:56Let cool completely.
12:58Dip cuttings into the cooled honey water before planting.
13:02Research confirms.
13:04In one study, raw honey produced 92% rooting success on peanut cuttings, better than commercial rooting hormone at 78%.
13:13On harder to root tropical hibiscus, honey produced 18% rooting versus 11% untreated and 44% commercial hormone.
13:24Honest scope.
13:25Honey works very well on soft cuttings and less well on hardwood species.
13:31Method seven, diluted apple cider vinegar.
13:34Real chemistry, but the concentration must be exactly right.
13:39Diluted apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid plus small amounts of natural plant growth compounds.
13:46The mildly acidic environment can stimulate root formation in some species and kills surface bacteria on the cut.
13:53But, critical honest scope.
13:56Too much vinegar is a herbicide.
13:59Full strength vinegar is used to kill weeds.
14:02How to use it.
14:03Five drops of apple cider vinegar in one half cup of water.
14:07That is the ratio.
14:09Stronger than that and the vinegar can damage or kill the cutting.
14:13Dip the cut end of each cutting into this diluted solution for 15 to 30 seconds, then plant immediately.
14:20This is the weakest of the rot preventers, but it works and costs almost nothing.
14:26Group three, the honest modern alternative and the supporting methods.
14:31Method eight, aspirin.
14:33Aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid, the modern synthetic version of the salicylic acid found naturally in willow bark.
14:42Aspirin works as a cutting treatment through the same chemistry that makes willow water work.
14:47How to use it.
14:48Dissolve one 325 milligram aspirin tablet in one gallon of water.
14:55Soak cuttings in the solution overnight before planting.
14:59Honest scope.
15:00Plainly.
15:01Research on aspirin as a rooting stimulator is mixed.
15:05Some studies show slight positive effects.
15:08Others show neutral or even slightly negative effects.
15:11The honest truth is that aspirin is the modern synthetic version of what willow water does naturally,
15:18and willow water has more reliable results in research.
15:22If you do not have access to willow, aspirin is the next best option for the same chemistry.
15:29If you have willow, use willow.
15:31I include aspirin in this video because some folks watching do not have a willow tree nearby and need the
15:39modern alternative.
15:40In Esther's kitchen, we use the willow tea her grandmother taught her to make.
15:45In your kitchen, if you cannot find willow, the bottle of aspirin in the medicine cabinet contains the same chemistry
15:52the willow holds in its bark.
15:54Both work.
15:56The willow works better because nature concentrated the compound for its own use.
16:02Method nine.
16:03Banana peel water.
16:05Banana peels contain real potassium, phosphorus, and trace plant growth compounds.
16:11Soaking banana peels in water releases these compounds into a mild plant growth tonic.
16:18How to make it.
16:19Cut up two or three banana peels into one inch pieces.
16:23Place them in a quart jar of water and let soak for 48 to 72 hours.
16:29Strain off the peels.
16:31What's left is mild banana peel water.
16:34How to use it.
16:35Use as a supplemental treatment.
16:38Water your newly planted cuttings with banana peel water once a week.
16:42The potassium supports root development and the trace growth compounds help the cutting establish.
16:48Honest scope.
16:50Banana peel water is the weakest of the ten methods in terms of direct rooting effect.
16:56It works best as a supplement to one of the stronger methods above, not as a stand-alone rooting hormone.
17:04Method ten.
17:05Yeast solution.
17:07Baker's yeast contains natural growth promoting compounds and cytokinins.
17:12When dissolved in warm water and applied to cuttings, the yeast solution provides mild growth stimulation.
17:19How to make it.
17:21Dissolve one teaspoon of active dry baker's yeast in one cup of warm water.
17:26Let sit for 15 minutes to activate.
17:30Stir gently.
17:31How to use it.
17:32Dip cuttings briefly in the yeast solution before planting or use as a watering treatment for the first two weeks
17:40after planting.
17:40Honest scope.
17:42Research on yeast solution as a rooting stimulator is limited but positive.
17:48Real chemistry exists.
17:50The effect is mild but real.
17:53Use as a supplement to stronger methods.
17:55Before I walk through the combination super formulas, let me pause for a moment.
18:01A steadier home is easier to build when you are not building it alone.
18:05Join our Amish home savings system and community, get full access to our courses and challenges, and ask Esther and
18:13me your household questions inside.
18:16The link is in the description.
18:17Now, the combination formulas that work better than any commercial product and the honest math.
18:25The super formulas, combining methods for maximum power.
18:29This is the most important section of the video because the strongest natural rooting hormones combine a root stimulator from
18:36group 1 with a rot preventer from group 2.
18:39The cutting gets the hormone it needs to grow roots and the protection it needs to stay alive while it
18:46does.
18:47Real research backs this approach.
18:49Studies have shown that combinations of natural rooting substances produce more roots than IBA powder alone in many species.
18:58Super Formula 1, the willow cinnamon combination, strongest overall.
19:03Dip the cut end of the cutting into willow water for 30 seconds.
19:08Then dip the wet cut end into cinnamon powder, coating it thoroughly.
19:13Plant immediately.
19:14The willow water provides the IBA for root stimulation.
19:19The cinnamon coating prevents fungal infection while the roots form.
19:23This is the formula Esther's grandmother used on the rose cuttings that became the bushes still flowering by our farmhouse
19:30a hundred years later.
19:32Super Formula 2, the coconut aloe combination, strongest for soft cuttings and house plants.
19:41Mix 2 tablespoons of coconut water with 1 tablespoon of fresh aloe vera gel.
19:47Dip the cut end of the cutting into this mixture for 30 seconds.
19:51Then dust lightly with cinnamon powder.
19:54Plant immediately.
19:56The coconut water provides cytokinins and auxins.
19:59The aloe vera provides salicylic acid and growth compounds.
20:04The cinnamon protects against rot.
20:06Three method combination.
20:08Three different chemistry mechanisms.
20:11One of the most powerful natural rooting treatments you can make.
20:15Super Formula 3, the honey cinnamon combination, strongest for woody and semi-hardwood cuttings.
20:22Dip the cut end of the cutting into raw honey, coating about half an inch.
20:27Then dust the honey coated end with cinnamon powder.
20:31Plant immediately.
20:32The honey provides antibacterial and antifungal protection.
20:37The cinnamon adds a second layer of fungal protection.
20:40The cutting's own natural auxins do the rooting work.
20:44And the combined coating keeps the cutting alive while the roots form.
20:48Best for harder to root woody species like rosemary, lavender and rose cuttings.
20:55Super Formula 4, the budget combination, when you have very little to work with.
21:01Mix five drops of apple cider vinegar in a half cup of warm water.
21:06Soak the cutting in this solution for 30 minutes.
21:09Dip the cut end in cinnamon powder.
21:12Plant immediately.
21:13This is the formula for folks who do not have willow trees, fresh aloe, raw honey or coconut water at
21:21hand.
21:21Just apple cider vinegar and cinnamon.
21:24Both cost about $3 total and treat hundreds of cuttings.
21:28Now I want to take a moment because here is where it all comes together.
21:33Look at what we have walked through.
21:34Ten powerful homemade rooting hormones.
21:38Four real root stimulators that contain natural plant hormones identical to commercial products.
21:44Willow water, coconut water, aloe vera gel, lentil sprout water.
21:50Three real rot preventers that protect cuttings from infection.
21:54Cinnamon powder, raw honey, diluted apple cider vinegar.
21:59Two supplemental methods that add mild support.
22:02Banana peel water and yeast solution.
22:05And aspirin as the honest modern synthetic alternative for folks without access to willow.
22:11Every one of them backed by real plant science.
22:14Every one of them either growing in your garden, sitting in your pantry or available for under $3 at the
22:20grocery store.
22:21None of them require a $15 trip to the garden center.
22:25The honest math is plain.
22:27A serious gardener who clones their own plants goes through about 2 to 3 bottles of commercial rooting hormone powder
22:34per year.
22:35About $30 to $45 annually.
22:38Replacing that with the homemade methods costs about $5 per year in cinnamon and honey.
22:43And $0 if you have a willow tree.
22:47Annual savings, $25 to $40.
22:50Not a fortune, but real.
22:52The bigger savings comes from what you can now do that most folks cannot.
22:57Every plant in your garden, every rose bush, every herb plant, every tomato variety, every shrub, can now be multiplied
23:05for free.
23:06A single mature lavender plant produces 20 cuttings every spring.
23:11Those 20 cuttings, rooted with willow water and cinnamon, become 20 new lavender plants worth about $8 each at the
23:19garden center.
23:21$160 of free plants from one mother plant.
23:25The same multiplication works for any plant on your property.
23:30You become the gardener who never needs to buy plants again.
23:33You also become the gardener who can give cuttings to neighbors, save heirloom varieties from disappearing, and preserve plants that
23:42hold meaning in your family.
23:43Esther still grows the rose her grandmother brought from the old country in 1838, multiplied through five generations of cuttings
23:53rooted exactly the way I just showed you.
23:56There is no money in the rooting hormone industry in teaching folks that willow tea, cinnamon, and honey do the
24:03same job as a $15 bottle of synthetic powder.
24:07There is a great deal of money in selling small plastic containers of factory made chemical to every serious gardener
24:16in America, every spring, forever.
24:19So the simple old methods sit quiet in farm gardens and Amish kitchens.
24:25And most home gardeners pay $15 for two ounces of synthetic chemistry when the willow tree by the creek and
24:34the spice rack in the kitchen would have done the same job for free.
24:38So here is what I want you to do.
24:40This week, walk around your property looking for a willow tree, or ask your neighbors if they have one.
24:47Willow trees are common in yards, parks, and along creeks across most of the United States.
24:53If you find one, cut a small bundle of young yellow-green spring shoots and start your first batch of
25:01willow water.
25:02If you cannot find willow, stop at the grocery store and pick up one bottle of plain unsweetened coconut water,
25:10one small jar of raw honey, and one jar of ground cinnamon.
25:15Total cost? About $10.
25:17That set of three ingredients treats hundreds of cuttings.
25:22This weekend, take three cuttings from a plant you want to multiply, one of your favorite herbs, a rosebush, a
25:30houseplant, any plant.
25:32Try one of the super formulas above.
25:35Plant the treated cuttings in small pots of seed-starting soil.
25:39Place them in indirect light and keep the soil consistently moist.
25:44In two to four weeks, you will see new growth, the sign that roots have formed and your cutting is
25:51now an independent plant.
25:53Tell me in the comments below, which of the ten methods have you used before and which one are you
25:59going to try first?
26:00And if your mother or grandmother had her own way of rooting cuttings, willow tea, honey dip, the family secret
26:08method, share the memory.
26:10The little family propagation methods are exactly the kind of knowledge that gets lost when nobody writes them down.
26:18I read every single one.
26:21Next time, since today we covered the rooting hormones themselves, I am going to walk you through the five rules
26:27for taking perfect cuttings.
26:29Which branches to cut, when to cut them, how to prepare the cut, how to plant them, and how to
26:36care for them while they root.
26:38The other half of the cloning skill.
26:41Subscribe so you do not miss it.
26:43Until then, find the willow if you can, the cinnamon if you cannot, dip the cuttings, plant them carefully,
26:51and remember that every plant in your garden carries inside it the natural chemistry to multiply itself ten times over,
26:59if only the gardener knows how to release it.
27:02That is how the careful old folks built their gardens, 300 years ago and still today.
27:09That is how it is still done in any garden that remembers.
27:13.
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