The Pointed End Rule Every woody cutting has a custom, sharp-pointed cut at the bottom. This point must go straight down into the dirt to encourage root growth.
How to Plant Your Cuttings
- Soil Recommendations: It is not necessary to purchase store-bought potting soils; all varieties thrive in our native Florida gray mineral sand. While some people choose to use store-bought soil, it often dries out too quickly in our climate. If you do use amendments, Perlite or Vermiculite can help retain moisture, but the native sand is ideal because it stays moist longer and reflects heat better than dark, store-bought potting mixes, which can absorb too much heat in full sun.
- Method A (Deep & Angled): Use a screwdriver, rebar, or a garden earth auger drill bit to create a pilot hole.
- Safety Warning: Always call local utility lines to check for pipes before digging.
- Slide the cutting 6–7 inches deep at a slight angle; this forces the stem to sprout multiple robust heads.
- Flood the area immediately to wash the sand down, eliminating air pockets to lock the sand in place.
- Method B (The Easy Slide): If the ground is soft enough, many cuttings will simply slide right in without needing tools. I have many times had good root success just by first choosing a proper area with good light and just sliding the cutting in under the surface almost horizontally and just below the leaf litter and they had sprouted in multiple spots along the cutting. If putting in a pot use one that is of 1 gallon or larger size. However I have started thousands of different cuttings just in a small Styrofoam cup ,but success of course will be greater in a larger container.
- The Mole Tunnel Trick: For those with less hand strength, look for soft spots or surface mole tunnels in your yard; these are excellent, ready-made locations for planting. And no I don’t think I ever had a mole eat my cutting,lol.
- Bulk Planting: If you have access to a rototiller, it is an easy method for planting many cuttings at once compared to being on your hands and knees pressing them into the ground. I like this technique because after leveling the ground with a rake I come back with a bucket full of cuttings and run thru a large area quickly and I can easily slide them in deep. I like to put them in a good 3/4’s of the way and at a 55 to 65 degree angle. Then I flood them good, using rain water. I’ve used city water to do this many times with no problem but I feel the microbes in the soil and the earthworms prefer Gods golden liquid.
- Cactus Pads (The Lazy Nopal Angle): Slide the pad into a shallow trough horizontally. Bury 3/4 of the pad, slightly tilting the top head up at approximately a 50° angle to maximize the lower horizontal surface area in contact with the soil for increased rooting points.
Root Stimulators & Toners I rarely in the past used root hormones, toners, or stimulants to plant cuttings; These cuttings are naturally vigorous and grow successfully without them. However, if you prefer to use them it wouldn’t hurt, they can assist in sealing the wound or providing a boost. You may experiment with:
- Organic Methods: Aloe vera, honey, or “willow water” (natural salicylic acid).
- Commercial Rooting Hormones: Standard off-the-shelf rooting powders.
- Nutrient Boosters: Products containing specific potassium and phosphorus ratios.
Specialized Techniques
- Four O’Clock Power Nodes: Press the thick 4-inch branching joints directly into the dirt with your thumb. I press these in all the way to the surface then after watering they normally will have about 1/2” sticking up. I do feel that with the majority of our cuttings the deeper the better and just don’t let them dry out until you see positive growth then back off the water. I will normally flood the first day carefully but heavily. then 3-4 days later I do it again. Then a week away from that I may do it again first by judging their appearance ,wetness and weather it will rain soon anyway.
- Instant Privacy Hedge: Clear a long strip somewhere you want some privacy. Press multiple varieties into the sand, and flood heavily on day one. Flood again after 3–4 days to lock the sand down, securing a permanent root anchor like above. It’s really nice to see all these varieties growing together mixed in with one another with all the different colors, flower blooms and foliage. This is probably the best way to bring our much needed pollinators around.
Safety & Disclaimer
- Sharp Points: Cuttings have sharp, rigid points. Keep away from children to avoid puncture or eye injuries.
- Trip Hazard: Mark or tape off planting areas to prevent tripping. You would not want to fall directly on newly planted cuttings!
- Medical: Do not ingest any plants without professional medical consultation. The grower is not a medical authority.
How Your Order Arrives Cuttings are misted with a diluted Dawn/water soap solution to ensure they are 100% free of mealybugs, whiteflies, etc. They are wiped clean and towel-dried for 1–2 days to harden off the cut ends, then shipped in high-quality, paper-exterior padded bubble mailers so they arrive dry and ready to grow. We purposely do not add moisture when shipping as this could lead to unwanted bacterial growth and other problems. Your cuttings should arrive Green, Clean and ready to grow!