A cutting shouldn't need much light until it develops roots, and I would think warmth would be a more necessary thing. I'd choose the south window, the living room.

Generally, I root cuttings on a lower shelf without lighting... but it has a heat mat that helps prompt root development faster than without the warmth.

Hope this helps with your decision...

I agree, go with warmth. You can move it to a brighter location once it's well rooted.

Thanks. Guess dry air doesn't matter?

I have a heating matt, but it won't work in the window.

Jodik, you don't use any lighting? Window or artificial light?

Karen, you root in shade, too?

I assumed cuttings needed light to produce roots?

Gosh, this is such a basic question, lol...The thing is I've never rooted succulents, from autumn through winter..this is a first.

Okay, thanks again..I'll try rooting w/o light, possibly on a heating mat..Toni

I never root cuttings in direct light....always tucked in some shade or beneath other plants.

Good luck, Toni!

Josh

I root almost all cuttings in indirect light or shade. I've never found it necessary to use bottom heat for rooting jades. The warmth would probably speed it up but room temp should be sufficient. Good luck.

Hey Josh. Did I say direct sun? Sorry, didn't mean direct/full..I meant a little brighter than shade, light. lol. Indirect.

Josh, remember the hot peppers? They've grown tall, but don't know if they'll over-winter. I know this isn't the place to talk veggies, but,,,,,,

Karyn. Are you talking strickly succulents or tropicals, too? Rooting in shade/indirect....Toni

Hey, Toni! Yes, use the indirect light.

I sure do remember the peppers! I'm very glad that they've grown.
Yesterday, I re-potted my Hungarian Wax pepper for its fourth winter indoors.
As long as the plant is near a window, it should survive. You can prune them down, too.
So which peppers did you grow (Chocolate, Thai, Hungarian)? Did they produce pods?

It's your Thread, so I figure we can have a little veggie cross-talk ;-)

Josh

Hi Toni,

It's not rooting them in the dark or in shade, it's just rooting them in bright, indirect rather than direct light.

You need to pls. adjust your thinking on this, to allow for the fact that light comes in forms other than direct sunlight. Many things to very well in bright, indirect, my beloved Hoyas are an example that comes to mind.

Josh. Indirect light it is.

No pods but veggies. Should peppers be removed? How much pruning? Down to the soil line, mid-way?
How's yours doing? Does it have a thick trunk? Last time you posted, yours was pretty tall, but you mentioned pruning. Haven't seen a picture since spring.

Karen, I never said direct sun...:)
No matter what type of plant, including succulents, unrooted cuttings/rooted cuttings should never be placed in direct sunlight..Anyway, there's very little sun here now, let alone direct. :)

I'm well-aware there are different forms of shade, direct, indirect and full sun. And then some. Toni

Hey, Toni! The pods are the peppers ;-)
Are the peppers ripe yet, or still ripening? Post a pic, please! Or e-mail me...either way.

My Hungarian did well this summer, and it is now recuperating from the cold autumn weather.
The plants always look a bit bedraggled when they come in for the winter.

Josh

Josh, lol, how embarrassing! lol.
I thought the pods might be the peppers, but had a vision of long pods w/seeds, besides the inside pepper..lol.

I'll snap a pic..

Hehe ;-)
Thanks, I can't wait to see a pic!

Josh

The only light my cutting area gets is ambient light of daytime... the shelving unit is in a north window alcove. So, it would be considered less than indirect light.

Warmth, on the other hand, is almost a necessity for promoting root growth, and definitely helps promote it quicker. I use a small heating pad generally sold with those seed starting kits. You know the ones... consisting of a flat, the cell packs, clear plastic "greenhouse" cover, and an electric heat pad that fits nicely under the flat. I think I paid about $23 for the whole kit. I use the heat mat frequently, so it was definitely worth it.

Humidity and moisture levels needed would depend greatly on what type of plant material you're trying to root. Some plants need higher humidity, which is easily accomplished with a ziploc baggie or some other enclosure and a moistened paper towel or bit of moist sphagnum moss.

I'm not a cacti/succulent expert, so moisture amounts would be a good question for the locals...

But most plant experts will tell you that bright light is not necessary for rooting a cutting, and in many cases, direct light or sun could be detrimental.

Josh. I have to snap the pic when/if the sun shines. I took Begonia pics last night that came out so dark they had to be deleted..
I'm using a new/old camera...don't know how to adjust brightness for night/dark pics.

Jodi. 6-7 years ago I bought the green house w/flat, heating mat, plastic dome, Peat disks, and little saucers. The dome is high and semi-round.

Guess I'm comparing seeds to cuttings. Do you sow seeds? I used to start annuals, and 'some house plants' by seed yearly..now buy most, already sprouted, lol.

Seed packets had directions..some seeds need shade, others light. EX. Petunias require light to germinate. So, when sowing, some flats w/seeds went under light, others w/o.

BTW, when you used your heating mat, did you leave it plugged all night? I worry about fire, so most times it was unplugged before bed.

I'd like to know if humidity is needed for succulent cuttings. Whether or not to use the flat w/dome or something else.

Jodi, the plant material I'm trying to sow are succulents. lol. Is that what you mean? Toni