I think yes is the answer to yur question. That's hot enough to kill any micros in the media, but it was probably sterile to start with. And thats not to say that everything will stay sterile.

be sure to wash cuttings in very dilute bleach solution prior to sticking, but wash off that soultion because bleach can oxidize IBA (most common rooting compound).

Also, assuming your rooting conifers, be sure to use a strong formulation. The most common talc rooting compounds are .1%. If youre using talc use .8%. Hormodin #3 or Hormex #8. Or use the dip and gro and full stregth (1%). And be patient lots of conifers will take 2 months or so.

That's what a lot of people do Ken.

A bag over the top of your choice of container.

When the bag has very heavy droplets of water, air it out a bit.

Wait a long time! It takes a while.

Dax

yep long time probably by spring some time

this stuff has been open and in the barn for a decade .... and i am pretty sure the 4 year old dwarf got into the vermiculite.. i had to scavenge some of it off the sand.. ergo ... sterilization is preventative .. especially if it is really this easy ... lol ...

how long and what percentage of bleach for the dip??? 10% sound good ... dip or soak????

i am using rootone ..... with the kids.. i am leery of anything stronger .... and really don't have a budget to get the other stuff ....

thanks for the info .. ken

Hi Ken,
I have never sterilized anything when rooting cuttings of my conifers and I have not had any problems.

I use 9 oz, clear Solo® low-ball cups and put them into a quart-size Ziploc bag. I use gallon-size Ziploc bags for taller cuttings. I exhale into the bag to ensure there is extra Co2 in the bag and then zip the bag closed. I also add a little water to the bottom of the bag for extra humidity.

I use a 50/50 mix of peat & perlite as my rooting medium. I also use Hormex #8 rooting hormone.

One thing that I have found, is that cuttings taken from the shaded side of the plant will root better/faster/easier than cuttings taken from the sunny side of the plant.

I had read this info on the Internet somewhere, but I don't remember exactly where, and I can tell you that I have better luck rooting cuttings from the shaded side of a plant.

The setup in your photos looks great. You must be planning on rooting lots and lots of cuttings since you're using the bottom half of gallon milk jugs as your containers?

Good luck,
Mike

Ken,
Here it the little setup I am trying. Inside a fish tank with a heating pad. This keeps the temp in the tank a little warmer than outside and the pad does it's thing.
I used Dip N Grow for the first time instead of Bontone powder. I am concerned about air circulation. What do you think.

Grancru

so many questions ... so little time.. and i dont type that well ....

is enough light getting through the plastic???
are the lights close enough????
why the plastic ... retaining humidity might be irrelevant if not enough light ...???
it might get to hot in there???
you might want to get a clear plastic and get the light down[or the tray up] to just above the chicken wire.. and then put the clear plastic along the very top to increase light...

why the aquarium???? with the heat mat... and the light.. and the enclosure .... you probably have enough heat ..... most people do this outside in winter ... heat is not that important .... you might be too hot ... we want a little bottom heat to stimulate root growth .... but not so much top heat so that they start growing before they have roots ....

you are a brave soul .. working on carpet.. lol ... get a 20 by 20 cotton painters drop cloth .... work on it.. throw it in the washer when it gets too dirty .... might not stop water ..... but it stops all the debris....lol ...

ken

oh .. i forgot to add:

WHAT THE HECK DO I KNOW ....

if it works it works.. all i can do is give you my thoughts ....

ken

Here's my indoor station:

Every two days I wipe the plastic upper dome dry. I use Hormex #8. 3 sets of fluorescent ballasts for a total of eight running feet and a total of 12 bulbs; and (2) hydrofarm 4 foot heat mats. Heat mats run 24 hours and lights are on 16 hours a day. I also watch carefully for any plants that show fungus (usually get black foliage) and spray periodicatlly (as needed) with a fungicide/algaecide. I also built other benches that host two shelves of fluorescents below for potted seedlings/flats of seedlings (no heat).

Dax

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'Altitude 7" Propagation Dome'
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These other benches (one is rock sturdy and I use it as a propagation bench):
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