I use a clear Rubbermaid container that holds about 42 of the 8 oz Solo cups. I do not mist after putting the cups in the container - just watch to make sure they don't dry out. Too much moisture will cause fungus and/or make the cuttings rot. I bought my containers without lids at Goodwill for about $1 and use a piece of clear plexiglas for lids since I already had some of it. I don't open it for about a week or so, and try to only check it about once (or maybe twice a week). I remove almost all the leaves, sometimes only leaving a half of leaf if it is big. They generally fall off anyway, at least for me. Mine are under just regular florescent lights in my basement room. I tried the special grow lights, but really can't tell any difference in success rate. I use Miracle gro too, but someone said they use the seed starting mix and I am trying it now. It is "lighter" than the MG. For me the most important step is not to overwater. I have drowned more cuttings than I want to think of. oh, I got a turkey baster at a dollar store so I can add water if needed and can add just a few drops at a time without having to take individual cups out. You can tweak processes to work best for you. I've have four containers going at this time and have used this method on other plants as well. I'll try anything! If it works, great. If not, the time was going to pass anyway and I learned something. LOL. The photo is from several years ago. I wanted you to see what I meant about leaving half a leaf. The Rose of Sharons rooted fairly easy and I don't remember what the other plants are. I will pick the dead leaves out when they are dying or have fallen off.

Gail

I rooted some roses and tropical hibiscus inside over the winter. Took cuttings in November. Used the clear tub and clear cups, but used coir to root in and rooting hormone. Wasn't seeing much at first, so I added a heat mat underneath and they really took off. I think the bottom heat really helps. Had good success rooting, but I nuked one of the rose cuttings by re potting too soon. Good luck!

Julie

Cool, so I guess I just need to slow my roll with the water. Also your tub lid didn't block to much of the UV? I am worried that these tubs might do that and it will get no light. Did you leave your lid on and still have no problems with lights?

Yes left the lid on, sometimes cracked open if too hot/ humid. I just use shop lights to grow under. Didn't seem to be an issue, I don't know that they need much light. There is a ant propagation forum here too, I got some good info over there too.

Colton, check out this old post on easy propagation chamber. It is interesting reading. http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2121001/easy-propagation-chamber

You can read the post I just made for more detail, but I think the biggest challenge you are facing is not having a sterile growing medium. When I first started rooting roses I had one miserable fail after another. The cuttings would turn black and grow hairy with mold. Basically I switched to a 50/50 mixture of perlite and vermiculite (sterile). I use plastic pots and wash them with hot soapy water. I use bottled water and add a little hydrogen peroxide to that (sterile). I put plastic freezer bags over the pots and once they are under lights I leave them alone. That made a huge difference in my success rate.

(Disclaimer: I am not a rose expert or a very experienced gardener. But I have rooted a lot of hibiscus, a few batches of roses and alot of other varieties of cuttings. So here is what works for me. )

Your rooting hormone. When I used powders in an airtight container, my cuttings were much more prone to rot. I like Dip N Grow, it has never failed me, others here use a rooting gel. Powders gunk up and I don't think penetrate the cutting as well. Whatever it is, my cuttings rot with it.

I always use a sterile ( or mostly sterile ) potting mix. If I don't they rot. Currently I am using 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 perlite and 1/3 peat moss. But if rot is really an issue, I use 1/2 vermiculite and 1/2 perlite, or coconut coir.

And willow water consistently ups my rate of rooting from about 50/60 % to 85-100%. And these rates are from batches where I stuck in a few random cuttings that were not nearly a pencil round in thickness, some even two to a cup, a few were wilted before I got them in water. You get the drift...I have no doubt if I would choose perfect cuttings and clean up my process it would be almost 100%. I have been amazed at what has rooted...just put it that way. I soak the plants in willow tea/water in my fridge, overnight or until I can get to them and then proceed with dipping in rooting hormone, planting etc. ( I should note that willow tea does nothing for me on its own. It still needs a rooting hormone. )

Like country girl has said, I too think you are overwatering. When I use the sterilite containers ( like from Walmart ) I wet the rooting medium before planting, plant the cuttings, and place them in the container. I then mist their leaves, and cover with a plastic lid or saran wrap/ some type of plastic. And let them be. As long as I can see condensation in the container, the humidity is high enough for them to root.
And yes I leave 2 five leaf clusters on my cuttings, sometimes they fall off but I think they feed the plant, and if the plant was well watered before taking the cuttings they seem to retain a lot of them until they are ready to push new growth.

I have the best success using stems that have just flowered, and cutting the cutting where the cutting joins the larger branch that it grew out of. ( but sometimes I cut those long stems 3-4 times and they all root. So?...) I do not bruise, slice or cut the cuttings. That does not work for me. ( It does for some, but my cuttings have always hated me when I tried that. ) If I am worried about mold, I put an inch of straight perlite in the bottom of my cups, fill with potting medium and then make sure the tip of my cutting crunches the perlite when I plant it. This seems to cut down on rot as well. Watering the parent makes a big difference too. And the health, they need stored energy to be able to root.

I just took two rounds of cuttings a week apart. First round it had rained for two days before and I did mostly everything right. As of this morning, out of 25 cuttings, 1 rotted ( it was a spindly little thing ) 18 are well rooted and the rest look okay but cannot see roots on them yet. ) They are 3.5 weeks old.

2nd batch was taken a week later, it was very hot and dry, and plants were not watered (they are not mine but I am permitted to take cuttings :) ) I took about 15 cuttings, and they were getting wilted by the time I got them in water. It is still too early to tell on all of them but 5 are rooted, 4 look like they are definitely dying and the rest are hanging in the balance.

So this is just what has worked for me, I know this will not work in some regions at all, but maybe you can pick up some tips that will help you fine tune your method until it works for you. And I apologize for the length...but I like details, I think its the little things that root or rot a cutting :)

Now If anyone has tips on keeping cuttings alive after rooting and helping them make it through cold winters, please speak up!!! :)

Hey Countrygirl! So update after I know - a long time. I finally have got it down and up to a pretty good success rate depending on variety about 70-90 percent depending! I am actually growing them over winter here under my grow lights and they seem to really like it. I am however battling spider mites.... so brutal in confined spaces... Anyway thats another topic. I did get it to work using cups a poked holes in. Under a cheap clear plastic bins with grow lights pointed down at them. I did mist them once every 2-3 weeks but I did it with a mixture of Vodka and water (helps keep down mold as well). Anyway great success and tons of extra roses!!!