TBH Ken, I never like rooting in water - the transition, from water to soil is sometimes difficult However, at this time of year (although my z8 is kinder than yours at the moment), petunias root easily (soft tips) in a soilless medium with no need for hormone treatments (although it won't hurt to use a weak one, you don't need to rush out and buy some). I find a covered pot with a plastic bag and a bit of daily venting, does the job. It is a good time to increase stock from cuttings now, before it gets too hard to find a non-flowering shoot.

Ken - aren't you the one who makes comments to me about putting out things too early? (I couldn't resist....LOL!)

Do you really want to go through the effort of rooting petunia cuttings at this point? I guess if you're doing it just for the heck of it and have the time then give it a try.

I went to a cutting workshop a few years ago and since then have been rooting tip cuttings in soil-less medium, and cover with a plastic bag like Camp mentioned, keep in a bright location but out of direct sunlight (they'll cook in there). Has worked pretty well with only a few non-starts here and there.

I bought some heavy-duty plug trays to start cuttings in this year and transplanted into larger 2 x 2 pots once they firmly rooted. I goofed and bought trays with too-small plugs and found they're not great for seed starting, but they are good for starting cuttings, there's enough medium in the plug to get them rooted but not so much that it encourages rot.

Ken - aren't you the one who makes comments to me about putting out things too early? (I couldn't resist....LOL!)

===>>> pay backs are heck.. lol ...

didnt you get hit by the MI windstorm ??? ... these were 3 inch pots.. on the porch ... near the house in case of frost ... and they went all Dorothy from Kansas on me.. and rolled across the porch before i secured them....

when i was potting them yesterday .. i found a couple broken branches.. ... etc

overnight.. in water.. they rehydrated ....... plumped back up ... now i need to decide if i will pot them ...

i usually only use rooting hormone.. for the fungicide ...

ken

It's been so windy off and on here I have no idea which specific day you're talking about. I finally got the veggie garden weeded, layed down landscape fabric on paths, got it all mulched with straw (paths) and leaves (planting beds) and DARN IT the wind blew the leaves all over the place - at least they're all still within the fence boundary, but now I have to go rake it all up and put in back UGH! If wood chips weren't so expensive I'd just put that down. At least the straw stayed put.