I read in a few places that if you make an infusion by steeping willow twigs from the growing tips in water, you can make a liquid which can replace rooting hormone powder to give better success taking cuttings. I'm thinking of doing this to take cuttings of my favourite blueberries (all other attempts this year have simply led to composted twigs!)
Has anyone tried this? Any tips? It sounds like a good idea - I've seen how voraciously willow will root if a stick is left in contact with the ground so it makes sense to me. It also sounds like a good way to save money on the rooting powder!
I don't see why it wouldn't work. I've read that can use soluble aspirin which is derived from willow.
I read that you can use cinnamon! As I had a spare pot I've tried it without any ill effects, although I don't usually use anything, so hard to tell if it's effective.
I tried it on some blackcurrant cuttings and they all did well, but so did the ones with nothing. Perhaps you could make something with blackcurrant they roots so easily too.