I don't think it's accurate to sell a specific grade of rooting hormone for the divisions of plants you mentioned, because different plant species respond to different chemicals, whether we are cloning hardwood, summerwood, or herbaceous/tip cuttings. Even though it's generally true that the most effective concentration levels normally vary and can be roughly grouped by the 3 types of cuttings you mentioned, the most effective chemical to use varies and can be much more important than concentration levels; so, it is a combination of the concentration AND the choice of chemical that determines the effectiveness of a rooting chemical. The rooting aids are synthesized forms of the plant hormone/growth regulator 'auxin'. Indole butyric acid (IBA) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) are the two most common chemicals that have been found to be reliable in the promotion of rooting in cuttings. IBA is widely applied in general use because it is non-toxic to most plants over a wide range and promotes root growth in a large number of plant species. Some plants respond better to either IBA or NAA, some respond to ONLY one or the other, some may have a toxic reaction to one but not the other which will lead to poor or no growth and actually, mortality; and some respond best to combinations of both chemicals, or to other variations of either IBA or NAA based on K (potassium). Both IBA and NAA are commonly available in talc or in liquid formulations of varying concentrations. I do LOTS of propagating of several hard-to-root species, but only use a rooting aid occasionally for the most difficult. As a generalization, You should know on a per plant basis which chemical and concentration is most apt to be effective before applying it. I have found it mostly unnecessary. Learning a little about the cultural conditions cuttings prefer and some other tricks (like methods of wounding) along with cleanliness will add more to what it takes to be successful at propagating (plants) than rooting aids (except in the very hard to root plants). Al

Verticalviner, I didn't buy one--I built a simple one myself. You can read my blog entry about it at the link below--I eventually added two one-inch PVC pipes to either side (one going in, one going out) to increase air circulation and bleed off heat from the grow lamp. I don't have bottom heating. I figure it's so warm here anyway that bottom heat would be redundant except in winter. Here is a link that might be useful: Cloning box

Have used the first 4 & results from each have been the same.... I purchase based on price & avalibility..... The trade name of the product does not enter into my consederation only the concentration of the active ingredient (IBA)

I should know more then I do considering my age and career. That being said, there are several plant growth regulators, Auxins are the ones we are most interested in for rooting. A partial list would be Indole Acetic Acid IAA, Indole Butyric Acid IBA, Naphthaleneacetamide. They are as different from nutrients as birth control pills are from a Big Mac. The decision of what to go with from a manufacturer and user standpoint is not easy. Part of the problem stems from EPA clasifications and the nature of the hormone. Some are close relatives of things like 2-4-D, right, agent orange. As such some got classified as herbicides by the EPA and required the manufacturer to jump through a few more hoops. Certainly cost is another consideration and there is about a 10 fold difference in price for some of the compounds. The fact some act like herbicides should give you an idea of how potent they are. That is why you see people exchanging so much info about the strength to use. The strength you need to root a table leg will probably kill a daisy. Likewise using the strength you need for a daisy on a table leg will probably not have much effect. Some advantages you should know are things like stability. IAA is reported in the literature to be less stable then IBA. Great if you can keep things dry and out of the sunlight, bad if you want to keep a jug of prepared dip on the shelf. Likewise there is a certain style to the application as you have noticed. People have studied everything from long soaks in dilute solutions to quick dips in concentrated solutions to powders like Rootone. If you are using a propagation chamber with constant misting, the dilute stuff will probably wash off so you may want to go for high concentrations and a quick dip. If you are sticking something in the ground or a pot, powders and gels may be the way you want to go. The other variable with rooting compounds that was mentioned is IMHO one of the most important: The addition of a fungicide. I think someone here has said they find fungicide to be more important then the Auxin or concentration used. Some manufacturers even add things like Vitamin B-1. I personally do not have enough experience with things beyond Auxins and antifungals to comment on other nutrients. I know you want to stay away from anything that contains urea as a source of nitrogen when rooting! Simple is best. If you are rooting something like a Creeping Charlie or Spider Plant, just use water. If you are trying to root something tough that takes months to root and rots if you look at it crosseyed, then go for the big guns. The only exception to this may be a cutting that would be hard to replace. i.e. You got a single cutting from Grandma's apple tree just before the bulldozers leveled the farm to put in condos. If Grandma is still alive and hasn't sold off the farm, just wait until she prunes the tree and get 100 cuttings. Rick