Hi There,
I can't help you with your question never done water rooting, some one will come in soon and help you.
Karen B

Thanks for the encouragement Karen. I was hoping maybe Kevabear would chime in because she has the same thing happening to hers in a bucket. :)

Do you have an aquarium heater in the water?

No aquarium heater in the water. I live on the Gulf Coast and its warm in my greenhouse (high over 90, low over 60). I have successfully rooted 2 other cuttings. I was told that Kauka Wilder is a hard cutting to root, so I am being patient and just letting it sit in the water while the leaves and infloresece(?) grow. Thank you for your inquiry to my question slave2thefur.

Leaves / Inflos are ok; no leaves/inflos should be sacrificed. However, since this is the start of the season and it isn't rotting instead of rooting, give it some time. My KW center cuts are taking their sweet time rooting as well, but I did get shiny tips and roots in time.

I've used this slight adjustment to water rooting to prevent rot - fill 2-3" of a drilled tennis can with kitty litter, set the cutting on top and fill to keep it stable. The litter doesn't wick, and keeps the cutting from being submerged.

=^,,^= diana

Thank you Diana. I am nervous with my cutting because this is the second one I'm trying (First one rotted when I tried rooting it in dirt/perlite). How long did it take you to get roots? weeks? months? years? 8)
I am wondering about rot because I did see some jelly-like stuff on the bottom today.

Why don't you put your plant in succulant cactus dirt. When I got mine was tols to put it in a small plant with the bottom of the stalk touching the bottom of the pot. It has been growing well since and is a couple of years old now.

Well, no words of advice from this corner. Mine still doesn't have much in the way of leaves, only little nubs of leaves, and one iflo, which I'm sorry but cannot bear the thought of sacrificing. I notice this morning it is starting to shoot out some nice little roots.I have another in the same bucket of water that hasn't started to root at all. It seems I've read on here where people have water rooted and they get wonderous roots within weeks. I've had mine in a bucket for months. I figure as long as they look good they're ok, but where's my roots? The water they are in is rain water with a bit of b1. It's beginning to look quite sludgey, but it hasn't rained in weeks and haven't got any to replace it with. Suppose I should just use tap water and the b1, and add some superthrive.
Orchidcrazy, I so understand your nervousness about rotting them, I've rotted so many it seems. And it's always the special ones, Marble Queen, Ammorans Curly White, etc... I think I would rinse that jelly like stuff off that you mentioned. Please keep us informed on your root growth, since you and I both have a couple of our babies in a bucket of water. Want to know what's goin' on with yours. And I'll do the same.
Lauri

The jelly is rotted pith, and it seems that as long as the cambium is intact it will root. I've just scraped it out, and having the cutting elevated in the cans has helped prevent it.

I justed checked my KW cuttings - they have knobby growth, swelled cambium, but roots on only 1 of 3. Other cultivar have rooting in a few weeks. Here's what Polynesian Sunset looks like after water rooting 3-4 weeks.

{{gwi:1168871}}

{{gwi:1168872}}

Hi Orchidcrazy,
I can't help you, but I have a question that maybe you or someone else can answer for me? Why does a cutting rot in a cactus/perlite mix if watered too much, but does not rot when you leave it in 3-4 inches of water to water root?
That's something I just don't understand.
Any explanation is appreciated.
Thanks,
Rick

I water rooted last fall with wonderful success. I have been trying to water root for this past month without much happening at all. I wonder if the time of year might have something to do with the ease of it. Maybe that and being a bit further north so less sun? I dunno. I have one fat branched cutting with a huge inflo....I'm waiting that puppy out...No way I can cut off that inflo right now! I also am seeing very little action on my plants...they get some leaves, then the leaves die off. More start, so I guess the plants are fine. It's just been a terribly long winter!

I have rooted 1 plummie in semi-hydrophonics. Got a bunch of roots. I just repotted to cactus dirt. It is cutting leaves already. My orchids are in semi-hydrophonics and love it! ruthann

Thank you everyone for the responses.
Debbysunshine, it was planted in a mix of 50/50 Miracle Grow potting mix and perlite for 3 months with nothing, that is why I'm trying the water rooting now. I think its just being stubborn. :)

Lauri, I feel better that your cutting has survived months in the water. Mine has been in about a month. The other cuttings all started rooting within a couple of weeks and are planted and starting leaves/branching. I'm scrapping off the jelly stuff tomorrow. I will definitly let you know when I see some roots.

Diana, I want to elevate the cutting, but I don't understand where to drill the container. I will also have to buy kitty litter. Will perlite work? Those are some nice roots growing on your Polynesian Sunset. Are they ready to plant?

Plumcr8zy, I wish I had an answer, but wondered the same thing. LOL

Iowajo, I was very lucky to get a greenhouse this year for my orchids and the plummies just benefitted from the light and heater during the colder months.

Ruthann1, I am interested in semi-hydroponics for my plummies. Would you explain how you do it for your cuttings? I have some orchids in semi-hydro, so I already have the leca.

The basic problem: plummies can't read the instructions!

I drilled holes in both the can's bottom sides and the bottom itself. It seems to be easier to get the roots out when the holes are in the bottom. When roots start growing, I transfer the can to a warm spot on my patio without scorching the leaves ... again ...oops.

Perlite floats, so I use Walmart Special Kitty (red bag, courtesy of another GW post) at 10 lbs for $2.50 - no additives, only crushed baked clay and drains quickly.

Hope this helps - it's worked so far for me, tho it gets strange looks from visitors trying to find the fish ·´¯`·..¸¸.·´>¸¸... diana

Thank you Diana for explaining it in simple terms that I can understand. If no roots appear in the next couple of months, I want to try this method. I'm hoping roots appear soon because the inflo is growing.

Orchidcrazy, I soaked leca in KLN rooting concentrate for 24 hrs., then put cutting in a pot specifically for s/h. I used Seaweed extract for future waterings. Some times I would just flush with water. Cutting was in s/h for a year and the whole bottom of pot was all roots. I purchased pots from First Rays. I now have Pineapple lilies in s/h. It is doing great. ruthann

Thank you Ruthann1 for explaining how you do your s/h. I have KLN onhand and I use those large deli containers for my pots with holes about 1" from the bottom for some Phals. I have really enjoyed learning new methods of planting from everyone. Might have to get some seaweed extract to water my plummies with. :)