What a difference a tool makes!!! I took back the horrendous wet-tile saw, and came back with a "better" set of nippers. 7", with a carbonite (is that the correct word?) edge- so stays sharp. OMG what a difference! I could tell the instant I made that first cut. OMG what a difference! Chapter 1: Newbie finally gets the tool right, and chops up a plate!!! (obviously I didn't put it back together 'right.')

I've been using the Method Smarty tabs for about 4 years (the scent free "go naked" ones) and I cut them in half with kitchen scissors over a plastic tub to catch the peices. The "original" Miele tabs worked great and I used them for almost a year, but then when the newer version came out it was making a ton of suds (even when using half a tab). So that is when I changed over to the Method tabs. I did try the Finish Quantum (with the red ball) a few years ago, and even though it cleaned well, it left a strong odor and started to discolor plastic items. I've never had any problems using the Method tabs. Just be sure to use rinse aid. I use the Miele Brand as it doesn't leave a chemical after smell, like other rinse aids do.

Well I figure I should give an update, mostly because the in-the-moment decision making and the nature of learning what to expect and how to behave and everything else that comes with experience was a useful lesson for me that may benefit others. So a quick summation. I have had about a 10% success rate on my first flurry of cuttings using the burrito method. Considering all the places I did things "wrong" as I went along I actually consider it a success. I didn't properly go through my received cuttings to make cuts at budding points so I had tips far away from where the plant would naturally send them, occasional missed watering, over attentive watering, and such were all mistakes along the way. The decision to stick many of the calloused cuttings in the dirt with still a month or 2 of questionable weather wasn't so dreadful as I originally thought. More plants have started to stir and awake, granted some are just now putting out their first leaves, but point being, that when I stuck them outside it was more of a "may as well see, and pull out dead sticks when weeding later," instead of just tossing them out when I got tired of potting up my mess of cuttings. It did snow a couple times after I planted them outside, and we definitely had some freeze/thaw cycles. More than I was obviously hoping for when I planted them. I moved some of my leafed out cuttings to the garden. Where 2 promptly died, and 4 are still very slowly growing. The plants are still tiny. The couple I have in the house will be going outside soon. I found a slight spider-mite infestation on one of the few I have indoors so I figure it is time to let natures little bug eaters help me take care of the issue. I will say that a couple of the plants were much more likely to root than others. Heirloom and Mr. Lincoln putting out 3x more plants than the other successful varieties, and of course some I didn't get any to stick. However, those 2 were among the ones I wanted the most, and now that I have them, I have that intense satisfaction. I actually bought an heirloom from Walmart anyway because it was discounted to $6 and was a gallon plant in good condition, just with spent blooms. I doubt that I will get any flowers from these tiny little specimen this year. I suspect, that in future, I will opt to purchase my initial plants and then take cuttings from those for gifts, back ups and filling out beds. Thanks everyone so much for the help so far in my rose obsession.

Be sure you have enough drainage holes in each half. I grow in half whisky barrels that are about the same size and drill six holes in the bottom as well as four to six holes on the sides about 2 inches above the base. When I had fewer holes, I had problems with soggy soil in the bottom.