I tried Dip'n Grow for the first time this past season. From what I have read, the liquid IBA is likely a better way of dispersing the IBA - a more even coating. Dip'n Grow was the only easily accessible liquid IBA that I could locate. Using the cup that comes with the kit, I added the small amount of concentration to the lowest line, then added 2 oz of water. Once diluted, the material does not keep very long, so plan to use it when you have several cuttings ready to plant. I soaked the cuttings for approximately 5 minutes. I found in the literature, various concentrations that were used. Take a look at this thread http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fig/msg0117253718922.html You will likely find some information that you are seeking. I can not tell you if the IBA made a difference since I was not conducting a test. I changed a lot of parameters for my rooting project and it was a combination of all those changes (increased lighting, bottom heat, air circulation, humidity control, careful watering, waxing the ends of the cuttings, perlite only mix,and IBA) that made the difference. Of all the varieties that I started, all but three made it. (sometimes just one of a set of three cuttings per variety made it and sometimes all of a particular variety rooted). The ones that did not make it appeared to be less healthy cuttings. Here are some observations on the less healthy cutting. Of all the cuttings that I received, I only used the 1 part bleach to 10 parts water sterilizing mix on three or four cuttings. There was something about those cuttings that made it important for me to clean them. (none of my other cuttings - there were a lot of them - grew any mold at all) It was one of those suspicious cuttings that kept making white fungus. I even re-treated it with bleach and it did not make a difference. I am thinking that if cuttings are stored well and not allowed to mold (because of too much moisture, left to dry out before moist refrigeration, etc) or fresh cuttings are used, there will be minimal mold issues, especially if your rooting area has some air circulation and good lighting. The UV component of good lighting will take care of some mold that tries to grow. If you start with fresh dormant cuttings or cuttings that were stored in non-drying refrigeration situation, they will usually start fairly easily. There are many methods for rooting figs as you have undoubtedly noticed from reading threads on the topic. Amongst these methods there are basic principles that each method address, perhaps in a slightly different way, but the principles must be followed. I think of IBA as just the icing on the cake or the "extra insurance" for starting - not absolutely necessary, but can't hurt and may actually prompt a hard to root specimen to make roots. Good luck - Ingevald Here is a link that might be useful: Rooting figs - IBA concentrations, etc.

I have been working on rooting JA Maples with limited sucess. I have had better sucess with: Using large clear plastic storage boxes and clear locking lids. Cleaned with 1:10 bleach,rinsed with water and opened very little to prevent the introduction of fungus. May June cuttings 3 -4 node leave 2-4 leaves 3000 ppm IBA Dip n' Grow ( I beleave alcohal burn is a problem and plan to try KIBA next. Put the boxes in no direst sun aria ( mine are under a deck it is bright but all light is reflected. After rooting has started I remove 1 leaf. This starts a new branch. I then apply foliar fertilizer (very weak). I have had 100% rooting with Seryu. Then I lost them all because I transplanted then in Fall. ALWAYS wait untill after they leaf out in spring to transplant cuttings. This winter the rooted cuttings are in a cold frame. This past year I tried the Rootmaker 18/tray for some cuttings. A nursery told me they use them for hard ( Rhodys) to root products, but due to the cost use Anderson Band containers for most things. I had a mist system problem this summer and the dryness was a bigger problem for the Rootmaker than the Anderson. I have all my Pine seedlings in the Rootmakers and they were fine. Good luck!

I think one has to be careful about root hormones. I suppose they do work to some extent but it's all guess work. The major factors affecting sucess rate is not about root hormones. I suspect root hormones may give you more roots if used correctly. One issue about root hormones is that you need to make sure it sticks around for long enough to work. If you dip the cutting into the hormone then water the rooting bed within 1 day then it probably wash all the good hormone away! In a professional facility they don't have this problem because they use prfessional misting nozzles that spray a fine mist over the leaves of the cuttings. So you don't have the problem of water washing away the hormone. If you root in a bag, you don't have this problem but the air circulation problem is the one that can ruin the lot. Without air circulation fungus and bacteria set feed on the cuttings. That creates a a host of complex issues like sterilsation and how to get disease free cuttings ... It's more important to look at issues like the timing. If cuttings are taken at the right time of the year they have entered a cycle of nature. The best time to root is when the cycle switchto "growth". At this point in time the cuttings will attempt to grow by itself. It will produce chemicals to encourage rooting and fighting against disease. One typical example is take a rose stem (leave it on the bush). Trim it back a little and strip away all the leaves of the top 10 nodes. Then observe it over 2 weeks. The stem will harden, become more woody and the leaf buds near the top will become plumb. What this means is that the rose stem is preparing itself for a growth phase. The amount of nitrogen and sugar in the stem will decrease giving place to a "cooler" kind of energy reserve that won't let bacteria feed easily. Then it will be flush with natural growth hormones created by the rose itself. This kind of cuttings will want to grow. So when you stick it down it will start growing new leaves immediately. I have never put much faith in rooting hormones because I don't have professional grade misting nozzles. I beleive professional growers have facilities that make better use of root hormones.

Thanks for your ideas, I'm going to play around to see if I can come up with something fairly close to what they serve in the restaurant. For starters, I found this recipe and might try adding something to make it sweet. I'll have my friend sample it to see how it compares, and go from there. This recipe was given out during a Bravo cooking class. SUN DRIED TOMATO AND GARLIC DIPPING OIL 1/2 gallon blended oil (25% virgin olive oil / 75% canola oil) 12 oz tomato paste 1/2 cup dry rosemary 1/2 cup dry thyme 1/2 cup dry basil 8 oz boiling water 2 tbsp garlic powder (McCormickÂs is good) 7 oz sun-dried tomatoes 1/4 cup chopped parsley 7 oz salt & pepper - use only Kosher salt & white pepper (1/2 & 1/2 ) In a sauce pan - heat oil, add dry rosemary, thyme, and basil. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and drain oil from herbs and discard herbs. Reconstitute sun dried tomatoes in the boiling water for 5 minutes and drain. Add together all oil, garlic, tomato paste, sun dried tomatoes, salt and pepper, and parsley. With a burr mixer (hand-held stick type mixer) on low, blend very fine for 45 seconds.* Refrigerate to 41 degrees F. Good for 2 weeks. Keep refrigerated. *If using a food processor, add all dry ingredients first and make sure oil is not hot. Yield 1 gallon