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How much to water rooting cherry twigs #869328

Asked May 20, 2024, 4:44 PM EDT

I'm trying to root a number of small cherry branches.  They've been trimmed, lightly dipped in rooting hormone, and planted in a 50/50 mixture of peat moss and perlite.  I have them in pots, covered in plastic, with a grow light on them for 6 hours a day.  I mist them with a spray bottle twice a day, and the soil seems damp-ish...not wet, but not dry.  They've been rooting like this for 10 days now, and most look fine.  Aprox 1/3 of them began to look droopy this morning, and I'm wondering if I need to give them water.  The droopy ones share pots with the ones that are doing fine, however, and I'm worried about upsetting the 2/3 for the sake of the minority.  I'm seeking guidance on keeping them alive in general, and how much I should water them, specifically.  THANK YOU in advance!

Denver County Colorado

Expert Response

The description of your process for rooting the cherry branches sounds like you are doing everything right.  I agree that you should continue to keep them moist but not wet.  It is important however, to not let the soil get too dry as rooting requires adequate continuous moisture.  You may wish to add a small amount of additional water and see if the droopy ones recover and continue to monitor.  
Colorado Master Gardener, Denver County Replied May 21, 2024, 4:52 PM EDT

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