Rooting hormone when re-potting?

[James W.]

I know a guy who swears by willow water when re-potting. That got me to thinking . . .
Would using rooting hormones improve outcomes when re-potting? Especially if I worked roots at timing not idea for the plant?

 

[rockm]

Doesn't work that way. Rooting hormones don't work on actual roots. They work on plant tissue that ARE NOT roots to get those tissues to produce root tissue. Rooting hormone can actually INHIBIT rooting with newly repotted plants if applied in quantity.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Rooting hormones work on basically every plant structure and it's been proven to increase elongation in existing roots over and over.

Would your tree benefit from it? A little. Probably.
Would it prevent death if the tree is on the verge? It could. But then again it also couldn't.

Auxins in their many forms can be a great aid - and a great nuisance in the sense that they elongate branches and increase foliage size. But the take home message is to not lean on them. They can't save what doesn't want to be saved, and they don't even work on some plant species at all.

Willow water contains more than auxins, it's filled with exudates, phenols, salicylic acid and other wound-healing chemicals that all combined do more good than auxin alone. But the snake in the grass is that willows can handle huge amounts of bacteria in standing water that could kill all other trees, especially the ones with wounds. So if you're going to use it, make sure it's fresh.

 

[rockm]

Worth reading:

How to Use Rooting Hormone to Successfully Propagate Your Plants

Propagating plants using rooting hormone in powder, liquid, or gel forms gives your greenery a chemical boost that helps its growth and development. Learn how to choose the right product based on your experience level (and your plant); take a healthy cutting; and correctly apply rooting hormone.

www.marthastewart.com

Skip down to the rooting stuff here too:

Backyard Gardener - Vitamin B1 and Root Stimulators - July 22, 2015

The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County, Backyard Gardener

cals.arizona.edu

 

[James W.]

My opinion (based partially on some home trials) is that "root stimulater" and Superthrive are pretty much snake oil, though harmless. I'm guessing willow water would be in the same category.
I will not try rooting hormones for anything other than rooting cuttings, even the guys selling it caution to be very careful when using it in transplanting. The word "toxicity" is what caught my attention.

 

[Crazy Diamond]

I would use it if you make big cuts in roots that you want to divide or shortening