Propagating Plants From Cuttings

I like powder rather than liquid because it seems easier to deal with, but logically I don't know why I feel that way.  I don't think there is a great deal of difference between brands or between powders and gels for that matter.

Willow tree cuttings among my other cuttings provide a bit of acetylsalicylic acid which  promote root growth, but care must be taken as they can take over the media as they are prolific rooters.

Willow tree cuttings among your other cuttings provide a bit of acetylsalicylic acid which will promote root growth, but be careful not to let them take over the media as they are prolific rooters.

My advice is don't worry about failure, just go for it, and enjoy those plants that succeed.
Take a cutting with at least 4 leaf nodes. Cut at a 45 degree angle below the bottom node with clean snips (I use 3% H2O2).  Dip in hormones and bruise the skin with a small scarape near the bottom cut to increase the odds of success.   Strip off most of the leaves, and cut back larger leaves. Dunk in hormones and place the stick into the Perlite. Wait for new growth and transplant.

The chemical name for the auxin naturally produced by a plant is indole-3-acetic acid ("IAA") which is synthesized by the plant from the amino acid L-tryptophan. Auxins have a cardinal role in coordination of many growth and behavioral processes in the plant's life cycle and are essential for plant body development.  It was first isolated and identified in 1934, by the scientist F.W. Went at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands.

After the discovery of IAA, two synthetic auxins, indole-3-butyric acid ("IBA") and naphthaleneacetic acid ("NAA"), were discovered in 1935 to have the same functions as IAA and to be more effective in rooting stem cuttings. Later it was shown that IBA is also a naturally occurring substance in pants. Also both have been shown to be more stable than IAA.  

As a result IBA and NAA are the active ingredients in most commercially available rooting hormone products.

When used correctly, it dramatically increases the odds of success with propagation.  It can be used on ornamental plants, as well as corms and bulbs.Many plant hormone products also contain fungicide.

Rooting hormone is a hazardous material. Some manufacturers recommend against using rooting hormone on food plants.Do not dispose of excess rooting hormone in areas where it can contaminate water supplies or soil.It should be treated like any bioactive chemical and disposed of in a solid waste facility.

For more:
http://scvrs.homestead.com/RootingHormones.html