Jim Caldwell wrote:

I have rooted lots of plants and shrubs like Oleander. Now I am trying to
get some orange tree cuttings to root. I cut off a growing branch end
several inches long at a diagonal, and remove the leaves. Then I dip the
freshly cut end in rooting hormone powder, then stick it in a 6 in pot with
miracle gro, sand, peat moss. They all are turning completely black, like
they are surely dead.
How do you get these rooted?

First of all, citrus is usually propagated by grafting the desired
variety onto seedling root stock.

More important, the presence of nutrients in the potting mix
(MiracleGro) encourages the microbes that cause rot. Without roots
yet, the cuttings cannot possibly use any of the nutrients.
Further, the nutrients dissolved in soil moisture tend to create
osmotic pressure that draws moisture out of the cuttings at a time
when you want the cuttings to absorb moisture.

--

David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com/

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