Zonal Pelargonium "Carmel" - and my method of taking cuttings

"Carmel" zonal pelargonium

 There are two zonal pelargoniums named "Carmel" in the International Pelargonium Register. This one was introduced by Schmidt in the USA before 1939 and is a sport from 'Alice of Vincennes'.  The single white flowers are edged in cherry red, making this a most attractive and distinctive flower.

I have been a bit busy this past month.  I did not cut back all of my pelargoniums in the autumn, so I have been catching up now. This does mean I will miss out on some early flowers this year, but they should catch up later in the year. 

So having cut back the plants means I have also been taking cuttings and I wanted to show you what
I have been using quite successfully for the past year. 

The cutting medium I use is more or less 50/50 coir and vermiculite.  I use a coir brick which I soak in water and when it has soaked up the water and looks just dampish I add vermiculite and mix to together.  If I don't use it all and it dries out I can reconstitute it easily with some more water.

The containers I use are 2" Net Pots - mainly used for hydroponics or aquatics. The pots are very cheap and easy to obtain on eBay.   I find these easy to fill and they come with a tray to hold them in the propagator.  The advantage for me is that I can see when the cuttings are rooted.  If you look at the photo you can see the roots that are searching for water.

Whether I use any hormone on the cutting really depends on what I am taking a cutting of, and time of year.   In summer for zonals I rarely use anything - just pop them in the pots.  I sometimes use Clonex, but most often I use White Willow Bark Powder, which can be ordered online.

Please let me know in the comments your own tried and tested method of taking cuttings.