Question: I’ve heard that you should cut the sides of the stem cuttings to expose more tissue for rooting. How do I do that?

Answer: That’s a process called “wounding.” Use a very sharp knife to remove a thin slice up one side of the base of the cutting. The wound should probably only be 1/2- to 1 inch long. Turn the cutting over and repeat the process on the other side. Be certain that you only remove the outer bark of the cutting with each wound, barely exposing the cambium layer beneath. That will give you much more exposed surface area on which new roots can form than if you simply insert a freshly cut cutting into the rooting bed.